Ahead of the Army

by William Osborn Stoddard

  CHAPTER XIV.

  THE DESPATCH-BEARER

  There are hills to climb, on the crooked highway from the city of Mexicoto the sea, but the greater part of the distance is down, down, down,for its highest point is over seven thousand feet above tidewater. Itwas in a pass leading over this ridge that Ned Crawford looked aroundhim, up and down and ahead, and exclaimed, as well as his chatteringteeth would let him:

  "Well, I'm glad there are no snow-drifts in my way. I suppose the armymen look out for that. But don't I wish I had an overcoat and some furs!Old Mount Orizaba can get up a first-class winter on his own account."

  It looked like it, and this part of his experiences had not been at allprovided for. The Cordillera was very white, and its garment of snow andice went down nearer to its feet than when Ned had first seen it.Moreover, the pony which had travelled so well when he cantered awayfrom the Paez mansion, some days before, was showing signs ofexhaustion, and it was manifestly well for him that he was now goingdown instead of climbing. So it was for Ned, and his uppermost wish wasto hurry down into a more summery climate. He was still doing so, to thebest of his shivering ability, two hours later, when a loud summons tohalt sounded in the road before him.

  "Whoop!" shouted Ned, and the soldier, who had presented his bayonet sosternly, was greeted as if he had been an old friend. Rapid explanationsfollowed, in Spanish, but before they were completed an officer had madehis appearance from a small but comfortable guard-house at the side ofthe road. He was only a lieutenant, and he appeared to gaze with morethan a little awe upon the superscription of Ned's precious governmentenvelope. He turned it over and over, and almost smelled of it.

  "Senor Carfora!" he exclaimed. "This must not be delayed for a moment!You must ride on, if it kills you. Come in and get a dinner. We willgive you a fresh mount. Tell us the news while you are eating."

  "I will do so," replied Ned, with a tremendous effort to stop shiveringand look important. "But I will say that I was told that any maninterfering with that despatch would be shot in one hour."

  "Beyond a doubt!" declared the lieutenant, with emphasis. "It wouldserve him right, too. This is no time for trifling with orders."

  A hearty dinner by a blazing log fire made the despatch-bearer feel agreat deal better, but at the end of it no mercy was shown him. Hisfresh pony was ready, and he was ordered to mount and ride. He did sowithout offering any objections, and he carried with him thelieutenant's written pass, for possible use further down the mountain.It was a good thing to have, but he was called upon to present it onlytwice, receiving in each instance positive instructions to push onwardif it killed him and his new pony.

  "I can't stand this much longer!" he exclaimed, as the sun was setting."I'm almost beyond the snow-line. I think I'll disobey the guards alittle, but I'll keep on obeying Senora Paez. She told me on no accountto try to sleep in a large town or village. They are all military posts,and too many questions might be asked. I'll try a hacienda, just as Idid on the other side of the mountains. Everybody wants to hear thenews."

  Everybody in that region was also genuinely hospitable, and it wasbarely dusk when Ned rode in at the gate of a substantial farmhouse, tobe welcomed with the utmost cordiality. Men, women, and children crowdedeagerly around him, to hear all he could tell them of the great battleand victory of Angostura, and of the current doings in the capital city.A warm bed was given him, and after a long sleep he awoke somewhatbetter fitted for whatever else might be before him. Once more he pushedon, but before noon of that day all signs of winter were far behind him.He had passed through more than one considerable village, but so hadother travellers, coming or going, who bore about them no appearance ofbeing worth the attention of the military authorities. Another andanother night in wayside farmhouses compelled him to admire more thanever the simple ways and the sincere patriotism of the Mexican farmers.All the while, however, his anxieties concerning the result of hisperilous errand were growing upon him, and he was obediently using uphis army pony. It was the forenoon of the third day before he wasaroused from his other thoughts into anything like enthusiasm for theexceeding beauty of the luxuriant vegetation on either side of the road.

  "Leaves! flowers! grass!" he exclaimed. "Oh, how beautiful they all are!Summer here, and winter only a few miles away. Hurrah for the _tierracaliente_! It's a bully place at this time o' year."

  At all events, it was a pleasanter place to be in than any icy passamong the Mexican sierras, and his thoughts were at liberty to come backto his present situation. He was not now upon the Cordoba road, by whichhe had left the gulf coast ever so long ago. This was the highway fromthe city of Jalapa. He was cantering along only a short distance fromthe seashore, and he was within a few miles of the gates of Vera Cruz.

