The old man stopped to light the thick cigar which he had rolled during his recital.
"_Caramba!_ Padre, it was a lucky thought! I located the center of the big bowl as nearly as possible, and began to dig. I washed some of the dirt taken a foot or two below the surface. Hombre! it left a string of gold clear around the _batea_! I became so excited I could scarcely dig. Every batea, as I got deeper and deeper, yielded more and more gold! I hurried back to the Tigui for my supplies; and then camped up there and washed the sand and clay for two weeks, until I had to come back to Simiti for food. Forty _pesos oro_ in fifteen days! _Caramba!_ And there is more. And all concentrated from the mud bricks of that old, forgotten town in the mountains, miles back of Popales! May the Virgin bless that deer and mend its hurt leg!"
One hundred and sixty francs in shining gold flakes! And who knew how much more to be had for the digging!
"Ah, Padre," mused Rosendo, "it is wonderful how things turn out--that is, when, as the little Carmen says, you think right! I thought I"d find it--I knew it was right! And here it is! _Caramba!_"
At the mention of Carmen"s name Jose again became troubled. Rosendo as yet did not know of Diego"s presence in Simiti. Should he tell him? It might lead to murder. Rosendo would learn of it soon enough; and Jose dared not cast a blight upon the happiness of this rare moment. He would wait.
As they sat reunited at the supper table in Rosendo"s house, a constant stream of townspeople pa.s.sed and repa.s.sed the door, some stopping to greet the returned prospector, others lingering to witness Rosendo"s conduct when he should learn of Diego"s presence in the town, although no one would tell him of it. The atmosphere was tense with suppressed excitement, and Jose trembled with dread. Dona Maria moved quietly about, giving no hint of the secret she carried. Carmen laughed and chatted, but did not again mention the man from whose presence she had fled to the shales that morning. Who could doubt that in the midst of the prevalent mental confusion she had gone out there "_to think_"? And having performed that duty, she had, as usual, left her problem with her immanent G.o.d.
"I will go up and settle with Don Mario this very night," Rosendo abruptly announced, as they rose from the table.
"Not yet, friend!" cried Jose quickly. "Lazaro has told you of the revolution; and we have many plans to consider, now that we have found gold. Come with me to the shales. We will not be interrupted there. We can slip out through the rear door, and so avoid these curious people.
I have much to discuss with you."
Rosendo chuckled. "My honest debts first, _buen Cura_," he said st.u.r.dily. And throwing back his shoulders he strutted about the room with the air of a plutocrat. With his bare feet, his soiled, flapping attire, and his swelling sense of self-importance he cut a comical figure.
"But, Rosendo--" Jose was at his wits" end. Then a happy thought struck him. "Why, man! I want to make you captain of the militia we are forming, and I must talk with you alone first!"
The childish egotism of the old man was instantly touched.
_"Capitan! el capitan!"_ he cried in glee. He slapped his chest and strode proudly around the room. "_Caramba! Capitan Don Rosendo Ariza, S!_ Ha! Shall I carry a sword and wear gold braid?--But these fellows are mighty curious," he muttered, looking out through the door at the loitering townsfolk. "The shales, then, Padre! Close the front door, Carmencita."
Jose scarcely breathed until, skirting the sh.o.r.e of the lake and making a detour of the town, he and Rosendo at length reached the shale beds unnoticed.
"Rosendo, the gold deposit that you have discovered--is it safe? Could others find it?" queried Jose at length.
"Never, Padre! No trail leads to it. And no one would think of looking there for gold. I discovered it by the merest chance, and I left no trace of my presence. Besides, there are no gold hunters in that country, and very few people in the entire district of Guamoco."
"And how long will it take you to wash out the deposit, do you think?"
"_Quien sabe?_ Padre. A year--two years--perhaps longer."
"But you cannot return to Guamoco until the revolution is over."
"_Bien_, Padre, I will remain in Simiti a week or two. We may then know what to expect of the revolution."
"You are not afraid?"
"Of what? _Caramba_, no!"
Jose sighed. No one seemed to fear but himself.
"Rosendo, about the gold for Cartagena: how can we send it, even when peace is restored?"
"Juan might go down each month," Rosendo suggested.
"Impossible! The expense would be greater than the amount shipped. And it would not be safe. Besides, our work must be done with the utmost secrecy. No one but ourselves must know of your discovery. And no one else in Simiti must know where we are sending the gold. Rosendo, it is a great problem."
"_Caramba_, yes!"
The men lapsed into profound meditation. Then:
"Rosendo, the little Carmen makes great progress."
"_Por supuesto!_ I knew she would. She has a mind!"
"Have you no idea, Rosendo, who her parents might have been?"
"None whatever, Padre."
"Has it ever occurred to you, Rosendo, that, because of her deeply religious nature, possibly her father was a priest?"
"_Caramba, no!_" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Rosendo, turning upon Jose. "What puts that into your head, _amigo_?"
"As I have said, Rosendo," Jose answered, "her religious instinct."
"_Bien, Senor Padre_, you forget that priests are not religious."
"But some are, Rosendo," persisted Jose in a tone of protest.
"Perhaps. But those who are do not have children," was Rosendo"s simple manner of settling the argument.
Its force appealed to Jose, and he felt a shade of relief. But, if Diego were not the father of Carmen, what motive had he for wishing to take her with him, other than to train her eventually to become his concubine? The thought maddened him. He almost decided to tell Rosendo.
"But, Padre, we came out here to talk about the militia of which I am to be captain. _Bien_, we must begin work to-morrow. _Hombre_, but the senora"s eyes will stand out when she sees me marching at the head of the company!" He laughed like a pleased child.
"And now that we have gold, Padre, I must send to Cartagena for a gun.
What would one cost?"
"You probably could not obtain one, Rosendo. The Government is so afraid of revolutions that it prohibits the importation of arms. But even if you could, it would cost not less than fifty _pesos oro_."
"Fifty _pesos_! _Caramba!_" exclaimed the artless fellow. "Then I get no gun! But now let us name those who will form the company."
By dwelling on the pleasing theme, Jose managed to keep Rosendo engaged until fatigue at length drove the old man to seek his bed. The town was wrapped in darkness as they pa.s.sed through its quiet streets, and the ancient Spanish lantern, hanging crazily from its moldering sconce on the corner of Don Felipe"s house, threw the only light into the black mantle that lay upon the main thoroughfare.
At sunrise, Jose was awakened by Rosendo noisily entering his house.
A glance at the old man showed that he was laboring under strong emotion.
"What sort of friendship is this," he demanded curtly, "that you keep me from learning of Diego"s presence in Simiti? It was a trick you served me--and friends do not so to one another!" He stood looking darkly at the priest.
"Have you seen him, then? Good heavens, Rosendo! what have you done to him?" cried Jose, hastily leaving his bed.
"There, comfort yourself, Padre," replied Rosendo, a sneer curling his lips. "Your friend is safe--for the present. He and his negro rascals fled before sunrise."
"And which direction did they take?"