the crusade of the excelsior-第13章

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door　flew　open　to　admit　the　impulsive　Dona　Isabel　and　her　sister

Juanita。　　The　two　Mexican　girls　threw　themselves　in　Miss　Keene's

arms；　and　then　suddenly　drew　back　with　a　movement　of　bashful　and

diffident　respect。



〃Do；　pray；　ask　them；　for　I　daren't；〃　whispered　Mrs。　Brimmer；　trying

to　clasp　a　mantilla　around　her；　〃how　this　thing　is　worn；　and　if

they　haven't　got　something　like　a　decent　bonnet　to　lend　me　for　a

day　or　two？〃



〃The　Senora　has　not　then　heard　that　her　goods；　and　all　the　goods　of

the　Senores　and　Senoras；　have　been　discovered　safely　put　ashore　at

the　Embarcadero？〃



〃No？〃　said　Mrs。　Brimmer　eagerly。



〃Ah；　yes！〃　responded　Dona　Isabel。　　〃Since　the　Senora　is　not　of　the

revolutionary　party。〃



Mrs。　Brimmer　cast　a　supplicatory　look　at　Miss　Keene；　and　hastily

quitted　the　room。　　Miss　Keene　would　have　as　quickly　followed　her；

but　the　young　Ramirez　girls　threw　themselves　again　tragically　upon

her　breast；　and；　with　a　mysterious　gesture　of　silence；　whispered；



〃Fear　nothing；　Excellencia！　　We　are　yourswe　will　die　for　you；　no

matter　what　Don　Ramon；　or　the　Comandante；　or　the　Ayuntamiento；

shall　decide。　　Trust　us；　little　one！pardonExcellencia；　we

mean。〃



〃What　IS　the　matter？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　now　thoroughly　alarmed；　and

