United States or Myanmar ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
He thinks more of those cheap cotton prints, with their red and green and yellow flowers, than all the silk ever spun since the days of Mother Eve. Ha! ha! ha!" The laugh, in which Roblez heartily joined, was still echoing on the air as the two horsemen entered a pass leading through the mountains. It was the depression in the sierra, seen shortly after parting with the Horned Lizard and his band.
He even makes declaration of the motive, knowing the nobility of the men who threatened him, and thinking by this means to obtain pardon. To strengthen his chances he goes still farther, turning traitor against him to whom he had sold himself Uraga. He has overheard a conversation between the Mexican colonel and his adjutant, Lieutenant Roblez.
After delivering his half-frenzied apostrophe to the painted image, he returns to the table, beside which Roblez has already taken a seat. They re-fill their glasses, and drink the toasts specified, with a ceremony in strange contrast to the hellish glee sparkling in the eyes of the Lancer-Colonel. His countenance beams with triumph, such as might be shown by Satan over the ruin of innocence.
They are its chief and his confidential second, the ruffian Roblez. Uraga is speaking. "Won't our worthy friend Miranda be surprised when he sees us riding up to the door of his jacal, with these fifty fellows behind us? And the old doctor, Don Prospero? I can fancy his quizzical look through those great goggle spectacles he used to wear.
Good luck their being saddled and bridled now. So think Uraga and Roblez as they rush towards them. So thinks Galvez, who is also making to mount one. The sentry has forsaken his post, leaving the marquee unguarded. When a lover no longer cares for his sweetheart, why should he for a captive.
Having returned to his original design the scheme of atrocity so coolly and jestingly declared, Uraga takes steps towards its execution. The first is, to order his own horse, or rather that of Hamersley, to be saddled, bridled, and tied behind his own tent. The same for that ridden by Roblez.
At this moment Roblez looking back, perceives there is but one man in chase of them. A long stretch of open plain in his rear, and no other pursuer upon it. Brigand though he be, the adjutant possesses real courage. And there are two of them, in full health and strength, both armed with sabres, himself carrying a pair of dragoon pistols in his holsters.
Under the dread of a common danger, the white doncella and the dusky damsel forget the difference in the colour of their skins; and for the first time feel themselves sisters in the true sisterhood of humanity. Simultaneous with the scene in the square marquee a dialogue is taking place within the conical tent, the speakers being Uraga and Roblez.
After stepping forth from the tent Uraga pauses to reflect. The course counselled by Roblez seems reasonable enough. If he can but force the girl's consent, it will not be difficult to get it sealed. There are priests in the frontier pueblitas who will be obedient to a power superior to the Church even in Mexico, that Paradise of padres.
That duty has been entrusted to the alferez; he and Roblez riding several hundred paces in advance of the troop. He has thus isolated himself for the purpose of holding conversation with his adjutant, unembarrassed by any apprehension of being overheard. "Well, ayadante," he begins, as soon as they are safe beyond earshot, "what's your opinion of things now?"
Word Of The Day