wait till daylight。 Where's the sense of dying； after the
fighting's over？〃
〃If I don't catch that transport I sure WILL die；〃 laughed
Chesterton。 His head was bent and he was tugging at his saddle
girths。 Apparently the effort brought a deeper shadow to his tan；
〃but nothing else can kill me！ I have a charm； General；〃 he
exclaimed。
〃We hadn't noticed it；〃 said the general。
The staff officers； according to regulations； laughed。
〃It's not that kind of a charm；〃 said Chesterton。 〃Good…by；
General。〃
The road was hardly more than a trail； but the moon made it as
light as day； and cast across it black tracings of the swinging
vines and creepers； while high in the air it turned the polished
surface of the palms into glittering silver。 As he plunged into
the cool depths of the forest Chesterton threw up his arms and
thanked God that he was moving toward her。 The luck that had
accompanied him throughout the campaign had held until the end。
Had he been forced to wait for a transport； each hour would have
meant a month of torment； an arid； wasted place in his life。 As it
was； with each eager stride of El Capitan； his little Porto Rican
pony； he was brought closer to her。 He was so happy that as he
galloped through the dark shadows of the jungle or out into the
brilliant moonlight he shouted aloud and sang； and again as he
urged El Capitan to greater bursts of speed； he explained in
joyous； breathless phrases why it was that he urged him on。
〃For she is wonderful and most beautiful；〃 he cried； 〃the most
glorious girl in all the world！ And； if I kept her waiting； even
for a moment； El Capitan； I would be unworthyand I might lose
her！ So you see we ride for a great prize！〃
The Spanish column that； the night before； had been driven from
Adhuntas； now in ignorance of peace； occupied both sides of the
valley through which ran the road to Mayaguez； and in ambush by the
road itself had placed an outpost of two men。 One was a sharp…
shooter of the picked corps of the Guardia Civile； and one a
sergeant of the regiment that lay hidden in the heights。 If the
Americans advanced toward Mayaguez； these men were to wait until
the head of the column drew abreast of them； when they were to
fire。 The report of their rifles would be the signal for those in
the hill above to wipe out the memory of Adhuntas。
Chesterton had been riding at a gallop； but； as he reached the
place where the men lay in ambush； he pulled El Capitan to a walk；
and took advantage of his first breathing spell to light his pipe。
He had already filled it； and was now fumbling in his pocket for
his match…box。 The match…box was of wood such as one can buy；
filled to the brim with matches； for one penny。 But it was a most
precious possession。 In the early days of his interest in Miss
Armitage； as they were once setting forth upon a motor trip； she
had handed it to him。
〃Why；〃 he asked。
〃You always forget to bring any；〃 she said simply； 〃and have to
borrow some。〃
The other men in the car； knowing this to be a just reproof；
laughed sardonically； and at the laugh the girl had looked up in
surprise。 Chesterton； seeing the look； understood that her act；
trifling as it was； had been sincere； had been inspired simply by
thought of his comfort。 And he asked himself why young Miss
Armitage should consider his comfort； and why the fact that she did
consider it should make him so extremely happy。 And he decided it
must be because she loved him and he loved her。
Having arrived at that conclusion； he had asked her to marry him；
and upon the match…box had marked the date and the hour。 Since
then she had given him many pretty presents； marked with her
initials； marked with his crest； with strange cabalistic mottoes
that meant nothing to any one save themselves。 But the wooden
matchbox was still the most valued of his possessions。
As he rode into the valley the rays of the moon fell fully upon
him； and exposed him to the outpost as pitilessly as though he had
been held in the circle of a search…light。
The bronzed Mausers pushed cautiously through the screen of vines。
There was a pause； and the rifle of the sergeant wavered。 When he
spoke his tone was one of disappointment。
〃He is a scout； riding alone；〃 he said。
〃He is an officer；〃 returned the sharp…shooter； excitedly。 〃The
others follow。 We should fire now and give the signal。〃
〃He is no officer； he is a scout；〃 repeated the sergeant。 〃They
have sent him ahead to study the trail and to seek us。 He may be a
league in advance。 If we shoot HIM； we only warn the others。〃
