Mangora, on his part, laid covert plans to get the fair lady out of the
fort, and with this in view pressed Hurtado to pay him a visit and bring
his wife with him. This the Spaniard was loath to do, for Miranda had told
him of her fears, and he suspected the Indian's design. With a policy
demanded by the situation, he declined the invitations of the chief, on
the plea that a Castilian soldier could not leave his post of duty without
permission from his commander, and that honor forbade him to ask that
permission except to fight his enemies.
The wily chief was not duped by this reply. He saw that Hurtado suspected
his purpose, and the removal of the husband seemed to him a necessary step
for its accomplishment. While seeking to devise a plan for this, he
learned, to his great satisfaction, that Hurtado and another officer, with
fifty soldiers, had left the fort on an expedition to collect provisions,
of which a supply was needed.
Here was the opportunity which the treacherous chief awaited. It not only
removed the husband, but weakened the garrison, the protectors of the wife
in his absence.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142