Chapter IX. Paul and the Spaniard

by Joseph A. Altsheler

　　Francisco Alvarez never suffered from the vice of humility.While he was planning to make himself Governor General ofLouisiana he thought also that the selection was a most admirableone. Nor would he have condescended now to cross a blade withthis boy from the backwoods, but his pride had been bitterly hurtby the deeds of Paul and his comrades. Such presumption must bepunished, and the punishment must be of a humiliating kind.

　　The Spaniard took the point of his sword between his thumband forefinger and bent the blade a little. The steel wasflexible and true. Then he put himself on guard, and physicallyhe was a splendid figure of a man, tall, compact, and obviouslyskilled with his weapon.

　　Long Jim Hart writhed again in his bonds. His heart yearnedover Paul, his young comrade.

　　Stop it! stop it! he cried. "It's murder, I say, fur a manused to them weepins to set upon a boy."

　　"Shall we gag this fellow, Captain?" asked Braxton Wyatt,who enjoyed the scene.

　　"No," replied Alvarez, scornfully. "Let him make as muchnoise as he pleases."

　　Paul heard Long Jim's second protest, but now he did notanswer. He was intently watching Alvarez. He had read the lookin the eye of the Spanish leader, and he knew that Alvarez notonly intended to punish him, but also to make that process asmortifying as possible. But Paul was yet unafraid. Although notas large and powerful as Henry, he was nevertheless a very strongyouth, used to the open air and exercise, and wonderfullyflexible and alert. He held the sword lightly but firmly withthe point well forward, ready for any movement by his antagonist.

　　Alvarez came a step nearer. His sword flashed, but Pauldexterously caught the stroke upon his own weapon, and the bladeglanced off, ringing. Alvarez was surprised. He had seen fromPaul's position and the manner in which he held his weapon thathe knew something about the sword, but he was not prepared forsuch a skillful parry.

　　"Good, Paul! Good!" cried Long Jim, a sudden hope boundingup in his heart. "Go in! Trim him! Slice off his mustache forhim!"

　　Alvarez was stung by the taunt. Braxton Wyatt made an angrymovement toward Long Jim, but the Spaniard again waved him back.His own pride would not permit him to silence the taunter in sucha way. No, he would silence him in another manner. But the cryof Long Jim had its effect upon Paul, too. It aroused him to asupreme effort. He leaped forward suddenly, thrust quick aslightning, and then leaped away. The Spaniard had parried, butthe blade nevertheless cut the cloth of his brilliant coat,making a long gash. The cut was not in the flesh, only in thecloth, but Alvarez was stung by it and the sting became the morebitter when Long Jim cried out:

　　"Hooray, Paul! That wuz somethin' like! He thought he wuzgoin' to murder you, but he ain't!"

　　Alvarez, furious, rushed in and Paul, keen of eye and alertof muscle, fought on the defensive. Lucky for him now that heremembered all the lessons taught to him by the old soldier ofthe great French and Indian war, and lucky for him, too, that hehad lived such a temperate life! Steel met steel and the ringingsound filled the little glade. The others were silent, leaning alittle forward, lips slightly apart. A new element ofuncertainty had come into the combat, and even Braxton Wyattshared in the excitement that had been aroused by it.

　　Alvarez uttered a cry of satisfaction and then stepped back.Paul stood still while the blood came slowly from a cut acrosshis left arm and dyed his sleeve. He had thrown out the arm justin time to ward off a thrust at his heart, but he received aslash in its place. The pain was considerable but Paul scarcelyfelt it; his mind was too intent on the crisis, and his head wasyet clear and cool.

　　"Never you mind, Paul! Never you mind!" cried Long Jim."'Twas only a lucky sweep uv his! you'll git him yet."

　　Paul gave his informal second a smile of confidence, forsecond he was with his encouraging tongue, even though bound andhelpless otherwise.

　　Paul suddenly rushed in, struck swiftly, and, although theblow was parried, he thrust again so quickly that his bladepassed inside the guard of Alvarez, pierced through his doublet,and wounded him in the side. Mad with pain and rage Alvarezstruck furiously, but Paul caught the blow so skillfully that theSpaniard's sword broke in his hand.

　　Long Jim shouted with delight.

　　"You've beat him, Paul! you've beat him!" he cried. "Go innow and trim his mustache right off his face!

　　Braxton Wyatt struck him a blow on the cheek.

　　"Shut up, will you! " he cried.