Chesterton was within fifty yards。 After an excited and anxious
search he had found the match…box in the wrong pocket。 The eyes of
the sharp…shooter frowned along the barrel of his rifle。 With his
chin pressed against the stock he whispered swiftly from the corner
of his lips； 〃He is an officer！ I am aiming where the strap
crosses his heart。 You aim at his belt。 We fire together。〃
The heat of the tropic night and the strenuous gallop had covered
El Capitan with a lather of sweat。 The reins upon his neck dripped
with it。 The gauntlets with which Chesterton held them were wet。
As he raised the matchbox it slipped from his fingers and fell
noiselessly in the trail。 With an exclamation he dropped to the
road and to his knees； and groping in the dust began an eager
search。
The sergeant caught at the rifle of the sharpshooter； and pressed
it down。
〃Look！〃 he whispered。 〃He IS a scout。 He is searching the trail
for the tracks of our ponies。 If you fire they will hear it a
league away。〃
〃But if he finds our trail and returns〃
The sergeant shook his head。 〃I let him pass forward；〃 he said
grimly。 〃He will never return。〃
Chesterton pounced upon the half…buried matchbox； and in a panic
lest he might again lose it； thrust it inside his tunic。
〃Little do you know； El Capitan；〃 he exclaimed breathlessly； as he
scrambled back into the saddle and lifted the pony into a gallop；
〃what a narrow escape I had。 I almost lost it。〃
Toward midnight they came to a wooden bridge swinging above a
ravine in which a mountain stream； forty feet below； splashed over
half…hidden rocks； and the stepping stones of the ford。 Even
before the campaign began the bridge had outlived its usefulness；
and the unwonted burden of artillery； and the vibrations of
marching men had so shaken it that it swayed like a house of cards。
Threatened by its own weight； at the mercy of the first tropic
storm； it hung a death trap for the one who first added to its
burden。
No sooner had El Capitan struck it squarely with his four hoofs；
than he reared and； whirling； sprang back to the solid earth。 The
suddenness of his retreat had all but thrown Chesterton； but he
regained his seat； and digging the pony roughly with his spurs；
pulled his head again toward the bridge。
〃What are you shying at； now？〃 he panted。 〃That's a perfectly good
bridge。〃
For a minute horse and man struggled for the mastery； the horse
spinning in short circles； the man pulling； tugging； urging him
with knees and spurs。 The first round ended in a draw。 There were
two more rounds with the advantage slightly in favor of El Capitan；
for he did not approach the bridge。
The night was warm and the exertion violent。 Chesterton； puzzled
and annoyed； paused to regain his breath and his temper。 Below
him； in the ravine； the shallow waters of the ford called to him；
suggesting a pleasant compromise。 He turned his eyes downward and
saw hanging over the water what appeared to be a white bird upon
the lower limb of a dead tree。 He knew it to be an orchid； an
especially rare orchid； and he knew； also； that the orchid was the
favorite flower of Miss Armitage。 In a moment he was on his feet；
and with the reins over his arm； was slipping down the bank；
dragging El Capitan behind him。 He ripped from the dead tree the
bark to which the orchid was clinging； and with wet moss and grass
packed it in his leather camera case。 The camera he abandoned on
the path。 He always could buy another camera； he could not again
carry a white orchid； plucked in the heart of the tropics on the
night peace was declared； to the girl he left behind him。 Followed
by El Capitan； nosing and snuffing gratefully at the cool waters；
he waded the ford； and with his camera case swinging from his
shoulder； galloped up the opposite bank and back into the trail。
A minute later； the bridge； unable to recover from the death blow
struck by El Capitan； went whirling into the ravine and was broken
upon the rocks below。 Hearing the crash behind him； Chesterton
guessed that in the jungle a tree had fallen。
They had started at six in the afternoon and had covered twenty of
the forty miles that lay between Adhuntas and Mayaguez； when； just
at the outskirts of the tiny village of Caguan； El Capitan
stumbled； and when he arose painfully； he again fell forward。
Caguan was a little church； a little vine…covered inn； a dozen one…
story adobe houses shining in the moonlight like whitewashed
sepulchres。 They faced a grass…grown plaza； in the centre of which
stood a great wooden cross。