releasing　herself　from　the　twining　arms　about　her。　　〃For　Heaven's

sake　let　me　go！　　I　must　see　somebody！　　Where　iswhere　is　Mrs。

Markham？〃



〃The　Markham？　　Is　it　the　severe　one？as　thus；〃said　Dona　Isabel；

striking　an　attitude　of　infantine　portentousness。



〃Yes；〃　said　Miss　Keene；　smiling　in　spite　of　her　alarm。



〃She　is　arrested。〃



〃Arrested！〃　said　Eleanor　Keene；　her　cheeks　aflame　with　indignation。

〃For　what？　　Who　dare　do　this　thing？〃



〃The　Comandante。　　She　has　a　missivea　despatch　from　the

insurrectionaries。〃



Without　another　word；　and　feeling　that　she　could　stand　the　suspense

no　longer；　Miss　Keene　forced　her　way　past　the　young　girls；

unheeding　their　cries　of　consternation　and　apology；　and　quickly

reached　the　patio。　　A　single　glance　showed　her　that　Mrs。　Brimmer

was　gone。　　With　eyes　and　cheeks　still　burning；　she　swept　past　the

astounded　peons；　through　the　gateway；　into　the　open　plaza。　　Only

one　idea　filled　her　mindto　see　the　Commander；　and　demand　the

release　of　her　friend。　　How　she　should　do　it；　with　what　arguments

she　should　enforce　her　demand；　never　occurred　to　her。　　She　did　not

even　think　of　asking　the　assistance　of　Mr。　Brace；　Mr。　Crosby；　or

any　of　her　fellow…passengers。　　The　consciousness　of　some　vague

crisis　that　she　alone　could　meet　possessed　her　completely。



The　plaza　was　swarming　with　a　strange　rabble　of　peons　and　soldiery；

of　dark；　lowering　faces；　odd…looking　weapons　and　costumes；　mules；

mustangs；　and　cattlea　heterogeneous　mass；　swayed　by　some　fierce

excitement。　　That　she　saw　none　of　the　Excelsior　party　among　them

did　not　surprise　her；　an　instinct　of　some　catastrophe　more　serious

than　Mrs。　Brimmer's　vague　imaginings　frightened　but　exalted　her。

With　head　erect；　leveled　brows；　and　bright；　determined　eyes　she

walked　deliberately　into　the　square。　　The　crowd　parted　and　gave　way

before　this　beautiful　girl；　with　her　bared　head　and　its　invincible

crest　of　chestnut　curls。　　Presently　they　began　to　follow　her；　with

a　compressed　murmur　of　admiration；　until；　before　she　was　halfway

across　the　plaza；　the　sentries　beside　the　gateway　of　the　Presidio

were　astonished　at　the　vision　of　a　fair…haired　and　triumphant

Pallas；　who　appeared　to　be　leading　the　entire　population　of　Todos

Santos　to　victorious　attack。　　In　vain　a　solitary　bugle　blew；　in

vain　the　rolling　drum　beat　an　alarm；　the　sympathetic　guard　only

presented　arms　as　Miss　Keene；　flushed　and　excited；　her　eyes　darkly

humid　with　gratified　pride；　swept　past　them　into　the　actual

presence　of　the　bewildered　and　indignant　Comandante。



The　only　feminine　consciousness　she　retained　was　that　she　was　more

relieved　at　her　deliverance　from　the　wild　cattle　and　unbroken

horses　of　her　progress　than　from　the　Indians　and　soldiers。



〃I　want　to　see　Mrs。　Markham；　and　to　know　by　what　authority　she　is

arrested；〃　said　Miss　Keene　boldly。



〃The　Senor　Comandante　can　hold　no　conference　with　you　until　you

disperse　your　party；〃　interpreted　the　secretary。



She　was　about　to　hurriedly　reply　that　she　knew　nothing　of　the　crowd

that　had　accompanied　her；　but　she　was　withheld　by　a　newly…born

instinct　of　tact。



〃How　do　I　know　that　I　shall　not　be　arrested；　like　my　friend？〃　she

said　quickly。　　〃She　is　as　innocent　as　myself。〃



〃The　Comandante　pledges　himself；　as　a　hidalgo；　that　you　shall　not

be　harmed。〃



Her　first　impulse　was　to　advance　to　the　nearest　intruders　at　the

gate　and　say；　〃Do　go　away；　please；〃　but　she　was　doubtful　of　its

efficiency；　and　was　already　too　exalted　by　the　situation　to　be

satisfied　with　its　prosaic　weakness。　　But　her　newly　developed

diplomacy　again　came　to　her　aid。　　〃You　may　tell　them　so；　if　you

choose；　I　cannot　answer　for　them；〃　she　said；　with　apparent　dark

significance。



The　secretary　advanced　on　the　corridor　and　exchanged　a　few　words

with　her　more　impulsive　followers。　　Miss　Keene；　goddess…like　and

beautiful；　remained　erect　behind　him；　and　sent　them　a　dazzling

smile　and　ravishing　wave　of　her　little　hand。　　The　crowd　roared　with

an　effusive　and　bovine　delight　that　half　frightened　her；　and　with　a

dozen　〃Viva　la　Reyna　Americanas！〃　she　was　hurried　by　the　Comandante

into　the　guard…room。



〃You　ask　to　know　of　what　the　Senora　Markham　is　accused；〃　said　the

Commander；　more　gently。　　〃She　has　received　correspondence　from　the

piratePerkins！〃



〃The　piratePerkins？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　with　indignant　incredulity。



