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"Ho!" cried Dubrosc, advancing a pace or two, and seizing my horse by the bridle, "a splendid mount! An Arab, as I live! Look here, Yanez!" he continued, addressing a guerillero who accompanied him, "I claim this, if you have no objection." "Take him," said the other, who was evidently the leader of the party. "Thank you.
I am sure at that moment I possessed no restraint within myself. As I gazed at Dubrosc, the door of the apartment opened, and a young man entered. He was strangely attired, in a costume half-military, half-ranchero. There was a fineness, a silky richness, about the dress and manner of this youth that struck me. His features were dark and beautiful.
"Looked high and low, Cap'n. Gravenitz seed Dubrosc steal into the chaparril with his musket. Shortly afterwards we heern a shot, but thought nothin' of it till this mornin', when one of the sodgers foun' a Spanish sombrary out thar; and Chane heern some'dy say the shot passed through Major Twing's markey. Besides, we foun' this butcher-knife where yer was lyin'."
I recognised the deserter, Dubrosc! "Villain!" I ejaculated, too full of rage to utter another word. We met at full speedy but with my unmanageable horse I could only ward off his blow as he swept past me. We wheeled again, and galloped towards each other both of us impelled by hatred; but my horse again shied, frightened by the gleaming sabre of my antagonist.
I am almost certain Dubrosc was the name; but it was before my time, and I am unacquainted with the circumstances, I remember, however, that the fellow was a gambler, or something of the sort; and the occurrence made much noise in the country." I listened with a sickening anxiety to every word of these details. There was a painful correspondence between them and what I already knew.
This thought alone restored me to happiness. A thousand others rushed through my brain in quick succession some pleasant, others painful. There was an altercation of voices over my head. I caught the iron rods, and, resting my toes upon a high bank, swung my body up, and again looked into the room. Dubrosc was now angrily pacing over the floor.
Another bound, and we were "in the woods." For a time there was a strange irresolution in my flight. The idea of leaving Guadalupe in such company that after all they might be prisoners, or, even if not, the thought that they were in the power of Dubrosc to any extent was enough to render me wretched and irresolute. But what could we do five men, almost unarmed?
We spent about an hour in this way. Straggling parties at intervals came back from the pursuit, and we could gather, from what we overheard, that neither Lincoln nor Jack had yet been retaken. We could hear talking in the rear of the rancho, and we felt that our fate was being determined upon. It was plain Dubrosc was not in command of the party.
Desayuna is a slight early meal. "Has any of you heard of Dubrosc on the route?" I inquired of my comrades. No; nothing had been heard of him since the escape of Lincoln. "Faix, Captain," said the Irishman, "it's meself that thinks Mister Dubrosc won't throuble any ov us any more. It was a purty lick that same, ayquil to ould Donnybrook itself."
Dubrosc was carried back into the rancho, apparently lifeless. We were still wondering how our comrade had untied himself, when one of the guerilleros, lifting a piece of the thong, exclaimed: "Carajo! ha cortado el briboncito!" It was with us a moment of fearful suspense. We expected to see poor Jack sacrificed instantly. We watched the man with intense emotion, as he ran to and fro.
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