United States or British Indian Ocean Territory ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Outside, even as Laguerre had been speaking, the people had gathered in a great circle, whispering and gesticulating, pointing at us, at the dying horse, at the shells that swung above us, at the flag of Alvarez which floated from Pecachua. When I spurred my horse forward, with the scout at my side, there was a sullen silence.
Now that he knew the worst, the doubt and concern on the face of General Laguerre fell from it like a mask. "We have no guns that will reach the mountain, have we?" he asked. He spoke as calmly as though we were changing guard. "No, not one," I answered. "All our heavy pieces are on Pecachua." "Then we must take it by assault," he said.
Nobody means to fight except against you. Every soldier and every gun in the city is to be sent out to Pecachua to trap you into an ambush. Natives who pretend to have deserted from Alvarez are to lead you into it. That was an idea of mine. They thought it was very clever. Garcia is to make a pretence of attacking the bridge and a pretence of being driven back.
Then if it does, it calls you farther to the Capital! There can be no stopping half-way now, no turning back. If we follow you to-night to Pecachua, we follow you to the Palace." Webster's voice rose until it seemed to shake the palm-leaf roof. He was like a man possessed. He sprang up on the table, and from the height above us hurled his words at Laguerre.
"That's their plot. They're working together. They mean to trap us on every side. Ah!" he cried. "Look!" I knew the thing at which he wished me to look. His voice and my dread told me at what his arm was pointing. I raised my eyes fearfully to El Pecachua.
"He offered me ten thousand dollars gold, and I did not take it." In his wonder at his own integrity, in spite of the excitement which shook him, Aiken's face for an instant lit with a weak, gratified smile. "I pretended to consider it," he went on, "and sent another of my men to Pecachua. He came back an hour ago.
He ran past us down the steps, and halting when he reached the street, turned and looked up at the great bulk of El Pecachua that rose in the fierce sunlight, calm and inscrutable, against the white, glaring masses of the clouds. "What is it?" I whispered. "Heinze!" Aiken answered, savagely. "Heinze has sold them Pecachua." I cried out, but again Laguerre commanded silence.
The President was walking with his head bowed, listening to Aiken, who was whispering and gesticulating vehemently. I had never seen him so greatly excited. When he caught sight of me he ran forward. "Here he is," he cried. "Have you heard from Heinze?" he demanded. "Has he asked you to send him a native regiment to Pecachua?" "Yes," I answered, "he wanted natives to dig trenches.
They were ignorant of what had transpired; they did not know who was, or who was not their official enemy, and they were unwilling to fire upon the people, who a moment before, before the flag of Alvarez had risen on Pecachua, had been their friends and comrades. These friends now beset them like a pack of wolves. They hung upon their flanks and stabbed at them from the front and rear.
But one of them, who was hidden by the carriage, called out: "You'd better come, too; your ship of state is getting water-logged." I made no sign that I heard him, but McGraw instantly answered, "Yes, it looks so. The rats are leaving it!" At that the man called back tauntingly the old Spanish proverb: "He who takes Pecachua, sleeps in the palace."
Word Of The Day