“Graviel,” she said earnestly; “do not fret, my poor Graviel. We will assuredly find the young Cacique, and you shall be happy once more; only, Graviel, try and keep up your spirits and your wits, for we shall need them all. Won’t you try, for La Guardia Chica’s sake?”
His face brightened, and he smiled softly as he answered:
“For La Guardia Chica, Graviel would die.”
“Then come on, Graviel, and let us see if we can find any trace of her in the forest direction,” said Mary encouragingly, at the same time putting her horse into a canter. The drug must have worn off, for Graviel after this became more himself again.
They galloped along the same plain in which they had tackled the wild horses the previous day, and as they did so they perceived a mounted figure coming through the gorge at the far end. Apparently the noise of their horses’ hoofs attracted his attention, for he reined up, kept his horse still for a few seconds, and then turning him round retreated along the route he had just come.
“Did you see that, Graviel?” exclaimed Willie hastily; and then he added, addressing Topsie in English: “The beggar fights shy of us; depend upon it he is up to no good.”
Yes, Graviel had seen him; and though the distant figure was quite three-quarters of a mile away, thought that he had recognised him. The Indian youth’s eyes gleamed fire, and he urged his horse into a swinging gallop, muttering at the same time, “May the bones of my fathers smother me if that is not Kai Chileno who brought the message to Inacayal yesterday. What does he there? Why is he not with Inacayal? Oh yes, there is treachery, treachery indeed.”
His horse was going at racing pace now, and he called out to Mary and Willie to urge theirs on to their topmost speed, at the same time pointing to the vanishing figure in front of them, who, having passed through the gorge, bore away to the right at a headlong pace.
But Graviel held on. He knew that Kai Chileno was a big and heavy man, and that a horse could not hope with such a weight to keep up the same pace long. He knew that he himself, Mary, and Willie were light weights, and, moreover, being mounted on three of Aniwee’s picked hunters, could gain ground on the flying Araucanian. He had put two and two together in the twinkling of an eye the moment that he had recognised this Indian, and saw him fly. He felt sure that a diabolical plot had been hatched, in which Inacayal, Guaitu, and the villainous Kai Chileno had each a part; for was not this Kai Chileno reputed a very desperado among the Araucanians, a wild, free-booting robber, who for pay would be willing to embark in any villainy? Graviel saw it all plainly. He clearly perceived that the summons northwards against the Cristianos was a mere trick to draw off the warriors from the Indian camp, in order to enable Guaitu to carry out his fell purpose during their absence. Yet Graviel, as he read the plot clearly enough now, knew that Guaitu and Kai Chileno were mere tools in the hands of an arch-conspirator, and he had not the slightest doubt but that this arch-conspirator was Inacayal himself. Still, if Kai Chileno could be captured, threats or bribes might induce him to disclose the plot, and reveal where the baby Queen was hidden, therefore Graviel felt that he must be captured at any cost.
“Ride, Señors, ride!” he called out to the children; “yonder Indian must be captured. He is the thief, the thief who has stolen La Guardia Chica. Ride, Señors, ride!”