Therewasapause，andtherifleofthesergeantwavered。Whenhespokehistonewasoneofdisappointment。
\"Heisascout，ridingalone，\"hesaid。
\"Heisanofficer，\"returnedthesharp-shooter，excitedly。\"Theothersfollow。Weshouldfirenowandgivethesignal。\"
\"Heisnoofficer，heisascout，\"repeatedthesergeant。\"Theyhavesenthimaheadtostudythetrailandtoseekus。Hemaybealeagueinadvance。IfweshootHIM，weonlywarntheothers。\"
Chestertonwaswithinfiftyyards。Afteranexcitedandanxioussearchhehadfoundthematch-boxinthewrongpocket。Theeyesofthesharp-shooterfrownedalongthebarrelofhisrifle。Withhischinpressedagainstthestockhewhisperedswiftlyfromthecornerofhislips，\"Heisanofficer！Iamaimingwherethestrapcrosseshisheart。Youaimathisbelt。Wefiretogether。\"
TheheatofthetropicnightandthestrenuousgallophadcoveredElCapitanwithalatherofsweat。Thereinsuponhisneckdrippedwithit。ThegauntletswithwhichChestertonheldthemwerewet。
Asheraisedthematchboxitslippedfromhisfingersandfellnoiselesslyinthetrail。Withanexclamationhedroppedtotheroadandtohisknees，andgropinginthedustbegananeagersearch。
Thesergeantcaughtattherifleofthesharpshooter，andpresseditdown。
\"Look！\"hewhispered。\"HeISascout。Heissearchingthetrailforthetracksofourponies。Ifyoufiretheywillhearitaleagueaway。\"
\"Butifhefindsourtrailandreturns——\"
Thesergeantshookhishead。\"Ilethimpassforward，\"hesaidgrimly。\"Hewillneverreturn。\"
Chestertonpounceduponthehalf-buriedmatchbox，andinapaniclesthemightagainloseit，thrustitinsidehistunic。
\"Littledoyouknow，ElCapitan，\"heexclaimedbreathlessly，ashescrambledbackintothesaddleandliftedtheponyintoagallop，\"whatanarrowescapeIhad。Ialmostlostit。\"
Towardmidnighttheycametoawoodenbridgeswingingabovearavineinwhichamountainstream，fortyfeetbelow，splashedoverhalf-hiddenrocks，andthesteppingstonesoftheford。Evenbeforethecampaignbeganthebridgehadoutliveditsusefulness，andtheunwontedburdenofartillery，andthevibrationsofmarchingmenhadsoshakenitthatitswayedlikeahouseofcards。
Threatenedbyitsownweight，atthemercyofthefirsttropicstorm，ithungadeathtrapfortheonewhofirstaddedtoitsburden。
NosoonerhadElCapitanstruckitsquarelywithhisfourhoofs，thanherearedand，whirling，sprangbacktothesolidearth。ThesuddennessofhisretreathadallbutthrownChesterton，butheregainedhisseat，anddiggingtheponyroughlywithhisspurs，pulledhisheadagaintowardthebridge。
\"Whatareyoushyingat，now？\"hepanted。\"That\'saperfectlygoodbridge。\"
Foraminutehorseandmanstruggledforthemastery，thehorsespinninginshortcircles，themanpulling，tugging，urginghimwithkneesandspurs。Thefirstroundendedinadraw。ThereweretwomoreroundswiththeadvantageslightlyinfavorofElCapitan，forhedidnotapproachthebridge。
