Show a a M in E I 1 I 1 ft ra CARMEN 0 F H R ANC 0 by FRANK H SPEARMAN frank H spearman tl CHAPTER XI continued 11 maybe you had to obey orders kit but id never think it ot of you ayour brother mose never would have done that you know that as well as I 1 do well its done snapped kit much put out at the rebuke so anyway theres no use talking about it where you goin henry bowie had risen picked up his rifle and was shaking his legs im going just as I 1 told you up the river to but bears n hold your horses till you talk to the old man im not talking to him mt kit he cant hire me to murder decent peaceable boys like the de haros slit dont talk so loud you old bullfrog stay overnight and think it over youve picked on the only mean job he ever put on me henry 92 kit im on my way no effort at persuasion availed bowie shook hands bands with kit and his friends and exchanged raillery with them but went his way everything at Sut lers fort pleased him captain sutter had charged the whole atmosphere with his own magnetic personality when be persuaded bowie to remain for a time with him it was to be on bowles bowies own terms if bowie would name any in the end sutter named tor for his new recruit so liberal a percentage on his fur business that bowie himself insisted on reducing it captain sutter had at his command the services of former mission indians who on the despoiling of the missions by the mexican politicos had found themselves adrift and thrown on their own resources some fell back into savagery eav agery and pillage imitating their mexican despoilers others of the better stripe sought service where they could many were in the employ of sutter these men were tractable and were expert with the bow and the gun even bowie who was placed in sole charge of these hunters was often amazed at their skill no less a source of amazement to him although he had thought himself familiar with the country was its limitless wealth in game and fur bearing animals elk supplied tallow worth more commercially merci ally than that of cattle deer were a pest and bears were hunted for their heavy pelage the rivers and the tule beds swarmed with beavers and land otter the quantities of skins brought in by the indians astonished sutter himself and with every shipment down the river he deposited with nathan spear his factor at yerba buena a sum of money for bowies credit for to bowie sutter ascribed the unlooked for increase in the returns from his indian contingent the lively frontier atmosphere at the fort the daily excitement owing to the constant succession of strangers wanderers and travelers arriving singly and in groups in large and small companies with amazing stories of hardship adventure conflict discovery treachery starvation stark tragedy and even cannibalism served to keep bowies mind busy with interest in the strange frontier characters he encountered and in their strange tales of deserts mountains valleys rivers snow and ice all ali their stories had a common feature their deserts were vast their mountains towering their valleys me like paradises their rivers swift treacherous and mad to destroy some told of trees so great of 01 girth and so tall that no listener could believe his ears others of mysterious valleys where boiling water gushed hundreds of feet into the air and ice froze on the edges of their pools but even marvels lose their thrill even the adventure of the chase becomes commonplace when at last routine for nearly two years bowie made an active part of the enterprise of captain sutter still something suppressed but gnawing at his feelings urged him to seek new scenes new excitement to deaden a vague sense of loneliness when he told captain sutter he was leaving him there was an explosion but it was a good natured one and the two parted friends bowie promised to come back sometime if he could make it leaving the valley with one pony bowie worked south along the sierras sleeping under the stars and killing such small game as he needed for food until passing the te range he stopped at the mission san gabriel only to learn that a state of war var existed between mexican factions and that the south em end of the department was for foi one side or the other under arms CHAPTER XII bowie had no intention of mixing in a squabble between mexican california grafters drafters gr and to avoid the sham battle lines he kept well inland in order to reach san diego he meant to outfit there and strike across the desert for texas which he had not seen for years he reached san diego late at night he had intended to sleep out tida side the town overnight but toward night fall rain had begun to tall fail and when he reached the prean orf to 1 ri twani where he was challenged by a sentry whom he answered in good spanish and asked for shelter the sentry called the captain of the guard out into the rin rain front from a game of seven up whether this was unpleasant for the captain whether the call spoiled a winning streak or whether the captain had had too much pulque bowie never could figure out but he was very brusque he ordered bowie to dismount ordered him searched and disarmed no answer that the texan could make to his insolent questioning would satisfy him he pronounced bowie a spy put him under arrest and sent him to the guardhouse the texans surprise was