Free Young Ole Devil by J.T. Edson Page B

attitude implied that he was
not carrying out any official, or even lawful duty.
    For a moment Juglares thought
of remaining in concealment and allowing the soldier to do whatever
he had come for and then depart. However, he saw the objections to
such a course. Having stolen some of the liquor, which was almost
certainly his reason for visiting the cellar, the soldier might
lock the door on leaving. While Juglares could still escape by the
trapdoor, the grounds were heavily guarded and he would be in plain
view of a sentry. Of course, as major domo, he had every right to be in the cellar;
although he would have to think up an explanation for making his
exit that way instead of through the basement
    The decision was taken out of
Juglares ’s
hands.
    ‘ Hey!’
yelped the soldier, coming to a halt and staring at the rack behind
which the major-domo was standing. He seemed to be on the verge of turning and
dashing out of the cellar. ‘Who-all’s there?’
    ‘ Only
me, senor? Juglares answered in soothing tones and, knowing that to do
anything else would be futile and would arouse the other’s
suspicions, he walked from his place of concealment. ‘Can I help
you?’
    ‘ Who’re you and what’re you doing down here?’ the soldier
demanded, but his voice lacked the authority of one who had the
right to be asking such a question.
    ‘ I am
Don Sebastian Carillo de Biva’s major domo, senor? Juglares said, adopting his
most imposing tone and manner. ‘It is one of my duties,
particularly in Don Sebastian’s absence, to take care of the wine
cellar.’
    ‘ It
is, huh?’ the soldier grunted, sounding impressed but still dubious
and suspicious.
    ‘ Si,
senor,’ the major domo confirmed and went on craftily, ‘If you wish, we can go and
see the first sergeant He will tell you who I am.’
    The gamble paid off.
    ‘ Shucks, there ain’t no call for that amigo,’ the soldier said hurriedly, just as
Juglares had believed that he would. ‘I’ve been sent down for a couple of bottles
of whiskey, if you’ve got ’em. So if you’ll give ’em to me, I’ll get going
and leave you to your work.’
    ‘ Certainly, senor,’ the major domo replied. ‘Don Sebastian keeps whiskey for his Texian
friends, I will get it for you. Will two bottles be
enough?’
    ‘ Well,’ the soldier began, his eyes taking on an avaricious
glint. ‘The cap’n did say three now I come to think back on
it…’
    ‘ Three
it is, senor,’ Juglares declared without hesitation.
    Walking to the rack in which
the bottles of whiskey were stored, the major domo felt relieved and cheerful. He was
sure that the soldier had lied to him, but he did not care. The
information he had already garnered was worth far more than the
three bottles he had been asked for. Once he had handed them over,
the gringo would go. What was more, he would be unlikely to mention
that he had found anybody in the cellar as he should not have been
there himself. When tike soldier had left, Juglares hoped to resume
the eavesdropping and find out if there was anything else to be
learned.
    Before the major domo could take out the first
bottle, he heard heavy and authoritative footsteps descending the
stairs and crossing the basement. So did the soldier and an
expression of consternation came to his face. It grew rather than
diminished as the burly figure of First Sergeant Gladbeck loomed
through the open door
    ‘ What’s all this?’ boomed the non-com, looking from the
soldier to Juglares and back.
    ‘ I
heard a noise in here and come to see who it was, serge,’ the
soldier answered. ‘Found this feller here. He allows it’s all right
for him.
    ‘ It
is,’ Gladbeck stated, having recognized and identified the Mexican.
‘But you’d best get going afore I grow all suspicious and ask what
you was doing down here in the first place.’
    ‘ Sure,
serge,’ the soldier replied and scuttled hurriedly away.
    ‘ What
was he after, liquor?’ the first sergeant inquired,