The Jungle Trail/Chapter 4

ARABITO slipped away through the darkness, and still he smiled, and he was smiling when he reached the front doors of the governor's house; but he changed the expression of his countenance there to express rage and hatred.

Before the doors groups of caballeros had gathered, and Garabito passed through their midst in a silence that was more of a rebuke than any words could have been; for all in Antigua knew by this time of the foul lunge he had made.

From the stockade came Botello in charge of the lieutenant and four guards. Garabito hurried inside the house and to the big council chamber, where the governor transacted all business of an official nature, and there he got his excellency's ear for a time, and afterward sat down to one side to wait.

Botello and the guards reached the doors. Exclamations greeted the prisoner, some expressive of hope, others directed against the man who had accused him. He waved a hand toward them to show that he had not been bound, and passed inside, and the crowd rushed forward to enter at his heels.

But there they were balked, for the lieutenant threw up a hand for silence, and as the guards started to shut the heavy doors he faced the throng.

"This is not to be a public hearing, señores!" he said. And then the doors were closed before him, and they heard the heavy bars drop into place.

Not a public hearing! They knew what that meant. Bartolmeo Botello was to have a sample of his excellency's despotism, without a chance to offer witnesses in his own behalf, when half a hundred men were ready to swear that Garabito had drawn blade first and made a foul stroke.

In the plaza they grouped before the door of the governor's house and spoke in low tones, sure that the guards were not near enough to overhear and so charge treason afterward. Things were far from right in Antigua, said they, when Ferdinand's representative forgot justice and remembered only his friends.

Botello had heard the lieutenant's words and they conveyed the proper meaning to him. But he only held his head higher and his shoulders straighter. and walked ahead along the corridor, to turn off presently into the council room.

It was a monster, that room, some hundred feet long by fifty wide, a big apartment in a big house that sprawled over the ground like a great spicier, with its many wings and large patio. Slaves had erected it under the whips of cruel overseers, for the present governor had deemed the old executive mansion not fine enough.

At one end of the room was a raised platform, in the center of which stood a big chair carved from solid rock by slaves, and now covered with silk robes. Here sat his excellency, a squat man of little dignity, scowling in an effort to borrow for the moment the dignity he knew he lacked.

Garabito sat on one side; half a score elderly gentlemen stood around, among them Señor Bonilla and Señor Malpartida—the latter also having dined that evening at the governor's house with his daughter.

It was a stage setting for the hearing of a man who had plotted against the life of royally itself, and Botello knew he could expect no justice or mercy here, but only could offer what defense came to his mind and have it counted as naught.

"Bartolmeo Botello, stand forth!" the clerk intoned; and Botello advanced to the platform and saluted the governor gravely.

His excellency looked down at the culprit, assuming a stern expression.

"You are Bartolmeo Botello?" he asked.

"Si!" came the answer. "Bartolmeo Botello, your excellency, caballero of Spain and loyal subject of King Ferdinand—whom may God preserve."

"You are loud in your loyalty now, eh? Know then, Señor Botello, that I am his majesty's accredited representative here in Antigua and in all Darien, and when I speak it is as if his majesty spoke through my lips."

"I never have denied it, señor."

"Some time since I issued an order that there was to be no more brawling or dueling. You knew of this?"

"Si, señor."

"Yet to-day you violated that order."

"I have witnesses, your excellency, in my behalf."

"Witnesses are not necessary just now, señor. Answer my question. Did you violate that order?"

"I am here for justice, your excellency," Botello evaded. "I stand on my rights."

"Has a man rights remaining to him when he opposes constituted authority?"

"There are such things as extenuating circumstances, your excellency."

"For instance—"

"I quarreled with one Pasqual Garabito. When my head was turned, he drew blade and made a foul lunge at me. Could I do less than defend myself after that?"

"I scarcely can credit Pasqual Garabito with doing anything so base," the governor said.

"Yet there are ample witnesses, if your excellency chooses to call for them."

"Nor could I credit your witnesses, I fear me. They are mostly De Balboa's men, are they not?"

"They are, señor—brave gentlemen who have been tried and found true."

"I care not to hear eulogies of De Balboa's ruffians!"

"Señor!" Botello cried, nor cared that it was the governor he addressed in this fashion. "These ruffians, as you term them, are gentlemen of Spain, and if they are out at elbows at this time it is because their sovereign has not seen fit to reward them when they merit reward."

"How is this? You speak treason?"

"I speak no treason! The reason for his majesty's neglect is no fault of his majesty's. It is rather because his majesty's representatives have not seen fit to report truthfully regarding matters here in Antigua."

"You charge that I have been untruthful, señor?" the governor demanded.

"I am not here to make charges, but to defend myself against them, señor. If a boot pinches the foot of a man, then he should not wear it."

