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One of the travellers then raised his head, and, looking the indiscreet mesonero full in the face, said with a mocking air,
"If you are asked, you will answer that you do not know. Come, my good fellow, have us attended to, and blow your own puchero, without troubling yourself about ours: you might find it too hot for you."
The host shrugged his shoulders and slipped away, the more nimbly because he noticed the colonel entering the patio at the moment, and felt no desire to come in contact with him.
The two strangers exchanged a smile, and, without further remark, watched the peon who was giving their horses the provender they had ordered.
Don Sebastian was ready to start: he had come to give a final glance to the horses before leading his daughter downstairs. Don Cornelio walked up to him so soon as he saw him, and after wishing him good day, drew him a little aside and whispered,
"Look there, colonel," and he pointed to the two strangers; "those are sturdy fellows, if I am not mistaken."
"They are so," Don Sebastian made answer; "I did not notice them before."
"They have only just arrived. They would be famous recruits added to our party, if they would consent to travel with us. What do you think of it?"
"I think you are right; but will they consent?"
"Why not? If they are going the same road as ourselves they will derive the same benefit from our presence as we shall from theirs."
"That is true. Have you spoken to them?"
"No: as I told you, they arrived this moment. You ought to try to persuade them."
"I see no harm in attempting it, at least," the colonel answered.
Hereupon, leaving Don Cornelio, he advanced toward the strangers, and saluting them politely, said,
"You have magnificent horses, caballeros. I see that they come from the prairies."
"Yes, they are real mustangs," one of the strangers replied, returning the bow.
"You are finishing your journey at a very early hour," the colonel continued. "With horses like yours a deal of ground could be covered."
"What makes you suppose, caballero, that our journey is ended?"
"Why, your arrival at this hostelry at so early an hour."
"Ah! You might be mistaken."
"Pardon my indiscretion, caballeros. Do you come from Guadalajara, or are you going there?"
"Caballero," the stranger replied dryly, who had hitherto spoken, "we the more readily pardon your indiscretion, because it appears that in this hostelry everybody passes his time in asking questions; still, you will permit me not to answer yours. My companion and myself are old travellers, and we know that on the roads of this country men too often repent gossiping about their business, but never of keeping it to themselves."
The colonel drew himself up with an air of pique.
"As you please, caballero," he replied coldly. "I cannot feel annoyed at your prudence; still, I would observe that you have given a wrong meaning to my remarks. I only wished to offer you my escort in crossing an ill-famed gorge, in which the band of the dangerous robber, El Buitre, is at this moment ensconced."
"I know the man by repute," the stranger said in a somewhat more affable tone. "My friend and myself will, I hope, be sufficient to keep him at arm's length; still, though I do not accept your offer, I thank you for the cordiality which urged you to make it."
The conversation broke off here. The two men bowed with all the marks of the most exquisite politeness, and turned their backs on each other. The colonel, annoyed at the way in which his advances had been met, gave the order for departure, and went to fetch his daughter. An instant later he reappeared with her; the band mounted, and, on a signal from Don Sebastian, set out. On passing before the strangers, who watched their departure, the colonel took off his hat, as did Don Cornelio. Doña Angela gave a graceful bow, accompanied by a charming smile. The strangers, in their turn, uncovered and bowed respectfully to the party.
"There, scoundrel," the colonel said as he threw an ounce to the landlord, who watched their departure with a cunning look, "there's a plaster for your wounds."
Saccaplata sharply picked up the ounce, thrust it into his pocket, and crossed himself as he muttered,
"You will want a good many ounces to cure your wounds, you will. Bah!" he added, with a sinister laugh, "it is now El Buitre's affair; let them settle it together."
When Don Sebastian had left the hostelry he divided his party into three: two of his servants rode in front, gun on thigh; two others behind; while he and Don Cornelio, having Doña Angela between them, rode in the middle. All being thus arranged, and the order given to keep a careful outlook, the cavalcade started at a sharp trot.
In the meanwhile the two strangers, as we have said, remained at the mesón. They watched the little party for a long time, and then, as their horses had finished eating, they put on their bridles and tightened their girths.
"My faith, Don Louis!" the younger of the two at length said, "I can't help it; I must tell you what I have on my mind, or I shall choke."
"Speak, my friend," his comrade said with a sad smile. "I know as well as you do what is troubling your mind."
"Perhaps so; still that would surprise me."
"Listen, then, Belhumeur. You are asking yourself at this moment why I was so rude to that gentleman whom I do not know, and whom I saw for a moment for the first time in my life?"
"By my faith! You have guessed it: that was, in truth, my thought. I seek in vain the reason for such extraordinary conduct on your part, and I confess that I give it up as a bad job."
"Do not trouble yourself any further, my good fellow. I was involuntarily guided by a secret presentiment, by a species of incomprehensible instinct, which forced me to act as I did."
"That is strange."
"Yes, is it not so? You know the feeling of instinctive repulsion one experiences on touching a reptile?"
"Of course."
"Well, when that man advanced toward me, even before I saw him, I felt his presence, if I may say so; my heart beat violently; and when he addressed me I felt a sudden and incomprehensible pain."
Belhumeur regarded him for a moment with fixed attention.
"And you conclude from that?" he said.
"That this man will be my enemy at some appointed moment; that he will stand in my path, gloomy and implacable, and prove fatal to me."
"Come, my friend, that is not possible. You are leaving this country, never to return to it, since, in spite of all your researches, you have been unable to find the man on whose behalf you came. The man you saw this morning is a field officer in the Mexican army, and it is not very likely he will leave his country: everything opposes it. Where can you meet again?"
"I do not know, Belhumeur; I seek neither to guess nor to foresee the future. It is evident that, after leaving you at the Hacienda del Milagro, I shall proceed to Guaymas, where I shall embark, I know not yet for what country; and it is my settled purpose never to set foot in Mexico again. Still I repeat to you, although it may appear absurd, I am convinced that that man will be my enemy some day, and that one of us will kill the other."
"Come, come, I will not discuss that subject with you; it is better for us, I fancy, to start, for we have a long journey before us today."
"That is true, my friend. Let us start, and think no more of my forebodings. They will turn out as Heaven may direct."
"Amen!" Belhumeur said. "That is how I like to see you; thus you resemble my brave Raphael, my dear Loyal Heart, to whom I wish to make you known before leaving you."
"You will afford me the greatest pleasure."
They mounted their horses, paid the landlord, and in their turn quitted the mesón de San Juan, walking their horses in the direction of the barranca del mal paso, where the colonel had preceded them. They proceeded for some time in silence, side by side. At length the Canadian, who could not remain long without speaking, took the word.