"He will be very pleased to see you, no doubt.—You go first and show us the way, Crawford."
Santiago lay with closed eyes, breathing so faintly that at first we thought he was dead.
"Santiago," I softly whispered, "do you know me? I have brought you a visitor."
His eyes opened slowly, and there was a fleeting smile in them, but he did not speak.
"Colonel!" said Valdés, stepping to the side of the bench. The sound of that voice brought the poor fellow for a short time from the Valley of the Shadow. By some extraordinary means he managed to sit up without assistance, raised his hand to the salute, and in a clear, ringing voice exclaimed, "At your service, general!"
It was the last act of his life. On placing my arm round him to prevent him from falling, I found he was dead.
"A fine fellow," said General Miller quietly.
"A thorough soldier to the end!" cried the Spanish general.
I said nothing, but mourned none the less the true friend I had found in the ranks of our enemies.
We were very quiet in camp that day. The excitement of battle had passed, and we were counting the cost of our triumph. Many familiar faces were missing, and the death of Cordova especially affected us. We had been through many perils together, had endured many hardships, and it seemed a pity that he should not have lived to taste the sweets of victory.