Ashley glanced up. There was a revelation to him in the questioner’s disordered and ashy countenance. He dropped the cross, sprang over the grave, and seized the stranger by the right arm. “Who are you who ask?” he cried. “What do you know of the man who is buried there?”
“My faith! you are a brave man to put such questions!” retorted the new-comer, wrenching himself free. Ashley had spoken in English, but the violence of his act had interpreted his words. “Take your pistols and defend yourself, if you are here for vengeance. Kill him? Yes; I killed him as I would a dog. Faith, I thought it was his accursed ghost that had risen to challenge me!”
“I am his cousin! Assassin, give me reasons for your deed!” cried Ashley, furiously, yet with a remembrance that to every criminal should be allowed some chance of justification.
But the Mexican seemed little inclined to profit by it.
“Reasons!” cried he. “Yes, such reasons as I gave him when I thrust the knife into his heart.” He raised his pistol and fired. The shot passed so close to Ashley’s temple that he heard it whiz through the air. In the same instant the two men clinched. The horse, which during the controversy had plunged and reared madly, broke away, and careering over the graves galloped wildly down the hillside. A fresh horse with its rider at the same instant dashed into the enclosure, and a voice cried, “For God’s sake my General! what adventure is this? Mount! mount! there is no time to be lost!”
The combatants at the sound of a third voice had involuntarily paused. Had the knife in the hand of the American been in that of the Mexican it would have sheathed itself in his opponent’s heart; but Ashley, less ready in its use, arrested his hand midway. His passion half spent, the scarcely healed wound throbbing in his shoulder, his strength exhausted, he had much ado to keep himself from staggering.
“A touch of my sabre would finish him,” said the new-comer coolly, as he reined in his restive horse, and put his hand on the long weapon swinging from his saddle. But the soldier stopped him.
“No killing in cold blood,” he exclaimed. “’Tis a madman, but his fury is over. What brings you here, Reyes? Were you not to wait at the rendezvous?”
“Wait!” he retorted, “this is no time to wait! We are already a day too late. A thousand men are on the road before us, my General! We let them pass us this morning as we lingered on the opposite side of the mountain in the Devil’s gate!”
“And the troops are there still?” cried the other furiously. “Where is Choolooke? Did you not think to bring me a horse? Back to the Zahuan, man! We must begin the march this very night. I know Ruiz; he will yield in a moment at sight of me!”