　　Paul, sword in hand, turned away. He would not cut down anunarmed man, and some strain of chivalry hidden beneath theSpaniard's ambition and cruelty recognized the boy's nobility.He stepped aside and rebuked Braxton Wyatt for striking Long Jim.Then he took off his doublet and one of the men bound up hiswound, which was painful but not at all dangerous. His heart wasfull of rage and chagrin, but he did not show either.

　　"You have done well with the sword," he said to Paul, "Iadmit it, and I am in a position to know. But you mustsurrender it, and come as my prisoner. Your sword can be nodefense against the bullets of my soldiers."

　　Paul yielded his weapon. It would have been follyto resist when the soldiers stood close by, loaded guns in hand,but he felt, nevertheless, a deep satisfaction. He had performeda deed of valor, worthy of Shif'less Sol or Henry, and he proudlytook his place by the side of the other prisoner, Long Jim. Thewound in his arm had already stopped bleeding.

　　"I didn't know it was in you, Paul," whispered Long Jim,"but Inever had anything in my life do me more good. A lot uv wickedhopes wuz disapp'inted when you give him that slash in the side,an' then broke his sword."

　　"I did better than I expected," replied Paul briefly, "butthe result is not likely to endear us to Captain Alvarez."

　　"Ef I'd been keepin' the right kind uv a watch," said LongJim, "this wouldn't have happened. We could a' got 'TheGall-yun' out in the stream an' away."

　　"No, Jim," replied Paul, "it was no fault of yours. Cunningwas at work. They had located us in some manner and theyprepared a surprise."

　　Alvarez and Braxton Wyatt went on ahead. Paul and Jimfollowed in the midst of a strong guard of soldiers. The roadled again through corn and grain fields where cultivation wasmaking a struggle against the luxuriance of a semi-tropicalwilderness, although with small success, as yet.

　　A stooping figure with a hideous, feline face shambled up bythe side of Paul, and purposely struck his elbow against thewound upon his arm. It was The Cat, but Paul, whose arms hadbeen left unbound, whirled, without hesitation, and struck theNatchez in the face.

　　The Cat staggered but he promptly drew a knife and Paulmight have been slain, but a soldier knocked the knife from theIndian's hand and rebuked him severely. The soldier was Luiz, aSpaniard of height and strength. He had fared badly at the handsof the five, but his life had also been saved by one of them, andhe was not ungrateful. He did not mean that these two prisonersshould be treated any worse than the captain ordered. Hecompelled The Cat to fall back, and he smiled pleasantly at Pauland Long Jim.

　　"I take it that we've got one friend in this crowd," saidLong Jim.

　　"Yes," said Paul, "and we'll need all we can get. Alvarezseems to have a big place here, a sort of feudal estate."

　　It seemed to Paul that he had come into another world; thedifference between this and Kentucky was so enormous. There, inthe little settlements, every man spoke his mind and the life wasall freedom. Here, fear and suspicion abounded, there weredegrees of importance, and Alvarez was an autocrat who could makeor mar as he pleased. It was an atmosphere heavy to Paul'slungs, and, like Long Jim, he longed for the great forests of theOhio River country. Behind the chateau were some low, heavy outbuildings of logs, and Paul and Long Jim were thrust into one ofthese, the door being fastened behind them with a huge padlock.Alvarez detailed Luis, who seemed to rank a little above hisfellows, and three others to keep watch and then, feeling that heheld his prisoners securely, the commander went into the chateau.But he stopped at the door and ordered that a gold coin and asmuch rum as he could drink should be given to The Cat.

　　"It was due to his wonderful instinct and cunning," he said,"that we captured these fellows and recovered my boat. It was animportant achievement."

　　Braxton Wyatt looked with intense interest at the chateau,which was unlike anything that he had ever seen before. It was astrange compound of luxury and roughness. The walls were ofwood, often ill-hewn, but several pieces of beautifully-woventapestry hung upon them. Some of the floors were entirely bare,others were covered partly by Eastern rugs. Carved and curvedweapons of many lands adorned the walls, and in one room were amandolin and guitar.

　　Alvarez led the way to an inner court or patio, waving backall except Braxton Wyatt. The patio was large, with little bedsof flowers in the corners, and a pool of pure, fresh water in thecenter. The pool was fed by a little stream that ran from abrook near the chateau, and it was drained by a similar stream.The patio was enclosed by a narrow, interior veranda, and theveranda held deep cane chairs, one of which Alvarez took, wavingBraxton Wyatt to another.

　　The Spanish commander with a great air of relief and luxuryleaned back in his cane chair. He loved the south and thesunshine to which he was born, and, although bold and hardy, hehad little liking for the great, cold forests of the North. Heclapped his hand and a servant brought glasses and wine. Alvarezfilled the glasses himself and handed the first courteously toWyatt.