Thenightwaswarmandtheexertionviolent。Chesterton，puzzledandannoyed，pausedtoregainhisbreathandhistemper。Belowhim，intheravine，theshallowwatersofthefordcalledtohim，suggestingapleasantcompromise。Heturnedhiseyesdownwardandsawhangingoverthewaterwhatappearedtobeawhitebirduponthelowerlimbofadeadtree。Heknewittobeanorchid，anespeciallyrareorchid，andheknew，also，thattheorchidwasthefavoriteflowerofMissArmitage。Inamomenthewasonhisfeet，andwiththereinsoverhisarm，wasslippingdownthebank，draggingElCapitanbehindhim。Herippedfromthedeadtreethebarktowhichtheorchidwasclinging，andwithwetmossandgrasspackeditinhisleathercameracase。Thecameraheabandonedonthepath。Healwayscouldbuyanothercamera；hecouldnotagaincarryawhiteorchid，pluckedintheheartofthetropicsonthenightpeacewasdeclared，tothegirlheleftbehindhim。FollowedbyElCapitan，nosingandsnuffinggratefullyatthecoolwaters，hewadedtheford，andwithhiscameracaseswingingfromhisshoulder，gallopeduptheoppositebankandbackintothetrail。
Aminutelater，thebridge，unabletorecoverfromthedeathblowstruckbyElCapitan，wentwhirlingintotheravineandwasbrokenupontherocksbelow。Hearingthecrashbehindhim，Chestertonguessedthatinthejungleatreehadfallen。
TheyhadstartedatsixintheafternoonandhadcoveredtwentyofthefortymilesthatlaybetweenAdhuntasandMayaguez，when，justattheoutskirtsofthetinyvillageofCaguan，ElCapitanstumbled，andwhenhearosepainfully，heagainfellforward。
Caguanwasalittlechurch，alittlevine-coveredinn，adozenone-
storyadobehousesshininginthemoonlightlikewhitewashedsepulchres。Theyfacedagrass-grownplaza，inthecentreofwhichstoodagreatwoodencross。Atonecornerofthevillagewasacorral，andinitmanyponies。AtthesightChestertongaveacryofrelief。Alightshowedthroughtheclosedshuttersoftheinn，andwhenhebeatwithhiswhipuponthedoor，fromtheadobehousesotherlightsshone，andwhite-cladfiguresappearedinthemoonlight。ThelandlordoftheinnwasaSpaniard，fatandprosperous-looking，butforthemomenthisfacewaseloquentwithsuchdistressandmiserythattheheartoftheyoungman，whowasatpeacewithalltheworld，wentinstantlyouttohim。TheSpaniardwaslesssympathetic。Whenhesawthekhakisuitandthecampaignhathescowled，andungraciouslywouldhaveclosedthedoor。Chesterton，apologizing，pusheditopen。Hispony，heexplained，hadgonelame，andhemusthaveanother，andatonce。
Thelandlordshruggedhisshoulders。Thesewerewartimes，hesaid，andtheAmericanofficercouldtakewhatheliked。TheyinCaguanwerenoncombatantsandcouldnotprotest。Chestertonhastenedtoreassurehim。Thewar，heannounced，wasover，andwereitnot，hewasnoofficertoissuerequisitions。Heintendedtopayforthepony。HeunbuckledhisbeltandpoureduponthetableahandfulofSpanishdoubloons。Thelandlordloweredthecandleandsilentlycountedthegoldpieces，andthencallingtohimtwoofhisfellow-villagers，crossedthetinyplazaandenteredthecorral。
\"TheAmericanpig，\"hewhispered，\"wishestobuyapony。Hetellsmethewarisover；thatSpainhassurrendered。Weknowthatmustbealie。Itismoreprobableheisadeserter。Heclaimsheisacivilian，butthatalsoisalie，forheisinuniform。You，Paul，sellhimyourpony，andthenwaitforhimatthefirstturninthetrail，andtakeitfromhim。\"
\"Heisarmed，\"protestedtheonecalledPaul。
\"Youmustnotgivehimtimetodrawhisrevolver，\"orderedthelandlord。\"YouandPedrowillshoothimfromtheshadow。Heisourcountry\'senemy，anditwillbeinagoodcause。Andhemaycarrydespatches。IfwetakethemtothecommandanteatMayaguezhewillrewardus。\"
\"Andthegoldpieces？\"demandedtheonecalledPaul。
\"Wewilldividetheminthreeparts，\"saidthelandlord。