〃The　buccaneer　who　wrote　that　letter。　　Read　it　to　her；　Manuel。〃



The　secretary　took　his　eyes　from　the　young　girl's　glowing　face；

coughed　slightly；　and　then　read　as　follows：





〃ON　BOARD　THE　EXCELSIOR；　of　the　Quinquinambo

Independent　States　Navy；　August　8；　1854。



〃To　Captain　Bunker。Sir；〃　。　。　。



〃But　this　is　not　addressed　to　YOU！〃　interrupted　Miss　Keene

indignantly。



〃The　Captain　Bunker　is　a　raving　madman；〃　said　the　Commander

gravely。　　〃Read　on！〃



The　color　gradually　faded　from　the　young　girl's　cheek　as　the

secretary　continued；　in　a　monotonous　voice：



〃I　have　the　honor　to　inform　you　that　the　barque　Excelsior　was；　on

the　8th　of　July；　1854；　and　the　first　year　of　the　Quinquinambo

Independence；　formally　condemned　by　the　Federal　Council　of

Quinquinambo；　for　having　aided　and　assisted　the　enemy　with

munitions　of　war　and　supplies；　against　the　law　of　nations；　and　the

tacit　and　implied　good…will　between　the　Republic　of　the　United

States　and　the　struggling　Confederacies　of　South　America；　and　that；

in　pursuance　thereof；　and　under　the　law　of　reprisals　and　letters　of

marque；　was　taken　possession　of　by　me　yesterday。　　The　goods　and

personal　effects　belonging　to　the　passengers　and　yourself　have　been

safely　landed　at　the　Embarcadero　of　Todos　Santosa　neutral　port

by　my　directions；　my　interpretation　of　the　orders　of　the　Federal

Council　excepting　innocent　non…combatants　and　their　official

protector　from　confiscation　or　amercement。



〃I　take　the　liberty　of　requesting　you　to　hand　the　inclosed　order　on

the　Treasury　of　the　Quinquinambo　Confederate　States　to　Don　Miguel

Briones；　in　payment　of　certain　stores　and　provisions；　and　of　a

piece　of　ordnance　known　as　the　saluting　cannon　of　the　Presidio　of

Todos　Santos。　　Vigilancia！



〃Your　obedient　servant；



〃LEONIDAS　BOLIVAR　PERKINS；



〃Generalissimo　Commanding　Land　and　Sea　Forces；

Quinquinambo　Independent　States。〃





In　her　consternation　at　this　fuller　realization　of　the　vague

catastrophe；　Miss　Keene　still　clung　to　the　idea　that　had　brought

her　there。



〃But　Mrs。　Markham　has　nothing　to　do　with　all　this？〃



〃Then　why　does　she　refuse　to　give　up　her　secret　correspondence　with

the　pirate　Perkins？〃　returned　the　secretary。



Miss　Keene　hesitated。　　Had　Mrs。　Markham　any　previous　knowledge　of

the　Senor's　real　character？



〃Why　don't　you　arrest　the　men？〃　she　said　scornfully。　　〃There　is　Mr。

Banks；　Mr。　Crosby；　Mr。　Winslow；　and　Mr。　Brace。〃　　She　uttered　the

last　name　more　contemptuously；　as　she　thought　of　that　young

gentleman's　protestations　and　her　present　unprotected　isolation。



〃They　are　already　arrested　and　removed　to　San　Antonio；　a　league

hence；〃　returned　the　secretary。　　〃It　is　fact　enough　that　they　have

confessed　that　their　Government　has　seized　the　Mexican　province　of

California；　and　that　they　were　on　their　way　to　take　possession　of

it。〃



Miss　Keene's　heart　sank。



〃But　you　knew　all　this　yesterday；〃　she　faltered；　〃and　our　war　with

Mexico　is　all　over　years　ago。〃



〃We　did　not　know　it　last　night　at　the　banquet；　Senora；　nor　would　we

have　known　it　but　for　this　treason　and　division　in　your　own　party。〃



A　sudden　light　flashed　upon　Miss　Keene's　mind。　　She　now

comprehended　the　advances　of　Dona　Isabel。　　Extravagant　and

monstrous　as　it　seemed；　these　people　evidently　believed　that　a

revolution　had　taken　place　in　the　United　States；　that　the　two

opposing　parties　had　been　represented　by　the　passengers　of　the

Excelsior；　and　that　one　party　had　succeeded；　headed　by　the

indomitable　Perkins。　　If　she　could　be　able　to　convince　them　of

their　blunder；　would　it　be　wise　to　do　so？　　She　thought　of　Mrs。

Brimmer's　supplication　to　be　ranged　〃on　her　side；〃　and　realized

with　feminine　quickness　that　the　situation　might　be　turned　to　her

countrymen's　advantage。　　But　which　side　had　Todos　Santos　favored？

It　was　left　to　her　woman's　wit　to　discover　this；　and　conceive　a

plan　to　rescue　her　helpless　companions。



Her　suspense　was　quickly　relieved。　　The　Commander　and　his　secretary

exchanged　a　few　words。



〃The　Comandante　will　grant　Dona　Leonora's　request；〃　said　the

secretary；　〃if　she　will　answer　a　question。〃



〃What　is　it？〃　responded　Miss　Keene；　with　inward　trepidation。



〃The　Senora　Markham　is　perhaps　beloved　by　the　Pirate　Perkins？〃



In　spite　of　her　danger；　in　spite　of　the　uncertain　fate　hanging　over

her　party；　Miss　Keene　could　with　difficulty　repress　a　half

hysterical　inclination　to　laugh。　　Even　then；　it　escaped　in　a　sudden

twinkle　of　her　eye；　which　both　the　Commander　and　his　subordinate

were　quick　to　notice；　as　she　replied　demurely；　〃Perhaps。〃



It　was　enough　for　the　Commander。　　A　gleam　of　antique　archness　and

venerable　raillery　lit　up　his　murky；　tobacco…colored　pupils；　a

spasm　of　gallantry　crossed　the　face　of　the　secretary。



〃Ahwhat　would　you？it　is　the　way　of　the　world；〃　said　the

Commander。　　〃We　comprehend。　　Come！〃



He　led　the　way　across　the　corridor；　and　suddenly　opened　a　small

barred　door。　　Whatever　preconceived　idea　Miss　Keene　may　have　had　of

her　unfortunate　country…woman　immured　in　a　noisome　cell；　and

guarded　by　a　stern　jailer；　was　quite　dissipated　by　the　soft　misty

sunshine　that　flowed　in　through　the　open　door。　　The　prison　of　Mrs。

Markham　was　a　part　of　the