  "I remember them," he was thinking. "I never had a good chance for alook at the walls, but I suppose I shall have one pretty soon. I wonderif they are thick enough to stop a cannon-ball. Captain Kemp told methey were built all around the city, but he didn't say how high theyare."

  Walls there were, indeed, but their masonry was not the next thing thatwas to be of especial interest to Ned. There is no kind of stoneworkwhich can compare, under certain circumstances, with the point of alance or the edge of a machete, and the bearers of a number of suchweapons were to be seen coming toward him at a gallop.

  "It looks like a whole company of lancers!" exclaimed the anxiousdespatch-carrier. "Now I'm in for it! Everybody I met on the way wascivil enough, but these may be a different kind of fellows."

  Whether they were or not, the whole force under General Morales was in astate of unusual excitement that day, for the report was going aroundthat the American army brought by Commodore Connor's fleet was rapidlycoming ashore near Sacrificios Island, only three miles south of VeraCruz. If Ned himself had been aware of it, he might have changed hisplans and ridden right in among his own friends. As it was, however, inless than three minutes he had cantered in among a swarm of angryMexicans and glittering spear-points. Their state of discipline waswitnessed to by the fact that the captain in nominal command of them hadsome difficulty in obtaining from them permission to ask his ownquestions of this newcomer. When at last he succeeded in doing so,without first having his captive run through by a lance, it shortlylooked as if Ned had been learning diplomacy, if not strategy also,during his varied and wonderful Mexican experiences.

  "Senor Captain," he said, quite coolly, pulling out his officialenvelope, "I am ordered to deliver this to General Morales in person. Iam commanded to answer no questions. Any man daring to hinder thedelivery of my despatches will be shot. They are important."

  "Where are you from?" came savagely back.

  Ned only pointed at the envelope and shut his mouth hard.

  "What is your errand to General Morales?"

  Ned's brain was working with tremendous rapidity just then, and one ofhis swift thoughts got away from him.

  "Captain," he said, "you had better ask that question of his Excellency,General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna."

  The officer's swarthy face turned pale for a moment, and all the men whohad heard Ned's reply broke out into loud vivas for their greatcommander-in-chief, the illustrious victor of the bloody field ofAngostura. The entire company became at once the zealous guardians ofthat sacred envelope, which so few of them could have read, and thecaptain was forced to restrain his curiosity, and allow Ned to continue,keeping his mouth closed. For all that, however, the despatch-bearer wasstill a prisoner, and was to be conducted as such to the presence ofGeneral Morales. The lancers turned their horses toward the city, andthe gates were reached as quickly as Ned's tired pony could carry him.At this barrier, of course, there were other guards and officers ofhigher rank, and there might have been further delay, or even danger, ifNed had not promptly exhibited the magical envelope, while the captainhimself repeated his own words for him, and curtly added:

  "His Excellency, General Bravo! Viva Morales! Viva Santa Anna!"

  That last word sealed
the matter. The envelope was returned to itsbearer, and he was conducted onward under the care of two colonels,several other officials, and a half-dozen of watchful lancers.

  Ned shortly understood that General Morales had returned from the Castleof San Juan de Ulua to go out for a telescopic inspection of theAmerican landing, and was now at his headquarters in the city.

  "I guess I shall feel better after I get to him," thought Ned, as he andhis excited party halted before the headquarters building. "I may getstuck with a machete yet, if I have to wait long out here."

  He was neither to be delayed nor slaughtered, and in a few minutes morehe was ushered into a handsomely furnished chamber, where the generalwas sitting, apparently entirely calm and self-possessed, surrounded byhis staff and a throng of other important men, soldiers and civilians.He did not say a word while a colonel of the escort was delivering hisreport concerning this messenger, but he was all the while sharplyscrutinizing Ned from head to foot.

  "Gentlemen," he then said to those around him, "this may be something ofextraordinary importance. Come with me, Carfora!"

  He arose from his chair, and Ned silently followed him into anotherroom. As soon as they were shut in here by themselves, he turnedfiercely upon the young despatch-bearer and demanded:

  "Have you said anything to those men? Have you told a living soul whatyou know about these tidings?"

  "No, general, not one word to anybody," replied Ned, bravely, but therewas a strange thrill at his heart, for he saw that he was in deadlyperil.