equaled by his annoyance and his contempt for his captors however he reflected that a night in the dry guardhouse would be better than a night in the rain but to find himself for the first time in his california life without his knife his revolver or his rifle and his ammunition was something to disturb him he tossed all night and could console himself only by thinking that in the morning he would easily satisfy the comandante that his arrest was owing to the drunken stupidity of the guard after much palaver the next morning he was brought before an underling of the governor and subjected to a grilling that astonished him his own simple tale of who he was and what he was doing in san diego was brushed aside as of no value and he was questioned closely as to what his relations were with the faction that governor pico of the department feared was planning an attack on him personally after hours of examination which naturally developed nothing bowie was remanded to the guardhouse there he fretted and fumed day after day until his resentment wore itself dumb he was summoned at last before the governor himself this the prisoner felt sure would be the end of it such was not the case pico bore a name that inspired all who sought justice at his hands with foreboding but the texan knew nothing of the mentality that characterized this leader of the mission spoilers again bowie told his story it fell on deaf ears the strange revolver taken from him was not merely evidence but proof conclusive in picos judgment that bowie was a spy his protestations availed him nothing at three he was notified that he would be shot as a spy next morning bowie took the message S silent ilent and hard featured from the guard who brought it but with his wits keyed high by the amazing news he studied closely through the bars of the peephole in the cell door the features of the indian soldier who bore the message it flashed suddenly den ly on bowie that he had seen that man before sanchez he said a id calmly 1 I thank you for telling me this the indian started at the utterance of his name 1 I thank you sanchez continued bowie unmoved by the stolid guards amazement because you and I 1 are old friends you do not recognize me I 1 am covered with half a beard and unwashed and eaten by vermin look closer sanchez bowie lowered his voice look closer I 1 am bowie whom you knew at guadalupe we fought together in the canyon of the santa maria did we not sanchez stared hard at him bowies very quiet pierced the sluggishness of his indian nature senor he stammered speaking low and with the utmost caution 1 I remember all I 1 did not know you how can I 1 help you it if I 1 let you out they will shoot me do nothing of that kind only as soon as you can bring me something to eat and pass me a good knife all go tell them I 1 will be ready sanchez proved not ungrateful bowies contempt for everything and everyone concerned in his imprisonment was not lessened by the threat of immediate death but he set to work within a minute after the knife was in his hand to dig himself out of his crude surroundings working feverishly for an hour in the clay underlying the stone floor he had made progress in his tunnel when although no sound reached his ear the scant light through the peephole of his cell door lessened just enough to make him realize someone was looking in expecting a bullet in the back of his head he turned as unconcernedly as possible from the bunk near which he was working behind the bunk lay the loose earth scooped from under the floor he glanced toward the peephole A face was there but the aperture was so narrow and high that he could see only the face itself bowie sitting on the bunk studied keenly the eyes that studied him for a long moment there came a calm voice from the barred window my son I 1 am a padre may I 1 speak a moment with you bowie was annoyed but prudent certainly padre ile he stepped to the cell door what can I 1 do tor for you he asked in a courteous manner though inwardly r rf ly continued the padre he will open the door that is not necessary padre we can talk here face to face ace quite as well not quite so well my son I 1 would rather sit down with you a few moments that we may speak undisturbed padre mio mi 0 said bowie firmly 1 I am at my devotions please leave me in peace I 1 have but a few hours to live that is why I 1 wish to speak with you my son you were at your devotions that is well are you a catholic bowie was stumped 1 I well not exactly padre you see footsteps were heard outside here comes the guard said the padre turning to look let him open the door just a moment my 1 son I 1 promise I will not annoy you after locking the cell door the guard had gone leaving the two men in bowies narrow quarters my leg is not very good you notice my limp said the padre may I 1 sit down motioning his unbidden guest to the one three legged stool and seating himself on his bunk bowie 4 maybe you did kit but id never think it of you hoped the padres searching eyes would detect nothing of the loose earth piled underneath it yet to the uneasy prisoner it seemed almost too much to hope his industry had made noticeable progress they tell me my son that you are a spy began the padre casually so they tell me returned bowie slightly acid in his tone 1 I ask is it true continued