50 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



trees, above all, flowers. Afterwards he perceived that they 

 had all been lately rebuilt. 



The old Indian survived, but it was not from him that 

 Arnold learned the story. The Cura told it. There had 

 been a pronunciamiento somewhere in the country, and the 

 Government sent small bodies of troops — pressgangs, in fact 

 — to enlist ' volunteers.' One of these came to the village. 

 The officer in command, a good-looking young man, took 

 up his abode in the Indian's house and presently made it his 

 headquarters, whence to direct the man-hunts. Upon that 

 pretext he stayed several weeks, to the delight of the 

 villagers, who were spared. 



But one evening there was an outbreak. The lover 

 rushed along the street, dripping with blood — the officer, his 

 sword drawn, pursuing. He ran into his hut and snatched 

 a gun from the wall. But it was too late ; the other cut 

 him down. The day's field work was over — all the Indians 

 had returned. They seized their machetes, yelling venge- 

 ance, and attacked the officer. But his soldiers also were 

 close by. They ran up, firing as they ran. Some villagers 

 were killed, more wounded ; the place was sacked. Next 

 morning early the detachment moved off. When the 

 fugitives returning counted their loss, the pretty daughter of 

 old Jose was missing. The dead lay where they fell, and 

 she was not among them. 



The Cura, an amiable veteran, did not doubt that she 

 had been carried off by force ; was not this girl the most 

 devout and dutiful in the parish ? He saddled his mule 

 forthwith and rode into Caracas. The officer had delivered 

 his report, which may be easily imagined. Governments in 

 Spanish America at this day resent any kind of interference 

 from the clergy. Had a layman complained, doubtless 

 there would have been an inquiry ; in Venezuela, as else- 

 where, maidens are not to be carried off by young aristocrats 



