Everybody in Tubac remembered the gold-seekers" expedition which had set out six months previously; and according to some vague replies given by the mysterious personage, it was suspected that he knew more upon the matter than he chose to reveal. He had, he pretended, encountered in the deserts of the Apache country, a troop commanded by Don Estevan in a very critical position, and he had reason for believing that they must have fought a last and terrible engagement with the Indians, from the result of which he augured no good.
The evening before the arrival of the two travellers, he had inquired what direction he ought to take to reach Don Augustin"s house; and, above all, he had testified a great wish to learn whether Dona Rosarita was still unmarried.
The unknown always wore on his head a red checkered handkerchief, the folds of which hung down over his eyes; and in consequence of this head-dress he always went by the name of the "man with the red kerchief."
This being explained, let us now return to our two travellers.
The new-comers--whose arrival created some sensation--on entering the presidency, directed their steps towards one of the houses of the village, at the door of which sat a man, who was soothing his leisure hours by playing upon the guitar.
One of the cavaliers, addressing him, said--
"_Santas tardes_! my master; will you afford hospitality to two strangers for a day and a night?"
The musician rose and bowed courteously.
"Pray dismount, n.o.ble cavaliers," he answered, "this dwelling is at your service as long as you please to remain."
Such is the simple ceremonial of hospitality still in vogue in these distant countries.
The cavaliers dismounted from their horses, in the midst of an idle group who had collected around them, and who observed the two strangers with considerable curiosity--for in the Presidio of Tubac an arrival is a rare event.
The host silently a.s.sisted his guests to unsaddle their horses, but the more inquisitive of the crowd did not exercise so much discretion, and without scruple addressed a mult.i.tude of questions to the travellers.
"Good people," said one of the cavaliers, "let us first attend to our horses, and afterwards, when we have taken a mouthful of food, we shall have a chat. My comrade and myself have come here for that very purpose."
Thus saying, the bearded cavalier unfastened his gigantic spurs, threw them across his horse"s saddle, which he deposited, together with its woollen covering carefully folded, in the piazza attached to the house.
The two strangers did not dwell long over their repast. They soon rejoined their host upon the threshold, and sat down beside him.
Their questioners had not yet departed from the house.
"I am the more inclined," resumed the bearded traveller, "to inform you all of the object of our visit to the Presidio, since we are sent by our master to ask you a few questions. Will that be agreeable to you?"
"Perfectly," replied several voices, "and first, may we know who your master is?"
"He is Don Augustin Pena; you are not without some knowledge of his name?"
"The proprietor of the great Hacienda del Venado--a man worth three millions! Who does not know him?" replied one of the bystanders.
"He is the same. This cavalier, whom you see, is a vaquero, entrusted with the care of the beasts of the hacienda; for myself, I am a major-domo attached to the service of the proprietor. Would you have the kindness, my dear friend, to give me a light for my cigar?"
continued the bearded major-domo.
He paused to light his cigar of maize husk, and then resumed:
"Six months ago an expedition set out from here in search of gold dust.
This expedition was headed by one named--let me see--_carrai_! I have heard him called by so many names that I cannot remember any!"
"Don Estevan Arechiza!" replied one of the interlocutors, "a Spaniard, and one such as we do not often see in this country; one who seemed, by his n.o.ble deportment and majestic countenance, to have commanded all his life."
"Don Estevan Arechiza: the very same," said the major-domo, "a man who as far exceeds all others in generosity as a gamester who has just won a fortune. But let me return to the expedition; about how many men composed it, do you guess?"
"More than eighty started out with it."
"More than a hundred," suggested another.
"You are mistaken--the number was not a hundred in all," interrupted a third.
"That matters little to Don Augustin, my master. It is far more important to know how many returned."
Upon this point also there were two different opinions.
"Not a single one," remarked a voice.
"Yes; there was one, and but one," continued another.
The major-domo rubbed his hands with an air of satisfaction.
"Good!" said he, "then at least one is saved, provided this gentleman, who declares that all the gold-seekers are not dead, be rightly informed, as I hope he is."
"Do you not think," said the last who had spoken, "that the man of the red handkerchief may not be one of those whose departure we witnessed six months ago? I would swear to it by the cross and Gospel."
"No! not so!" cried another, "that man never set foot in the Presidio before the other day."
"In any case," interrupted a third, "the man of the red handkerchief has doubtless something of interest in store for Don Augustin Pena, since he has so often inquired about him. With these gentlemen, he will probably be more communicative than with us."
"That will be just what we desire," resumed the major-domo.
"You must know, then, and I may without indiscretion inform you,"
continued he, "that Don Augustin Pena, whom G.o.d preserve, was the intimate friend of Senor Arechiza, and that he has had no news of him for six months past, which would be natural enough if he has been ma.s.sacred by the Indians with all the rest. But my master is anxious for his return, that he may marry his daughter, Dona Rosarita, a beautiful and charming person, to the Senator Don Vicente Tragaduros.
Months have elapsed, and since the hacienda is not on the main road from Arispe to Tubac, and that we cannot gain information from any one upon the subject of this deplorable expedition, Don Augustin determined upon sending us here to inquire about it. When he shall have established the fact that Don Estevan"s return is impossible--and as young girls do not readily meet with Senators in the heart of the desert--nor do the latter often find there girls whose marriage portion is worth two hundred thousand piastres--"
"Carramba! that is a high figure."
"True, friend," continued the major-domo, "then the projected marriage will take place to the mutual satisfaction of all parties. Such is the object of our journey to Tubac. If, therefore, you can conduct me to him whom you describe as the sole survivor of this expedition, we shall perhaps learn from him what we wish to discover."
The conversation had reached this stage, when, at some distance from the house where it was taking place, a man was seen pa.s.sing, with his head bent downwards.
"See!" said one of the party, pointing to the man in question; "there goes your sole survivor."
"In truth, it is a person whose conduct is sufficiently mysterious,"
added the host. "For some days past he has done nothing but come and go, from one place to another, without informing any one of the object of his journeyings."
"If it please you, we shall question him?" proposed one.
"Hola! friend!" cried another of the party; "come this way; here is a gentleman who is anxious to see and speak with you."
The mysterious unknown approached at the summons.
"Senor cavalier," said the major-domo, courteously addressing him, "it is not to gratify an idle curiosity that I now address you; but the master whom I serve feels a natural anxiety at the disappearance of a friend, whose death he would greatly deplore. What do you know of Don Estevan de Arechiza?"