  Morales tore open the envelope, and found in it several official-lookingpapers which it did not take him long to read; but now Ned took out froman inner pocket three others which were much smaller. The general's faceflushed fiery red, and his eyes were flashing with excitement while heswiftly examined them.

  "Carfora," he exclaimed, "you are too young to have been sent on such anerrand as this. General Bravo! Colonel Tassara! Senora Paez! GeneralZuroaga! Ah, Santa Maria! And our brave army was shattered at Angostura,after all. This is dreadful news! You shall die before I will allow youto spread it among my men!"

  "I shall not do so," said Ned, with his heart in his throat "But may Inot tell them that General Santa Anna has checked the invasion at thenorth? Ought I not to say that he is now marching down to defend thecapital, and that he is going to strengthen your army at Vera Cruz? Why,general, that is just what he is going to do."

  The general was silent for a moment, and appeared to be lost in thought.

  "No, not now!" he then whispered between his set teeth, but Ned heardhim. "If I shot him, it would make enemies of Zuroaga and the Tassarasand Senora Paez. Bravo would not care. Carfora," he added, aloud, "youmay go. You may talk as you have said, but you must not leave the city,and, if you say one word about our being defeated at Buena Vista, I willhave you shot. There are too many desertions already, and I can't affordto have my whole army stampeded by bad news."

  There was, therefore, an imperative military reason for keeping secretthe truth concerning Santa Anna's great victory, and Ned responded:

  "General Morales, everybody will be asking me questions. I guess I knowexactly what you wish me to tell. I was ordered to keep my mouth shut."

  "See that you do!" growled the general. "Or a musket-ball will shut itfor you. Go out now. If I want you, I shall be able to find you."

  They walked out of the inner room together, and they found the mainoffice crowded, as if many more had hurried in to hear the expectednews.

  "Gentlemen! Fellow citizens!" shouted the general, enthusiastically, ashe waved his packet of despatches over his head. "This is glorious! Ourillustrious commander-in-chief, after having given such a severe lessonto our barbarous invaders at the north, is marching with his entireforce to our own assistance. He will soon crush our assailants on theseacoast as he has the gringo mob under Taylor!"

  A storm of cheers responded, and the entire crowd seemed disposed toexchange hugs and handshakes, while he turned to an officer at a table.

  "By the Way, major," he said, "write an order for quarters and rationsfor General Bravo's messenger, Carfora. I may need him again in a fewdays. Keep track of him. He is a civilian, but he is a trusted agent ofcertain parties whom you may know."

  The major began to write something, and, as he did so, Ned believed thathe heard him muttering words which sounded like: "Humph! Messenger ofhis Excellency, Santa Anna! We will take good care of him!"

  Then the general carelessly signed the paper, which the major preparedfor him, and Ned walked quietly out into the open air. Once there,however, he took a hasty look at his "order for rations," and discoveredthat with it he had now in his possession a full headquarters army pass,which permitted him to come and go anywhere, through the gates and allthe lines, without hindrance from anybody. He was established as anaccepted and even honored confidential despatch-bearer of thecommander-in-chief of all the armies of Mexico. He was not now to getentirely away without difficulty, however, for the whole building hadbeen full of men who were eager for all the news he could give them, andthey had followed him. They seized upon him as if he had been the lastedition of an evening newspaper, containing the reports of all the pastand with, probably, the news for to-morrow morning also somewhere insideof him. He did not get away from them for some time, and when he did so,at last, he was sure of being recognized by a considerable number ofpatriotic Mexicans, if they ever should meet him again. That might makehim safer, although he was no longer in any immediate danger. Moreover,although he was not in uniform, the cut and quality of his clothinginformed every person he met that he belonged to the higher orders,while the machete at his side and the pistols in his belt appeared toindicate that he was in some way connected with the army.

  "I know what I want to do next," he was thinking. "My pony and mysatchel are at the headquarters stables. I can get them whenever I wantthem. I must go to the Tassara place. I can find it. Then I must manageto put them there, so that I won't have to show myself at theheadquarters unless I'm sent for."

  He had no difficulty in finding the Tassara homestead, and there was noobserver anywhere near him when he stood in front of the dwelling whichhad been his first hospitable refuge in Mexico. It had now, of course, alonely and shut-up look, and there was no getting in at the front door,for much knocking failed to bring a door-keeper. Giving that up,therefore, he made his way around to the rear, through the unoccupiedstables.