"By the saints! This impudence passes endurance! You have no defense to make regarding this charge, then?"

"When your excellency calls my witnesses."

"It is unnecessary, señor. I have heard already the truth of the matter. Did you not order Pasqual Garabito to remain away from the plaza during certain hours?"

"I did, señor."

"By what authority do you issue orders here in Antigua?"

By the authority of a Spanish gentleman who does not wish to see a scapegrace mingle with respectable folk, señor."

Garabito snarled at that, and would have left his chair to make reply, but the governor signed for him to remain quiet.

"Señor Botello, you are free with your accusations of a gentleman of my good acquaintance," he said. "I will not insult him by asking that he defend himself against these accusations."

"He has no defense, your excellency! There is a certain native girl who may be called—"

"Silence!" the governor cried. "I will hear no more. I have said brawls must cease and order be preserved. Am I to have my life made miserable by De Balboa's swaggering fellows?"

"Send me back to De Balboa, your excellency! I can ask nothing better than that. The air on the shore of the Great South Sea is untainted compared to that I find here!"

"Again—silence! I have determined to make an example of you, caballero. I find it necessary. When gentlemen of Spain forget their blood and breeding and turn ruffians, they must be brought to account. My sentence—"

He stopped: an angry expression flashed into his face; he looked the length of the great room, and all turned swiftly to see Señorita Inez Malpartida walking toward them.

Her head was held high and her step was proud, but neither smiles nor dimples showed in her face. She appeared a young person with a purpose, and all wondered what it was except Botello, who guessed and wished there was a chance to dissuade her. But he had no chance here and now.

"Your pardon, señorita," the governor said, trying to smile, and before her father could find words to address her, "but this is a private meeting having to do with the proper government of Darien."

She had reached the foot of the platform by now, yet there was no confusion in her face when she heard the governor's words. Inez Malpartida had not unwittingly stumbled into a private meeting.

Now her father started toward her to conduct her from the room, and ready to apologize for her intrusion, but she waved him aside.

"Your excellency, I have come to beg a favor," she said. "You know my father and my family, my blood, and how I have been reared; you can appreciate, then, the true meaning of all I do now. Often there comes a time in the life of a woman when what she holds dearest is at stake, and then she may put breeding aside and fight for her life's happiness."

"I beg of you, señorita—" the governor began.

"A moment, your excellency—and you, my father! I have been listening at the farthest doorway, and am not ashamed to say it. Earlier this evening I accidentally overheard some conversation, your excellency, and I know the cruel and unjust thing you would do, and believe that you would not after mature reflection. You already have arranged to put upon this man who stands accused indignities no caballero could endure and live. He has done well, instead of ill—"

"Señorita!" the governor cried angrily: and then—"What interest can you have in this Señor Botello?"

"Such interest as a woman may have who loves him dearly, your excellency."

"Girl!" old Malpartida cried now, despite the governor's frown. "Have you no shame? Do you disgrace your noble name and lineage? Love this man? He has not even asked to pay his court—"

"Because permission would have been denied him, my father. When a man and woman love truly they think naught of others. We have spoken, our hands have touched—it is enough! My heart and soul are his if he asks them. I know you think ill of me for acting thus, but I have done no evil, thought no evil. If I break accepted rules of conduct, what matters it when love is at stake?"

"In truth, señorita—" the governor began again.

She interrupted him once more and rushed on, and Botello, who would have spoken and tried to save her in some measure, found himself unable to do so.

"This Pasqual Garabito would have courted me, having my father's permission," she said. "Señor Botello became aware of wrongs Pasqual Garabito had done. I heard it to-day from a duenna who did not know I listened. To protect me from associating with such a man even for an instant, Señor Botello ordered Pasqual Garabito to remain away from the plaza. He should be rewarded for that, not condemned, else your excellency condones such things as this Pasqual Garabito has done."

"A false statement—" Garabito began.

"It is no false statement, señor—the look in your face proclaims it truth! And this afternoon, your excellency, when Señor Botello called him to account, Señor Garabito attacked him foully. There are half a hundred witnesses to it, señor. You would not call them, wherefore I am here speaking in place of them. Could Señor Botello do less than defend himself when foully attacked? I knew also that Señor Botello would not speak entirely in his defense, not wishing to voice my name before you in this place, and so I made bold to speak for him."

"And have put yourself on a common level!" old Malpartida cried. "By the saints! What crime have I committed that such a daughter should be mine?"

"Am I less a good woman, my father, because I speak the truth?" she asked.

