_ CHAPTER XXIII
Something prompted Martella to turn his head and look back. Not Captain Navarro alone, but two of the soldiers had come to the head of the path and stood out in clear relief in the strong moonlight, looking after the vanishing couple. Martella grimly thought:
"The Captain is not easy in his mind, but it is now too late for him to stop me."
A little way down the trail, under the shadow of the deep foliage, stood the two men who were awaiting the coming of the messenger and young woman. The time, brief as it was, had been trying to the last degree to Major Jack Starland, who came forward into the moonlight and approached the halted pony, which pricked his ears and showed some timidity. But the rider readily controlled him.
"Halloa, Jack!"
"My dear Warrenia!"
He reached up and pressed the small gloved hand and the grasp was warmly returned.
"General Yozarro seems to have forgotten to be a gentleman," she said.
"He never was one; if I ever meet the scoundrel I shall slap his face, if his whole army is looking on."
"Then I hope you will never meet."
The party was stationary, though still near enough to the Castle to justify uneasiness.
"Where are we going, Jack?"
"To the river; we have a boat there, in which we shall sail to Zalapata, there to stay till the yacht returns, and then good bye to this infernal country forever."
"And none will be gladder than I; but what of General Yozarro? Martella told me he is expected every minute at the Castle."
"No one knows better than our good friend, but what of it?"
"Which route will he be likely to take,--by land or the river?"
The question did not seem to have occurred to Major Starland, who turned to Martella for an answer.
"I think he will come by the gunboat and land where we did."
"Then there is a good chance of meeting him and his party?"
"Nothing is more likely; we must not forget to prepare for them, for they may be close at hand."
"What do you suggest?"
"I will walk far enough in advance to give warning. When I see or hear aught of them, I will whistle like this."
He illustrated and added:
"When that falls upon your ears, you will make haste to turn off into the wood."
"But there are many places where we cannot turn off, without taking a plunge down a precipice."
"Then run back till you find one."
Martella now strode down the path, which was so deeply shadowed that he quickly slipped from view.
"With your permission, Major, I will follow next, keeping a short way in advance of the Senorita and the horse. You may take the front or rear, as you think best."
"I will keep at the bridle. I cannot see that danger threatens from the Castle, and surely we are well guarded in front."
There was no call for delay and the procession moved in the order named, the guide being so well to the fore that only at intervals was a glimpse caught of the shadowy form, where the moonlight flooded the winding trail, which gradually descended until it reached the Rio Rubio to the northward. The three composing the main party did not speak, for all their senses were centred in those of sight and hearing. It had been in the mind of Miss Starland to propose that her pony should be dismissed. The task of walking was nothing to her, and the animal was really an incumbrance, but she saw as yet no objection against utilizing him: the necessity of parting with him might come at any time.
Past the murmuring waterfall, along the rocky face of the towering precipice, with fleeting glimpses of the myriad monkeys eternally flitting through the tropical forest, with the discords of nocturnal animals, and the squawking and cries of disturbed birds of a hundred different species, amid the soft moonlight and deep shadows, our friends threaded their way, listening and peering into the gloom, their hopes high, and yet with misgiving in every heart.
Half the distance was traversed, when the pony stepped around a projecting bend of the trail, which sloped abruptly along the face of the mountain wall. Major Starland paused and with a gentle pressure of the bridle rein checked the animal.
"Some distance must be passed before the path broadens," he said; "I hope we shall not hear Martella's signal when half-way thither."
Captain Guzman had also paused as if with the same thought. He was twenty paces in advance, but did not speak.
"Shall we wait for a few minutes?" asked Miss Starland.
"It will avail nothing; the passage must be made."
"But Martella will be farther away and that will help."
"He may go so far that we shall not hear his signal."
Nevertheless, they remained motionless for a few minutes until Captain Guzman was seen to move forward again. The delay was fortunate, for a hundred yards down the trail, the three were suddenly thrilled by the vibrant whistle, whose echo came back from the opposite cliffs. Captain Guzman whirled and came running back.
"Hurry! Not a moment is to be lost!"
The trail was narrow, but an expert animal could turn.
"Don't take the risk!" commanded the Major excitedly; "give me your hand and dismount."
"I can do it; let me alone."
Without hesitation, she jerked the head of the pony around, so as to face the appalling slope, and, speaking firmly to him, continued pulling strongly on the bit.
"It is madness! You will both be carried over."
But she gave no heed. The intelligent animal pressed his haunches against the rocky wall, and began carefully turning. His four hoofs were set close together, the front ones on the very edge of the abyss, over which his head projected, and down which the dirt began crumbling. The support of one hoof yielded and he sank partly sideways. The Major uttered an angry exclamation and tried to snatch his sister from the saddle. She resisted and not for a second did she lose her superb nerve. The horse saved both by partly rearing, and with his fore legs in air swung round as if on a pivot and set his feet down again on firm earth, with his nose pointed toward the Castle. She twitched the rein and spoke sharply. He broke into a gallop up the path, with the indignant officer running at his heels, and Guzman close behind him.
"'Twas the maddest folly I ever saw, but heavens! what nerve!"
Brief as was the distance, when they reached the summit of the trail, Martella dashed up after them.
"I saw him!" he said excitedly; "he came on the gunboat and has several officers with him; they will pass within a few minutes."
Miss Starland now took the hand of her brother and dropped lightly to the ground.
"It was quite interesting, Jack: I hope you weren't scared."
"My heart was in my mouth; I gave you up; if you had gone over, it would have been your own fault."
"But I didn't go over."
Martella seized the bridle, pulling so hard that the pony's head was drawn horizontal. A rod or two and they reached the broadening path and turned abruptly off among the trees and undergrowth. Where the vegetation was so profuse and dense, a little way was sufficient to hide them from any one passing over the path.
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. The horse dragged back but allowed himself to be drawn a little farther. All came to a pause, grouping themselves together, where one was hardly visible to the others.
"What was it?" asked the Major, in a whisper, of Martella.
"He smelled a serpent in front of us, and I stamped him to death."
"Was it venomous?" the American was prompted to ask.
"I think it was a coral snake, but he was not large."
"If he had bitten you?"
"Pardon me, Major, he did not."
"There may be others near us."
"Perhaps; their bite is sure death; we must be ready to crush them under our feet--hist! here come General Yozarro and the officers." _