Fair Blows the Wind (1978)

Fair Blows the Wind (1978) Read Free Page A

Book: Fair Blows the Wind (1978) Read Free
Author: Louis - Talon-Chantry L'amour
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Diego wished to go north, believing another ship would come along which they might signal and which might take them aboard. The arrogant one, whose name proved to be Don Manuel, wished to go south to the Spanish settlements in Florida. Just how far distant they were, he obviously had no idea. I did.
    "Of one thing you must be warned," I offered. "The Indians are not friendly. Two of my men were killed yesterday, only a few miles from here."
    They were startled. That aspect of their situation had not occurred to them. Living as they had been accustomed to, in well-protected cities, they had no true understanding of what might lie out in the wilderness.
    "You will frighten the ladies," Don Diego warned.
    "Senor," my tone was cool, "they would do well to be frightened, and so would you all. The danger is not to be exaggerated. I would suggest a smaller fire, and that you remain here no longer than you must."
    "Do not fear," Don Manuel said contemptuously. "We are alert."
    "I observed that," I commented, "when I walked into your camp."
    He put his hand to his sword hilt. "I do not like your manner." The menace in his tone would have amused me at any other time.
    I merely shrugged. "So? If you wish to fight, do not fear. You will have many chances before you reach your people . I f you reach your people. Now let there be less fire."
    One of the soldiers stepped forward and began drawing sticks from the flames by their protruding ends.
    They ignored me then and began a casual, desultory conversation that had to do with clothing, the difficulty of walking, and whether they might have to sleep out another night.
    The coffee was excellent, and I ate the bread and meat, savoring each morsel. My years of soldiering had taught me to rest when opportunity offered, to eat whenever there was food.
    The man who had taken the sticks from the fire, obviously a soldier, stopped near me. He was a broad-shouldered, powerfully made young man, at least five inches shorter than I. Under his breath he whispered, "I am glad you are with us,Capitan. Save for the soldiers not one of them has ever slept out, carried a pack, or walked, except on well-trodden paths."
    I had lived too long not to have an eye out for the main chance. One lives, one survives, and if one is wise, perhaps one gains a little. "Your ship sank?"
    He shrugged an eloquent shoulder. "She was afloat when last I saw her but she was making water fast."
    "Too bad. There might have been food aboard her, and more weapons." A thought came to me. "You came ashore in a boat? Where is it now?"
    "Yonder." He pointed through the trees. "She was damaged in launching. We barely made the shore."
    But they did reach shore, and there was a boat. Boats could be repaired. I made the suggestion.
    "Who knows? It might be done, but Don Manuel was all for marching."
    Little by little, as we ate, I drew information from him. He called himself Armand, the Basque. He had been a soldier in Peru. Don Diego had been governor of a province, Don Manuel an official of some kind, reputed to have influence in high places. My informant knew little more than shipboard gossip.
    Don Diego was guardian of the lovely one, Guadalupe Romana, now en route to Spain to be married ... maybe. There was more than a little mystery about her--or so I gathered from listening to Armand, the Basque.
    I glanced toward her. She had been looking at me and her eyes slid away as mine reached hers. Shewas lovely, very much so. Large, dark eyes, rimmed with long lashes, a proud, beautiful face with a touch of sadness in it and a hint of something else.
    Don Diego was coming over. "You have experience of this country?" he asked me.
    I did not wish to lie. I did wish to survive. So I would not lie; neither would I admit to no prior experience of the country. For one thing I knew: Without guidance this lot would not survive the week.
    "Enough to know there is great danger. My advice would be to return to your boat, repair it, then sail south to

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