“Creeping serpent!” she cried, as she struck her spurs into her horse and charged straight at him. “Dare you attack your Queen? Even so, she will leave her mark upon you,” and as she spoke she made a blow at him with her axe. The sharp weapon struck into his cheek, laying it clean open. But Inacayal was not to be conquered so easily. Uttering a cry of rage, he wheeled round, and brought the butt-end of his revolver down on Aniwee’s skull as she flashed past him. The next moment she had thrown up her hands, and her white friends, watching her from afar, saw her fall back from her horse and roll to the ground. As she did so the war-whoop of hundreds of voices broke in upon the already noisy tumult of battle.
CHAPTER XXXI.
At the sound of it, the face of every Indian lit up with hope and joy, while despair rushed quickly to the hearts of the Cristianos. Full well they knew that terrible war-whoop, the precursor of a charge from the disciplined and valorous warriors of Cuastral. As these came streaming across the plain with their lances set and ready for action, the white men knew that the day was lost. Some essayed flight, but watchful Tehuelches pursued them, and brought them back prisoners, and then it was that Gilwinikush remembered Sir Francis Vane’s advice.
In a moment he resolved to act upon it, and rode forward at once to meet the Indian warriors of Cuastral.
As they came forward, they could see his tall form sitting motionless on his horse with his hand raised. This made them slacken their pace, until at length they halted in a long line before him.
“Warriors,” he exclaimed, “the great white Caciques, the Indians’ friends, are here, and the head Cacique counsels you to surround the Cristianos and make them prisoners. He is right; for shall we not have more power over living men in our possession, than with cold clay?”
The advice was sound, but many of the new-comers were young and ardent, and longed to gain their laurels in a fight. So they received Gilwinikush’s suggestion with shouts of disapproval, which were, however, quickly silenced as Piñone galloped up. A few words from the Tehuelche chief sufficed to convey to him the situation. Then he, too, faced his people.