"To defend a man openly—" "A caballero of Spain, of good blood, my father, with whom I have exchanged vows of love. And now, your excellency, I ask you to set Señor Botello free. We will be wedded and will cross through the jungle wilderness to the shore of the Great South Sea. There we can live our lives, and you'll not have to endure our presence. I beg it of you, your excellency—it is not much for you to grant, but to us it will be as everything. Would you, by hesitating, humiliate me more than I have humiliated myself already?"

Now the governor waved the trembling old Malpartida aside and looked down at the girl, and then at Botello, and finally at Garabito, scowling on his chair.

"This is almost past belief," his excellency said. "Did I not know your father and family, señorita, surely would I believe ill of you. Knowing them, however, I am like to think that you are not yourself for the moment. Perhaps a touch of the jungle fever—"

"Thank the good God!" Malpartida exclaimed.

"We shall look at the affair in that manner," his excellency continued. "And let the few of us in this room forget what has happened, and immediately. Regarding this matter, I believe I can find an instant solution. I believe it is your wish, Señor Garabito, to take as wife this fair señorita.'"

"It has long been my wish, excellency."

"Even after her avowal here of love for another man?"

"As your excellency has said—a touch of fever—"

"And you, Señor Malpartida, my old friend, would gladly see her the wife of Señor Garabito, eh, after all this?"

"And thank him for taking her!" Malpartida exclaimed.

"Then what is more simple? We shall wed Señor Garabito and Señorita Malpartida as soon as it is possible, and in loving her husband she will forget this present malady that afflicts her. Let us understand the matter settled."

"You—you—" Inez gasped, recoiling a moment, then running to the foot of the platform again. "Rather than be wife to such a man—"

But Malpartida, the father, had his way now, for he seized her by an arm and forced her to walk aside.

"Silence, girl!" he cried. "His excellency has seen fit to save your good name, and Señor Garabito is caballero enough to claim you as his bride when perhaps none other would—"

"Another would! And I have done no wrong!"

"You are beside yourself! Be silent!"

And now her courage began failing and she seemed on the verge of tears. His excellency did not relish this scene, and so made haste to end matters. He looked down at Botello even more angrily.

He saw a man whose face failed to betray what emotion he felt. It was like a mask, but behind the mask a mental conflict raged. Botello had made his decision now. No woman should be sacrificed to such a man as Pasqual Garabito if he could prevent it, least of all the woman he loved and who loved him.

"Bartolmeo Botello," the governor said, "it is not necessary to call witnesses, as I said before this interruption. I adjudge you guilty of violating my order regarding brawling. We must make an example, in order that others of De Balboa's throng will learn that law has come to Darien. You shall be confined in the stockade until morning, when you shall be taken to the plaza and there publicly whipped. After that, you are to be exiled from Antigua, and may rejoin your comrades on the Great South Sea if you wish, so that you remain away from this place."

An instant of deep silence, while Botello seemed to grow inches taller.

"You would dare?" he cried then. "You would have a caballero whipped in public? And who will be brave enough to lay on the lash, excellency?"

"Enough! I have sentenced! Señor Malpartida, take your fair daughter home and guard her well until to-morrow, when we may make plans concerning her marriage."

Malpartida started with Inez toward the corridor, hurrying her along so that she could make no further plea. Garabito arose and stepped close to his enemy, and once he sneered, and Botello would have sprung upon him even in the governor's presence had not the soldiers seized him.

"Away!" he cried, and thrust them from him. "You do not bind my hands! I have endured enough—"

"Take him away! Take him away!" the governor thundered.

The guards made haste to obey, but they tried not to bind his hands now. Botello himself walked ahead into the corridor, and down it after Malpartida and Inez. Ahead of them, other guards threw open the doors. Caballeros thronged the plaza awaiting the verdict. Their torches cast a lurid glare over the wide entrance to the governor's house.

"One moment, Señor Botello!" the lieutenant called, as the door was reached.

"Back! You do not bind me! With my bare hands—"

"It is orders—"

"My parole is ended! The trial is over!"

They were in the doorway. For an instant Inez turned, and her father whirled to prevent any leave-taking. The lieutenant pushed one of the soldiers aside and stepped close to his prisoner, believing that this view of the señorita's sweet face might soften the heart of Botello so that he would submit to bonds without display of violence.

A dusky shape flitted along the front of the building; Tarama slipped a rapier into his master's hand, and was gone like a shadow!

A sudden brawl seemed to break out in the crowd: Rodrigo Ruiz struck another caballero so that he was hurled against the lieutenant and old Señor Malpartida, almost upsetting them.

"Adios, Bartolmeo!" Ruiz called.

And in that moment Bartolmeo Botello clasped a willing Inez in his arms, then swept his rapier menacingly in semicircle before him, then darted around the corner of the building with soft arms encircling his neck, and the shrieks of the pursuing guards ringing in his ears.

Jungle darkness swallowed the fugitives.