　　"Drink," he said, "I am glad that expedition is over. TheGovernor General wished me to go, to explore, to make treaties,and to secure our title, but the wilderness, though interesting,grows monotonous."

　　"It is comfortable here," said Braxton Wyatt, stretchinghimself in the great cane chair. He was entirely recovered fromhis own wound and he appreciated the luxury of the place.

　　"Yes, it is indeed grateful to the tired body and limbs. Icould feel a complete sense of rest and victory, if it were notfor the sting of the wound that boy gave me. Who could havethought that I should be defeated with the sword by a boy fromthe woods of Kaintock?"

　　The Spaniard frowned and narrowed his cruel blue eyes.Braxton Wyatt murmured some words of sympathy, but in his hearthe was not sorry because of the incident. He thought thatAlvarez at times had patronized him too much, had assumed toolofty an air, and he was willing to see him suffer mortification.Moreover, he could use the hurt pride of Alvarez as an additionalincitement against the five whom he hated.

　　"You told me once," said Alvarez "that the three comrades ofthe two, the three whom we have not captured, are much to bedreaded, and we have had proof of it?"

　　"It is so."

　　"But what can they do now?"

　　"But little," answered the renegade. "It was farther northin the great wilderness, where they are so much at home, thatthey could do us harm. Here within the fringe of the French andSpanish settlements, they will be hampered too much."

　　"Yes, I should think so," said Alvarez thoughtfully. "Asyou perhaps surmise, I am going to stay here indefinitely, Wyatt.This place of mine, Beaulieu, I call it, is at a suitabledistance from New Orleans and I am an absolute monarch while Iremain. Here, on the border, I am as a military commander,practically lord of life and death, and on one excuse or anotherI can hold the troops as long as I please."

　　"Which seems to me to be very convenient for all our plans,"said Braxton Wyatt.

　　The Spaniard smiled, but speedily contracted his browsagain. The cut that Paul had given him was hurting.

　　"I should like to punish that boy in some spectacularmanner," he said. "I should want him to be humiliated in thepresence of others as I was."

　　Suddenly he raised his head, which he had bent in thought,and his lips curled in laughter under his yellow mustache.

　　"I have it!" he exclaimed. "An idea! Since young Kaintockcan use the sword I shall give him a chance to do it again! Oh,I shall give him every opportunity!"

　　Then he leaned over and spoke in lower tones to BraxtonWyatt. The renegade's eyes lighted up with delight.

　　"The very thing! " he exclaimed. "I'd have it done at once!"

　　Paul and Long Jim Hart meanwhile were resting in their logprison. Jim's arms had been unbound and, after rubbing themfreely, he said that the circulation was restored. Then the twoturned their attention to their prison. Paul surmised that ithad been built as a tool house or store house, but at present itwas empty save for himself and his comrade, Long Jim.

　　The only light came from two little windows made merely bycutting out a section of log and quite too small to admit a humanbody. They tried the door but it was so strong that they couldnot shake it. Then Long Jim lay calmly down on the floor.

　　"Paul," he said, "I don't believe I wuz ever fastened up insech a little place ez this afore. Ef I stretch out my legs myfeet will hit the wall over thar, an' the place is so close an'hot I don't breathe good."

　　"We'll have to stand it for a while," said Paulphilosophically.

　　"That's so," said Long Jim, "I don't s'pose they mean tomurder us ez we're not at real war with the Spaniards, so Iwonder what they mean to do."

　　Paul shook his head. But he understood better than Long Jimthe dangers of their situation. He knew the temper and characterof Alvarez, and he knew, too, that at this distant chateau he wasomnipotent. Alvarez was bent on making war upon the settlers inKentucky, and nothing would stop him.

　　"Henry an' Sol an' Tom are free," said Long Jim. "They'llgit us out, shore."

　　They remained a long time undisturbed, and the air in theroom was so close and hot that both became languorous and sleepy.Nor was there any sound except the droning of some flies overheadand this added to the heaviness. Paul finally rose and gazedthrough the little windows, but he saw only an empty field andthe edge of the forest. Save for this glimpse of green they werecompletely cut off from the world. He sat down again on thefloor and composed his figure as comfortably as he could.

　　"How long do you think we hev been in here, Paul?" askedLong Jim.

　　"About four hours."

　　"Four hours! why, I thought it wuz four months. Paul, Idon't believe I could stand this more'n a week, no matter ef theyfed me upon the finest things in the land. At the end uv a weekI'd turn right over an' die, an' when they examined me to see thecause uv my death, they'd find that my heart wuz broke in two,right squar' down the middle."

