Chapter 10 - Page 2

statue. He tried to melt her icy heart in a stream of
warm blood. Some English naval officers who visited him at that time
noticed the strange character of his infatuation."

At the movement of surprise and curiosity in his audience General
Santierra paused for a moment.

"Yes--English naval officers," he repeated. "Ruiz had consented to
receive them to arrange for the liberation of some prisoners of your
nationality. In the territory upon which he ranged, from sea coast to
the Cordillera, there was a bay where the ships of that time, after
rounding Gape Horn, used to resort for wood and water. There, decoying
the crew on shore, he captured first the whaling brig Hersalia, and
afterwards made himself master by surprise of two more ships, one
English and one American.

"It was rumoured at the time that he dreamed of setting up a navy of
his own. But that, of course, was impossible. Still, manning the brig
with part of her own crew, and putting an officer and a good many men
of his own on board, he sent her off to the Spanish Governor of the
island of Chiloe with a report of his exploits, and a demand for
assistance in the war against the rebels. The Governor could not do
much for him; but he sent in return two light field-pieces, a letter
of compliments, with a colonel's commission in the royal forces, and a
great Spanish flag. This standard with much ceremony was hoisted over
his house in the heart of the Arauco country. Surely on that day she
may have smiled on her guasso husband with a less haughty reserve.

"The senior officer of the English squadron on our coast made
representations to our Government as to these captures. But Gaspar
Ruiz refused to treat with us. Then an English frigate proceeded to
the bay, and her captain, doctor, and two lieutenants travelled inland
under a safe conduct. They were well received, and spent three days
as guests of the partisan chief. A sort of military, barbaric state
was kept up at the residence. It was furnished with the loot of
frontier towns. When first admitted to the principal sala, they saw
his wife lying down (she was not in good health then), with Gaspar
Ruiz sitting at the foot of the couch. His-hat was lying on the floor,
and his hands reposed on the hilt of his sword.

"During that first conversation he never removed his big hands from
the sword-hilt, except once, to arrange the coverings about her, with
gentle, careful touches. They noticed that when ever she spoke he
would fix his eyes upon her in a kind of expectant, breathless
attention, and seemingly forget the existence of the world and his own
existence too. In the course of the farewell banquet, at which she was
present reclining on her couch, he