“I am undone,” Feliciana exclaimed, and turned to look.
Two horsemen were seen rapidly approaching in the direction by which she herself had come.
“They are my father’s men,” she said to herself, and looked about for some tree, or other object, behind which she might conceal herself: but there was not a thing at hand.
The horsemen drew closer and closer again; she looked round once more: at a short distance, the grass seemed to grow richer and thicker. She crept along towards this point, and threw herself flat into the tuft: but she was barely concealed, and durst not hope to escape being seen.
“I cannot avoid being taken,” she said to herself, and seemed unnerved by the thought. The horsemen approached nearer and nearer. The thoughts of Appadocca crowded on her; the conflict of undefined feelings which had taken place in her mind, had ended in leaving her a being that was devoted to that mysterious man, and one who could now form no idea of life in which he was not the beginning and the end. Her fears now yielded to a stronger feeling; she drew from her bosom a gilded poniard, and vowed that she would not be deterred from fulfilling her vow as long as she lived. The horsemen had almost arrived to where she was, they came opposite to her, they looked neither on one side nor on the other, but seemed entirely absorbed by the subject on which they were conversing in a loud tone of voice.
From her hiding place Feliciana could see them distinctly. Joy, joy! they were not her father’s men. But may they not be other persons that were sent after her in one direction, while her father’s own Llaneros went in another? She remained quiet and listened.
“No, I shall not take less than seven piastres each for my oxen; and, as for my jack-asses, I shall not let them go for less than four piastres a-head,” said one of the horsemen.
“You are quite right,” replied the other; “those people in Trinidad can afford to pay a good price for their bullocks. By-the-bye, have you remarked what a number more of beasts we sell since the English took that island. I understand these fellows live entirely on beef, and that is the reason why they are such good soldiers.”
“Good or bad soldiers,” answered the other, “if they eat beef, and make us sell our cattle, that is all we care about.”
“They are merchants,” said Feliciana to herself, and resolved at once to speak to them.