When she awakes, tell her from me
that I am sorry for her to lose her pleasure, but that now she could
not go even were I here to take her."
"There 's no danger from the Paspaheghs there," he muttered.
"The Paspaheghs happen not to be my only foes," I said curtly.
"Do as I bid you without remark. Tell her that I have good reasons
for desiring her to remain within doors until my return. On no
account whatever is she to venture without the garden."
I gathered up the reins, and he stood back from the horse's head.
When I had gone a few paces I drew rein, and, turning in my
saddle, spoke to him across the dew-drenched grass. "This is a
trust, Diccon," I said.
The red came into his tanned face. He raised his hand and made
our old military salute. "I understand it so, my captain," he
answered, and I rode away satisfied.
CHAPTER XIII IN WHICH THE SANTA TERESA DROPS DOWNSTREAM
AN hour's ride brought us to the block house standing within the
forest, midway between the white plantations at Paspahegh and the
village of the tribe. We found it well garrisoned, spies out, and the
men inclined to make light of the black paint and the seething
village.
Amongst them was Chanco the Christian. I called him to me, and
we listened to his report with growing perturbation. "Thirty
warriors!" I said, when he had finished.
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