第3章

Therewasapause，andtherifleofthesergeantwavered。Whenhespokehistonewasoneofdisappointment。

"Heisascout，ridingalone，"hesaid。

"Heisanofficer，"returnedthesharp-shooter，excitedly。"Theothersfollow。Weshouldfirenowandgivethesignal。"

"Heisnoofficer，heisascout，"repeatedthesergeant。"Theyhavesenthimaheadtostudythetrailandtoseekus。Hemaybealeagueinadvance。IfweshootHIM，weonlywarntheothers。"

Chestertonwaswithinfiftyyards。Afteranexcitedandanxioussearchhehadfoundthematch-boxinthewrongpocket。Theeyesofthesharp-shooterfrownedalongthebarrelofhisrifle。Withhischinpressedagainstthestockhewhisperedswiftlyfromthecornerofhislips，"Heisanofficer！Iamaimingwherethestrapcrosseshisheart。Youaimathisbelt。Wefiretogether。"

TheheatofthetropicnightandthestrenuousgallophadcoveredElCapitanwithalatherofsweat。Thereinsuponhisneckdrippedwithit。ThegauntletswithwhichChestertonheldthemwerewet。

Asheraisedthematchboxitslippedfromhisfingersandfellnoiselesslyinthetrail。Withanexclamationhedroppedtotheroadandtohisknees，andgropinginthedustbegananeagersearch。

Thesergeantcaughtattherifleofthesharpshooter，andpresseditdown。

"Look！"hewhispered。"HeISascout。Heissearchingthetrailforthetracksofourponies。Ifyoufiretheywillhearitaleagueaway。"

"Butifhefindsourtrailandreturns——"

Thesergeantshookhishead。"Ilethimpassforward，"hesaidgrimly。"Hewillneverreturn。"

Chestertonpounceduponthehalf-buriedmatchbox，andinapaniclesthemightagainloseit，thrustitinsidehistunic。

"Littledoyouknow，ElCapitan，"heexclaimedbreathlessly，ashescrambledbackintothesaddleandliftedtheponyintoagallop，"whatanarrowescapeIhad。Ialmostlostit。"

Towardmidnighttheycametoawoodenbridgeswingingabovearavineinwhichamountainstream，fortyfeetbelow，splashedoverhalf-hiddenrocks，andthesteppingstonesoftheford。Evenbeforethecampaignbeganthebridgehadoutliveditsusefulness，andtheunwontedburdenofartillery，andthevibrationsofmarchingmenhadsoshakenitthatitswayedlikeahouseofcards。

Threatenedbyitsownweight，atthemercyofthefirsttropicstorm，ithungadeathtrapfortheonewhofirstaddedtoitsburden。

NosoonerhadElCapitanstruckitsquarelywithhisfourhoofs，thanherearedand，whirling，sprangbacktothesolidearth。ThesuddennessofhisretreathadallbutthrownChesterton，butheregainedhisseat，anddiggingtheponyroughlywithhisspurs，pulledhisheadagaintowardthebridge。

"Whatareyoushyingat，now？"hepanted。"That"saperfectlygoodbridge。"

Foraminutehorseandmanstruggledforthemastery，thehorsespinninginshortcircles，themanpulling，tugging，urginghimwithkneesandspurs。Thefirstroundendedinadraw。ThereweretwomoreroundswiththeadvantageslightlyinfavorofElCapitan，forhedidnotapproachthebridge。