　　"They say that some wild animals die in captivity, and youmight call it of a broken heart."

　　"I'm one of them kind. I like lots uv room. I want it to beclean woods an' prairie runnin' a thousan' miles from me in everydirection. An' I don't want too many people trampin' 'roun' inthem woods either, save Injuns to keep you lookin' lively, an'mebbe twenty or thirty white men purty well scattered. I reckonI'd call that my estate, Paul, an' I'd want it swarmin' withb'ars an' buff aler an' deer, an' all kinds uv big an' littlegame. Then I'd want a couple uv good rifles, one to take theplace uv tother when it went bad, an' a couple uv huts p'rapsthree or four hundred miles apart to sleep in, when the weatherwuz too tarnation bad, lots uv ammunition an', Paul, I'd be happyon that thar estate uv mine."

　　"Aren't you a little bit grasping, Jim?" asked Paul.

　　"Me, graspin'," replied Long Jim in a surprise. "What makesyou ask sech a foolish question, Paul? Why, all I ask is torange ez fur an' ez long ez I like an' not to be bothered by nointerlopers. I don't want to crowd nobody, an' I don't wantnobody to crowd me. But, Paul, ef a feller could do that furabout a thousand years wouldn't it be a life wuth livin'? Justthink uv all the deer hunts an' buffaler hunts an' b'ar hunts youcould hey! An' the long beaver trappin' trips, you could go on?An' the new rivers an' new mountings you could find! the Injunshas the right idea about Heaven, Paul. They make it the happyhuntin' grounds. Them huntin' grounds o' theirs run ten millionmiles in every direction. You couldn't ever come to any end. Nomatter how fur you went you'd see oceans uv green trees ahead uvyou, an' on one side uv you prairies covered with buffaler herdsso big that they'd be a week passin' you, an' then they'd stillbe passin'."

　　Long Jim heaved a deep sigh and was silent for a while.Paul, too, was silent. At last Long Jim said:

　　"I s'pose it don't pay; Paul, to be drawin' sechsplendiferous pictures uv what ain't. Now I've gone an' mademyself onhappy, talkin' uv them glorious huntin' grounds thatstretch away without end, when here we are in this hot box sonarrer I can't straighten out my legs. Besides, I'm gittin'pow'ful hungry. I wonder ef they mean to starve us to death.Strikes me that's an awful mean way uv killin' a man. He notonly dies but he's so terrible hungry sech a long time.

　　But Long Jim's forebodings were not fulfilled. When thelight that came through the little windows began to grow dusky,the door was thrown open and Luiz and another man entered withfood and water. Luiz could not speak English, but he could makepantomime, and in that dumb but suggestive way he invited them topartake freely. Long Jim's good humor returned.

　　"Don't keer ef I do, Mr. Spaniard," he said jovially. "It'sa failin' uv mine to want to eat whenever I'm hungry, an' sinceyou' re invitin', why, I'll jest accept."

　　The door was left open while Luiz and the soldierwere inside, but several other soldiers were on guard at theopening, and there was no chance for a dash. But fresh air camein, the cooler air of the evening, and Paul and Long Jim weregreatly relieved. Yet Jim Hart cast many a longing glance at theopen door. Outside was the wide world, and his place was there.Darkness was coming, but darkness would have no terrors for LongJim, if only there were no walls about him.

　　When hunger and thirst were satisfied, Luiz and his comradefell back respectfully. A tall figure, followed by a man bearinga torch, entered the doorway.

　　The man was Francisco Alvarez, but neither Paul nor Long Jimrose, Paul because he disliked the Spaniard and considered him abitter enemy of his people, Long Jim because he saw no reason whyhe should rise for anybody.

　　Alvarez looked down at them and the sight of the two causedhim a mixture of anger and triumph. His wound still stung, butat the bottom of his heart was a feeling that he had deserved it.In the presence of his own retainers, and with all thecircumstances in his favor, he had sought to humiliate a boy.But this faint feeling was not enough to induce correspondingaction. He was also something of a statesman, and he saw thepower behind these two who had come out of the woods. They wereforesters, they wore the tanned skin of the deer, but theybelonged to the soil; they were natives, while he, in all hisbrilliant uniform and gold lace, was a foreigner, merely thelong, extended arm of a power four thousand miles away. The twowere but a vanguard, others would come and yet others in avolume, always increasing. The only possibility of savingLouisiana was to cut off the stream at the fountain head, whileit was yet a thin and trickling rill and he, Francisco Alvarez,was the man for the deed.

