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〃Look at his strange disappearancea regular put…up job；〃 broke in
Brace； in English； without reference to the Padre's not
comprehending him； 〃so that he and Perkins could shut themselves up
together without suspicion。〃
〃Never mind Hurlstone now； he's GONE； and we're HERE；〃 said Banks
angrily。 〃Ask the parson； as a gentleman and a Christian； what
sort of a hole we've got into； anyhow。 How far is the next
settlement？〃
Crosby put the question。 The subaltern lit a cigarette。
〃There is no next settlement。 The pueblo ends at San Antonio。〃
〃And what's beyond that？〃
〃The ocean。〃
〃And what's south？〃
〃The desertone cannot pass it。〃
〃And north？〃
〃The desert。〃
〃And east？〃
〃The desert too。〃
〃Then how do you get away from here？〃
〃We do not get away。〃
〃And how do you communicate with Mexicowith your Government？〃
〃When a ship comes。〃
〃And when does a ship come？〃
〃Quien sabe？〃
The officer threw away his cigarette。
〃I say； you'll tell the Commander that all this is illegal； and
that I'm going to complain to our Government；〃 continued Banks
hurriedly。
〃I go to speak to the Comandante；〃 responded the priest gravely。
〃And tell him that if he touches a hair of the ladies' heads we'll
have his own scalp；〃 interrupted Brace impetuously。
Even Crosby's diplomatic modification of this speech did not appear
entirely successful。
〃The Mexican soldier wars not with women；〃 said the priest coldly。
〃Adieu； messieurs！〃
The cavalcade moved on。 The Excelsior passengers at once resumed
their chorus of complaint； tirade； and aggressive suggestion；
heedless of the soldiers who rode stolidly on each side。
〃To think we haven't got a single revolver among us；〃 said Brace
despairingly。
〃We might each grab a carbine from these nigger fellows；〃 said
Crosby； eying them contemplatively。
〃And if they didn't burst； and we weren't shot by the next patrol；
and if we'd calculated to be mean enough to run away from the
womenwhere would we escape to？〃 asked Banks curtly。 〃Hold on at
least until we get an ultimatum from that commodious ass at the
Presidio！ Then we'll anticipate the fool…killer； if you like。 My
opinion is； they aren't in any great hurry to try ANYTHING on us
just yet。〃
〃And I say； lie low and keep dark until they show their hand；〃
added Winslow； who had no relish for an indiscriminate scrimmage；
and had his own ideas of placating their captors。
Nevertheless； by degrees they fell into a silence； partly the
effect of the strangely enervating air。 The fog had completely
risen from the landscape； and hung high in mid…air； through which
an intense sun； shorn of its fierceness； diffused a lambent warmth；
and a yellowish； unctuous light； as if it had passed through amber。
The bay gleamed clearly and distinctly； not a shadow flecked its
surface to the gray impenetrable rampart of fog that stretched like
a granite wall before its entrance。 On one side of the narrow road
billows of monstrous grain undulated to the crest of the low hills；
that looked like larger undulations of the soil； furrowed by bosky
canadas or shining arroyos。 Banks was startled into a burst of
professional admiration。
〃There's enough grain there to feed a thousand Todos Santos； and
raised； too； with tools like that；〃 he continued； pointing to a
primitive plow that lay on the wayside； formed by a single forked
root。 A passing ox…cart； whose creaking wheels were made of a
solid circle of wood； apparently sawn from an ordinary log； again
plunged him into cogitation。 Here and there little areas of the
rudest cultivation broke into a luxuriousness of orange； lime； and
fig trees。 The joyous earth at the slightest provocation seemed to
smile and dimple with fruit and flowers。 Everywhere the rare
beatitudes of Todos Santos revealed and repeated its simple story。
The fructifying influence of earth and sky； the intervention of a
vaporous veil between a fiery sun and fiery soil； the combination
of heat and moisture； purified of feverish exhalations； and made
sweet and wholesome by the saline breath of the mighty sea； had
been the beneficent legacy of their isolation； the munificent
compensation of their oblivion。
A gradual and gentle ascent at the end of two hours brought the
cavalcade to a halt upon a rugged upland with semi…tropical
shrubbery； and here and there larger trees from the tierra templada
in the evergreens or madrono。 A few low huts and corrals； and a
rambling hacienda； were scattered along the crest； and in the midst
arose a little votive chapel； flanked by pear…trees。 Near the
roadside were the crumbling edges of some long…forgotten excavation。
Crosby gazed at it curiously。 Touching the arm of the officer； he
pointed to it。
〃Una mina de plata；〃 said the officer sententiously。
〃A mine of some kindsilver； I bet！〃 said Crosby； turning to the
others。 〃Is it goodbuenoyou know？〃 he continued to the
officer； with vague gesticulations。
〃En tiempos pasados；〃 returned the officer gravely。
〃I wonder what that means？〃 said Winslow。
But before Crosby could question further； the subaltern signaled to
them to dismount。 They did so； and their horses were led away to a
little declivity； whence came the sound of running water。 Left to
themselves； the Americans looked around them。 The cavalcade seemed
to have halted near the edge of a precipitous ridge； the evident
termination of the road。 But the view that here met their eyes was
unexpected and startling。
The plateau on which they stood seemed to drop suddenly away；
leaving them on the rocky shore of a monotonous and far…stretching
sea of waste and glittering sand。 Not a vestige nor trace of
vegetation could be seen； except an occasional ridge of straggling
pallid bushes； raised in hideous simulation of the broken crest of
a ghostly wave。 On either side； as far as the eye could reach； the
hollow empty vision extendedthe interminable desert stretched and
panted before them。
〃It's the jumping…off place； I reckon；〃 said Crosby； 〃and they've
brought us here to show us how small is our chance of getting away。
But；〃 he added； turning towards the plateau again； 〃what are they
doing now？ 'Pon my soul！ I believe they're going offand leaving
us。〃
The others turned as he spoke。 It was true。 The dragoons were
coolly galloping off the way they came； taking with them the horses
the Americans had just ridden。
〃I call that cool；〃 said Crosby。 〃It looks deuced like as if we
were to be left here to graze； like cattle。〃
〃Perhaps that's their idea of a prison in this country；〃 said
Banks。 〃There's certainly no chance of our breaking jail in that
direction；〃 he added； pointing to the desert； 〃and we can't follow
them without horses。〃
〃And I dare say they've guarded the pass in the road lower down；〃
said Winslow。
〃We o