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Updated: June 20, 2025
"You are not troubling me in the least; I'm enjoying this, though it doesn't seem to give you much amusement. However, you may as well save your words regarding the noble Martella, who has served us so well. He has cast his fate with us and I consider him worth a thousand such as you." There was really no call for the General to keep up the conversation and he subsided.
It will be remembered that Captain Guzman and Martella were seated at the bow, facing those at the stern. Thus the moonlit river beyond was in clear view, and the sombre, motionless form of the tugboat could be made out where it snuggled against the southern bank.
The boat was not injured, but he shot Martella's brother, who was the pilot. Martella, therefore, hates him." "No more than I do. Had I known what you have told me when talking with him this forenoon, I should have put a bullet through his carcass." "There are better ways than that; let us go to the home of General Yozarro in the mountains and bring away the Señorita; Martella will go with us."
The stout form of General Yozarro was at the front, walking at a moderate pace up the slope. The moment he entered the field of vision, Major Starland heard Martella gasp, as if catching his breath. Then the American felt a hand upon his rifle, as if the other were trying to draw it from his grasp. "My chance can never be better," whispered the deserter.
Martella stepped outside, replaced his hat and with his deliberate walk, led the way down the stairs, which were dimly lighted by the lamp below. Sternly repressing all signs of haste, he slipped his right hand under his jacket and rested it on the handle of his knife. "They shall have a fight for it!" he muttered; "if the General is within reach, my knife shall find his heart."
As always, Martella assumed the lead, the horse still reluctantly following with the others around and behind him. Suddenly the beast refused to go farther. "What's the trouble?" asked the Major. "Something has frightened him," suggested Captain Guzman. The guide was savagely stamping. Then he stopped and tugged again at the rein.
"So you have a plan for capturing that old tug of General Yozarro? What do you think of it, Captain?" "It can be done with little trouble as Martella says. I was thinking of the same thing while he was away. It would be a fine trick to play on General Yozarro." "And I should be glad to help, but it will not do." "Why not?" "Despite what General Yozarro said, the two republics are not at war.
When word was brought to him, he sprang up and hastened outside, where Martella was standing erect, like a true soldier of the Atlamalcan army, and saluted him. "Do you come from General Yozarro?" was the inquiry. "Directly from him," was the unblushing response. "What are his commands?" "That I bring the American Señorita to him without delay." "Where is the General? I am expecting him any hour."
Each minute added to the tension of the situation. Martella did not doubt that General Yozarro was on the way to the Castle, and more than likely was quite near. He was likely to arrive at any moment. He glanced stealthily around, determined, if he saw him or any of his escort, to make a break for it, with the chances a hundred to one against saving his neck.
But that was not done, nor was there anything in the words or manner of the Atlamalcans to show that he held a suspicion of the real situation. "Martella must have thought of all this, yet he did not show it by word or act." Walking briskly, they soon passed up a slight incline, descended another and arrived within a short distance of the Rio Rubio.
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