Captain Ramón darted to the end of the building, so he would not be seen by the prisoners. It was not in his mind to be suspected at the outset. The game he was playing was one of hazard, and he knew that the slightest mistake would be disastrous.
He had planned with Barbados to conduct the raid, and thereby had gained the pirate chief’s confidence. And now he had further plans. He would tell Barbados that he would draw to the camp the troopers at San Diego de Alcála. Barbados and his men could ambush them and wipe them out. Then the pirates could cross the hills and raid and loot rich San Diego de Alcála.
But the captain intended no such thing in reality. Knowing how Barbados would prepare the ambush, he would lead the troopers in such a manner that the pirates would be wiped out to a man. Then the caballeros and the señorita could be rescued, and Captain Ramón would pose as their heroic rescuer. He hoped in this manner to regain the good will of the caballeros and a better standing with them, and to earn the gratitude of the señorita also.
Word of the exploit would run up and down El Camino Real. Men whose hands were now raised against the licentious and unscrupulous Governor would think better of him because the pirates had been wiped out. The Governor, in turn, would be grateful to Captain Ramón. And he would order Don Carlos Pulido, who was not dead of his wound, to give the hand of his daughter, Lolita, to Captain Ramón. Don Carlos scarce could refuse without endangering his fortunes further.
It was a pretty plot, the plot of a master rogue willing to sell friends and foes alike to advance his own interests. Captain Ramón grinned as he thought of it, and twirled his mustache, and marched around the corner of the building and across the open space toward where Barbados was standing and shouting orders concerning the disposition of the corpses.
And suddenly the captain found himself confronted by a man, and looked up quickly to see the burning eyes of old Fray Felipe fastened upon his face.
“What does an officer of the Governor in such a place, unless he be a prisoner of war?” Fray Felipe demanded.
Captain Ramón bowed before him. “Perhaps there are things that you do not understand, fray,” he replied.
“And perhaps, commandante, there are things that I do understand!” Fray Felipe said. “Perhaps years of service in behalf of humanity have taught me to read a man’s face and mind. Rogue, brute, traitor!”
“You are a fray, and wear a gown that should be respected, but do not tempt me too far!” Captain Ramón said angrily. “Say your prayers, and leave men’s work to men!”