Thenightwaswarmandtheexertionviolent。Chesterton，puzzledandannoyed，pausedtoregainhisbreathandhistemper。Belowhim，intheravine，theshallowwatersofthefordcalledtohim，suggestingapleasantcompromise。Heturnedhiseyesdownwardandsawhangingoverthewaterwhatappearedtobeawhitebirduponthelowerlimbofadeadtree。Heknewittobeanorchid，anespeciallyrareorchid，andheknew，also，thattheorchidwasthefavoriteflowerofMissArmitage。Inamomenthewasonhisfeet，andwiththereinsoverhisarm，wasslippingdownthebank，draggingElCapitanbehindhim。Herippedfromthedeadtreethebarktowhichtheorchidwasclinging，andwithwetmossandgrasspackeditinhisleathercameracase。Thecameraheabandonedonthepath。Healwayscouldbuyanothercamera；hecouldnotagaincarryawhiteorchid，pluckedintheheartofthetropicsonthenightpeacewasdeclared，tothegirlheleftbehindhim。FollowedbyElCapitan，nosingandsnuffinggratefullyatthecoolwaters，hewadedtheford，andwithhiscameracaseswingingfromhisshoulder，gallopeduptheoppositebankandbackintothetrail。

Aminutelater，thebridge，unabletorecoverfromthedeathblowstruckbyElCapitan，wentwhirlingintotheravineandwasbrokenupontherocksbelow。Hearingthecrashbehindhim，Chestertonguessedthatinthejungleatreehadfallen。

TheyhadstartedatsixintheafternoonandhadcoveredtwentyofthefortymilesthatlaybetweenAdhuntasandMayaguez，when，justattheoutskirtsofthetinyvillageofCaguan，ElCapitanstumbled，andwhenhearosepainfully，heagainfellforward。

Caguanwasalittlechurch，alittlevine-coveredinn，adozenone-

storyadobehousesshininginthemoonlightlikewhitewashedsepulchres。Theyfacedagrass-grownplaza，inthecentreofwhichstoodagreatwoodencross。Atonecornerofthevillagewasacorral，andinitmanyponies。AtthesightChestertongaveacryofrelief。Alightshowedthroughtheclosedshuttersoftheinn，andwhenhebeatwithhiswhipuponthedoor，fromtheadobehousesotherlightsshone，andwhite-cladfiguresappearedinthemoonlight。ThelandlordoftheinnwasaSpaniard，fatandprosperous-looking，butforthemomenthisfacewaseloquentwithsuchdistressandmiserythattheheartoftheyoungman，whowasatpeacewithalltheworld，wentinstantlyouttohim。TheSpaniardwaslesssympathetic。Whenhesawthekhakisuitandthecampaignhathescowled，andungraciouslywouldhaveclosedthedoor。Chesterton，apologizing，pusheditopen。Hispony，heexplained，hadgonelame，andhemusthaveanother，andatonce。

Thelandlordshruggedhisshoulders。Thesewerewartimes，hesaid，andtheAmericanofficercouldtakewhatheliked。TheyinCaguanwerenoncombatantsandcouldnotprotest。Chestertonhastenedtoreassurehim。Thewar，heannounced，wasover，andwereitnot，hewasnoofficertoissuerequisitions。Heintendedtopayforthepony。HeunbuckledhisbeltandpoureduponthetableahandfulofSpanishdoubloons。Thelandlordloweredthecandleandsilentlycountedthegoldpieces，andthencallingtohimtwoofhisfellow-villagers，crossedthetinyplazaandenteredthecorral。

"TheAmericanpig，"hewhispered，"wishestobuyapony。Hetellsmethewarisover；thatSpainhassurrendered。Weknowthatmustbealie。Itismoreprobableheisadeserter。Heclaimsheisacivilian，butthatalsoisalie，forheisinuniform。You，Paul，sellhimyourpony，andthenwaitforhimatthefirstturninthetrail，andtakeitfromhim。"

"Heisarmed，"protestedtheonecalledPaul。

"Youmustnotgivehimtimetodrawhisrevolver，"orderedthelandlord。"YouandPedrowillshoothimfromtheshadow。Heisourcountry"senemy，anditwillbeinagoodcause。Andhemaycarrydespatches。IfwetakethemtothecommandanteatMayaguezhewillrewardus。"

"Andthegoldpieces？"demandedtheonecalledPaul。

"Wewilldividetheminthreeparts，"saidthelandlord。