　　It was because such thoughts as these were passing throughhis head that he did not speak for at least a minute, but stoodsteadily regarding Paul and Long Jim. He knew instinctively thatit was Paul to whom he must speak, the boy with the thoughtful,dreamy eye, who, like himself, would gaze far into the future.

　　"Where are your comrades?" he asked, "the other three whohelped you to steal my boat?"

　　"Captured it, you mean," replied Paul, calmly. "So long asyou use the words 'steal' and 'thief,' you can talk to the air.I've nothing to say."

　　"Nor me either, Paul," said Long Jim, "I can't rememberanother time in my life when I felt so little like talkin'."

　　Long Jim leaned his head against the wall and half closedhis eyes. His manner expressed the utmost indifference. Alvarezfrowned, but he remembered that they were wholly in his power andhe had plans.

　　"I'll change the words," he said, "but I repeat thequestion. Where are your comrades?"

　　"I don't know," replied Paul, and feeling a sudden happythrill of defiance he added: "They are probably somewherearranging the details of our rescue."

　　Alvarez frowned again.

　　"That is impossible," he said. "Perhaps you do not know yourposition. You are not at New Orleans. Here I am both the civiland military chief and this is my own place. I can put you todeath as brigands or guerrillas, caught red-handed upon Spanishsoil."

　　"Both charges, you know, are false," said Paul, "you know,too, that we have come to defeat, if we can, a conspiracy betweenyou and Braxton Wyatt, a renegade whose life is doubly forfeit tohis people. He carries plans, maps, and full information of oursettlements in Kentucky, and he expects that you will go withmany soldiers and cannon to help him and the tribes destroy us.What plans you and he have beyond this I do not know, but these,my friends and I hope to defeat, and we feel we could not beengaged in a greater or holier task."

　　Paul spoke with great fire and eloquence. His soul wasrevealed in his eyes, and Alvarez felt that he was in touch witha mind of no common order.

　　"Imagination!" said the Spaniard trying to laugh theimpression away. "I find in Senior Wyatt a pleasant andintelligent assistant. He understands the rights of the King ofSpain in these vast regions, and has a due regard for, them. Youand your comrades are outlaws, subject to the penalty of deathand I hold you in my hand. Yet I am disposed to be generous.Give me your oath that you and your comrade here and the three inthe woods will go back to Kaintock at once and remain there, andI will release you."

　　Paul regarded him steadily. Bold man as he was, theSpaniard's eyes fell at last.

　　"We can give no such promise," said Paul. "I think that thereasons why we should go on to New Orleans are exceedinglystrong."

　　"Ez fur me," said Long Jim, "I ain't ever been fond uv goin'back on my own tracks until I git good an' ready."

　　"I merely came here to give you a chance," said Alvarez,still addressing himself to Paul. "Do you think that a fewwoodsmen can stand in the path of Spain? Do you think that agreat ancient monarchy can be held back by stray settlers?"

　　"You seem to be afraid of it yourself," said Paul who wasregarding him closely.

　　A flush, despite himself, came into the Spaniard's cheeks,and it was partly of anger because a boy had read his mind sowell. It was not a thing to be endured.

　　"I repeat that I came merely to give you a chance," he said."Whatever you may suffer you can now bear in mind that you arethe cause of it. Come, Luiz, I have wasted too much time.

　　He walked out followed by the soldier, but Francisco Alvarezhad known before entering the prison that his offer would bedeclined. He merely wished to clear away any light burden thatmight rest" on his conscience, before proceeding with anotherplan that he had in mind.

　　Paul and Jim did not say a word until the door was fastenedand they were left to the darkness. Then it was Jim whounburdened himself.

　　"Paul," he said, "did you ever see a panther gittin' readyto jump? Notice how his eyes turn a yellery-green, 'cause hethinks he's goin' to git what he wants right away? Notice howhis mouth is slobberin' 'cause he thinks he's goin' to hey hisdinner on the spot. Notice how his body is drawed up, an' histail is slowly movin' side to side, 'cause he thinks he's goin'to sink his claws in tender flesh the next second! Wa'al thatpanther makes me think uv this here Spaniard, Alvarez. I thinkwe kin look fur jest about ez much kindness an' gentlin' from himez a fawn could expect from a hungry panther."

　　"You are certainly right, Jim," said Paul.

　　"Uv course! Ef I didn't know thar wuz so many soldiersabout, I'd send a whoop through one uv them little winders thar,an' bring Henry, Tom, an' Sol here to let us out."

　　"As we can't do that, Jim," said Paul, "I think I'll go tosleep."