  "There is hay enough here for my pony," he remarked, "but I had halfexpected that the house would be turned into quarters for troops."

  He may have overlooked the fact that the Tassaras were friends ofGeneral Morales, and that their house was under his protection. If itwere supposed to be so, nevertheless, he had cause to forget it againwhen he came to the back door, for it stood wide open, with anappearance of having been unlocked with a hammer.

  "Hullo!" he exclaimed. "I wonder if there is anybody in there now?"

  The thought somehow made him draw his machete, and he went on into thehouse as if he were looking for a fight. The dining-room was enteredfirst, and it was utterly empty. Not so much as a chair was left,although its owners had certainly not taken any furniture away with themin their hasty escape by night, with Ned and Zuroaga. It looked a littlequeer, to say the least, and, as he went on from room to room, he foundprecisely such a state of things everywhere else.

  "I declare!" said Ned. "Either their friends or some robbers havecleaned this place of all there was in it that was worth stealing. Notso much as a bed left. I'll go and take a look at my old room. It was acubby-hole of a place, but it would do first-rate for me now."

  Perhaps it was so small and so out of the way that Ned had an agreeablesurprise ready for him when he reached it, for there still hung hishammock, and nothing else in the room had been molested.

  "Hurrah!" he shouted. "I've looked into every other room in the house,and this is the only one they didn't finish. I guess I'll camp hereto-night, after I've been out to get something to eat." />
  It was true that he had orders for army rations, if he had known whereto find them, but he was also able to purchase whatever he might need,and he preferred to do so. At the same time, he had a clearunderstanding that, if he expected to ever see the United States again,he had better not show a great deal of cash in the city of Vera Cruzjust now.

  "There are plenty of fellows here," he remarked, "who would cut mythroat for a silver dollar, let alone a gold piece."

  He sheathed his machete peaceably, and went out by the back door,determining to let as few people as possible suspect that the Tassaramansion contained a boarder,--or it was more nearly correct to saylodger. This was a wise decision to make, but he was not to hunt far forhis supplies that evening. Hardly had he gone a hundred paces from theTassara place before he was unceremoniously halted, and it was not by alancer this time. Before him, blocking his way, stood a very fat andapparently much astonished woman.

  "Madre de Dios!" she loudly exclaimed. "Senor Carfora! Santa Maria!Santa Catarina! San Jago! Diablos! Where did you come from?"

  Ned had never before heard himself called by all those pet names, but heknew at a glance that this was no other than Anita, formerly the cookof Senora Tassara, and believed to be a devoted friend of the family.

  "Anita!" he exclaimed. "I'll tell you!" and he proceeded to do so, toher great gratification, for she was as hungry for news as he was forhis rations.

  "You come to my house," she said, "and I will give you something fit toeat, and that is a good deal to say in Vera Cruz in these days. SantaMaria! How these ragged banditti do devour everything. We are to bedevoured by the accursed gringos, too, and we must eat while we can."

  Her idea, as a good cook, appeared to be that, if several thousands ofpeople were about to be shut up and starved to death, they ought all tofeed themselves as liberally as possible before the actual process ofstarvation should begin. Ned felt a strong sympathy with that notion, ashe walked along with her, and he was ready to tell her anything but theperilous truth concerning the lost battle at the north. As to that, itwas quite enough to assure her and half a dozen other patriotic Mexicanwomen, who were at her humble home when he went in, that the great andsuccessful General Santa Anna was hastening to rescue them from theAmerican barbarians who were at this hour getting ashore with a greatdeal of difficulty through the surf, which was wetting every uniformamong them. If anything at all resembling a "norther" had been blowing,the landing would necessarily have been postponed until it had blownover. Among other things, however, Ned told Anita of his visit to thehouse, and when the very good supper was ended, she led him to a roomwhich must have contained at least a third of all the space under herroof. It was anything but hollow space now, for it was heaped to theceiling with furniture, beds, bedding, and a miscellaneous collection ofother household goods.

  "There, Senor Carfora!" she said, exultingly. "The Puebla robbers didget some things, but we saved all these. They were not ready to carryoff heavy stuff, and when they came again, with a cart, at night, it hadall been cared for. The senora has not lost so much, after all."

  "You are a faithful woman!" said Ned, admiringly. "I'm glad, too, thatthey could not steal the house, for I want to sleep there."

  "It's the best place you can find," she told him. "But you had betteralways bar the door at night, and sleep with your machete and pistolswhere you can reach them."