by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER SIXTY.
SPEEDY RETRIBUTION.
Short time stays Kaolin and his party by the _estancia_: for thenewly-elected chief of the Tovas is a man of ready resolves and quickaction, and soon as his story is told, with that of the others heard inreturn, he again mounts, and makes ready for the march--this time to bedirected towards the old _tolderia_. He knows that his rival _cacique_must come that way, as also the other enemy of whom Caspar has given himinformation, and who may be expected as soon, if not sooner, than Aguarahimself.
The gaucho goes along with him, as so would Cypriano and Ludwig, butthat Caspar forbids it; urging them to remain at the _estancia_ ascompany, and, if need be, protection, for the _senora_ and _nina_. Thusinfluenced, they both stay.
Straight off over the _pampa_ rides Kaolin, at the head of his hundredstalwart warriors, his sister still by his side. She also had beencounselled to remain behind, an advice she disdainfully rejected. Therevenge burning in her breast will not let her rest, till she has seenher false lover, her insulter, laid low.
Her brother, too, and all his band of braves, are alike eager for theconflict to come. It was not so before their arrival at the _estancia_.Then they only thought of dealing with their deposed _cacique_ and hisyouthful followers, foolish as himself; nor dreamt they aught of danger.But now, with the prospect of meeting another and very different enemy,more dangerous and more hated, their savage nature is roused within themto an ire uncontrollable. By chance, Kaolin himself has a specialdislike for the _vaqueano_ Valdez; while as to the others, despite therestored treaty forced upon them by Aguara, their friendship has notbeen restored with it; and they urge their horses forward, burning foran encounter with the _cuarteleros_ of Paraguay.
Though the gaucho rides at the head of the quick marching party, andalongside their leader, it is not to guide them. They know the groundas well, and better than he; for oft and many a time have they quarteredthat same _campo_, in pursuit of _gama, guazuti_, and ostrich.
Kaolin directs his march in a straight course for the old _tolderia_,though not now designing to go so far. His objective point for thepresent is a high bluff which hems in the valley of the Pilcomayo, andfrom which a view may be obtained of the river for long leagues upwardand downward, as of the deserted village, at no great distance off uponits bank. Through a ravine that cuts this bluff transversely, thelatter can alone be reached from the elevated plain over which they areadvancing.
Arrived at the upper end of the gorge, they do not go down it. Instead,commanding his warriors to make halt, Kaolin himself dismounts; andsigning the gaucho to keep him company, the two step crouchingly forwardand upward to the outer edge of the cliff.
Soon as reaching it they get sight of what they had more than halfexpected to see: two bands of men mounted and upon the march, one withthe horses' heads directed down the stream, the other up it. The first,as can be seen at a glance, is the pursuing party of Tovas youths led byAguara; while the sun shining upon gilt buttons, with the glittering oflance blades and barrels of guns, tells the other to be a troop ofsoldiers, beyond doubt the looked for _cuarteleros_! Both are at abouta like distance from the abandoned town, heading straight for it; andwhile Kaolin and the gaucho continue watching them they ride in amongthe _toldos_ from opposite sides, meeting face to face on the open spaceby the _malocca_.
At sight of one another the two sets come to a sudden halt; and, for asecond or two, seem engaged in a mutual and suspicious reconnaissance.But their distrust is of short continuance; for there is a rogue at thehead of each, and these, as if instinctively recognising one another,are seen to advance and shake hands, while their followers mutuallymingle and fraternise.
Amicable relations being thus established between them, the men on bothsides are observed to dismount, as if they intended to make stay in the_tolderia_. A movement, which puzzles Kaolin and the gaucho, who wereabout going back to the gorge with the design of taking steps fordefending it. Instead, they remain upon the cliff's crest to watch theenemy below.
And they continue watching there till the sun goes down, and the purpleof twilight spreads itself over the plain bordering the Pilcomayo; thissucceeded by a mist rising from the river, and shrouding the desertedvillage in its murky embrace. But before night's darkness is altogetheron they see a mounted troop, filing by twos, out from among the_toldos_, with lances carried aloft, and pennons floating over theirheads--surely the _cuarteleros_. There is just light enough left toshow two men in the lead, dressed differently from these following. Oneof these resplendent in a feather-embroidered _manta_, Kaolin recognisesas his rival Aguara; while the gaucho identifies the other as hisoldest, deadliest, and most dangerous enemy, Valdez, the _vaqueano_.
They remain not a moment longer on the cliff; for, eager as GasparMendez may be to rid himself of that enemy, he is not more so than theIndian to send to his long account the man who insulted his sister. Nowmore than ever determined upon avenging her wrongs, he rushes back tohis braves, and hurriedly puts them in ambush near the head of thegorge, at a point where the defile is narrowest; himself taking stand ona ledge, which commands the pass, in such manner, that with his longspear he can reach across it from side to side.
At length has the opportunity arrived for the angry brother to take theretribution he has resolved upon--Nacena herself being a witness to it.For she is near by, standing on a higher bench behind, in posedattitude, with her features hard set and lips compressed, as one aboutto be spectator to a sad and painful scene. But if she feel sadness, itis not for the death now threatening Aguara. That blow had changed herfond love to bitterest resentment; and instead of doing aught, or sayingword, to stay her brother's hand, she but by her presence and silenceincites him to the deed of vengeance.
It is soon and quickly done. Scarce has the ambuscade been set, whenthe trampling of horses heard down the defile tells of a cavalcadecoming up, and presently the foremost files appear rounding an angle ofrock. Dim as is the light, the horseman leading can be told to be theyoung Tovas _cacique_, while the one immediately in his rear isrecognisable as Rufino Valdez. At sight of the latter the gaucho, whois close to Kaolin, feeling all his old hatred revived, and recalling,too, the murder of his beloved master, with difficulty restrains himselffrom springing down and commencing the conflict. He is prevented by asign from Kaolin; who, on the instant, after leaning forward lounges outwith his spear. A wild cry tells that it has pierced the body ofAguara; then drawn instantly back and given a second thrust, it passesthrough that of the _vaqueano_--both dropping from their horses dead, asif by a bullet through the brain!
The soldiers coming on behind are brought to a sudden stop; scarcecomprehending why, till they hear the wild Tovas war-cry raised abovetheir heads, at the same time being saluted with a shower of _bolasperidas_ rained down from the rocks, these terrible missiles crushing inevery skull with which they came into contact.
The scared _cuarteleros_ stay for no more; but, with a cry of treason,turn their horses' heads, and hurry back down the ravine. Nor stop theyat the _tolderia_; but still under the belief of having been betrayed,continue their retreat down the river, and on toward Paraguay, leavingover a dozen of them dead in that dark defile.
As for the followers of Aguara, they make no show of fight. Now thattheir leader is no more, there is no cause of quarrel between them andthe warriors of the tribe, and not a hand is raised to avenge theiryoung _cacique_. For on learning the full character of his designs, andhis complicity with the cruel _vaqueano_, all acknowledge that both menhave but met the death they deserved.