his questioner it is not answered bowie bluntly 1 I have had no trial not a shred of evidence lies against me the truth is padre mio your governor wants for himself a new and unusual firearm it is called a revolver that his men took from me and he is putting me out of the way to get a clear title to it do not my son say your governor I 1 am not an officer of t the he mexican government I 1 am a spaniard my sole earthly quest in california is the salvation of souls you may be a spy though I 1 do not believe it tor for the whole story has been told me or you may be twenty times a spy that matters nothing to me but since you are condemned to death let me ask what of your soul what of eternity you are an americano no padre not americano what then my son A A echoed the franciscan still searching bowies face narrowly and speaking as if musing or as if placing in his mind a fact at a time to serve as tess erae for a possible mosaic when did you first come to california some ten or twelve years ago padre what demanded bowie impatiently has that to do with this trumped up charge against me nothing nothing whatever my son but if you will be patient it may have something to do with what I 1 have in mind by what route did you come to california across the rio colorado and the desert of the south of the padres interest seemed to grow he spoke on with slight but increasing keenness then you must have come in not very far from san diego he persisted still musing edid idid so come 1 I presume continued the padre gently insinuating that you spoke spanish when you came to california when I 1 came to california nei neither I 1 nor my companions could speak a word of spanish you did not come alone then two texan scouts came with me three of you the white haired man his penetrating eyes bent closely on bowie hesitated an instant he spoke then intently my son did you and your companions 1 I have heard ot of many indian murders since coming to california 1 I speak of a raid and a murder in which a spanish ranchero and his two vaqueros ros were killed his house burned and two of his little girls carried into captivity by the indians bowie eyed the franciscan tor for a mor moment rient without speaking he was completely surprised the priests features were immobile 1 I do remember such an incident yes padre returned bowie impassively then with his curiosity aroused why do you ask the questioning padre straightened on his stool because he said slowly you are the texan who brought those two girls back from the mountains I 1 am the priest in whose care you left them I 1 have been looking for you for twelve years twelve years ago Is it that long it must be these years have taken their toll of your health and strength give me the stool you take the bunk it is a little better if I 1 were a catholic I 1 would confess to you that the reason I 1 did not ask you to the better seat is because I 1 do not think you win will betray me he lowered his voice im digging a tunnel to get out of this place 1 I had already perceived as bowie laughed in spite of himself as the dry avowal it is certainly strange padre that you and I 1 should meet again after twelve years under circumstances such as thesel these 1 well queer things happen in california those were two nice little girls I 1 remember them well but they were scared dumb whatever became of them my son I 1 have not seen these 9 girls eirls for almost ten years they live far north in california but to your present position he lowered his voice to a whisper should your attempt to escape fail you face a terrible alternative you may face a firing squad within a few hours no padre mio I 1 shall face no squad these mexican dogs I 1 should feel disgraced to be shot by such curs if you sympathize with my predicament dismiss your fears for myself I 1 have but one perplexity plex ity where to find a horse when I 1 get out A horse A man on foot in Califor california nial only you padres can stand that 1 I have a thought whispered the padre but if I 1 could provide a horse how could you a stranger here find it please sit here with me on the bunk bowie spoke in whispers to one on whose good faith he was practically staking li his 1 ls life 1 I shall not use this tunnel it is a blind padre to protect a friend I 1 shall walk out of the door tonight A guard to whom I 1 once did a good turn will aid me before daybreak I 1 shall be gone if I 1 can have a horse at the back of this guardhouse at a certain time tonight can you get to it 1 I certainly can and I 1 will thank you forever but the time if I 1 could see the stars star S I 1 could tell you said bowie but I 1 have no way A signal I 1 could hear that what time will the moon rise not until after midnight so then by ten all AD will be quiet here padre you could not get two horses As easily as one then the guard will go with me two low whistles will tell me the horses are there I 1 shall be eternally grateful shortly after dark said the padre 1 I shall pass your cell door be alert if I 1 do not speak the horses will be there and now we must think about eternity if you are discovered escaping you will be instantly shot A heavy footstep approached in the corridor it was the guard ile he knocked roughly with his keys on the cell door Is my time up asked the padre quietly as the gard stuck |