Then Dardo Would Say, "Now We'll Go Back To The House For The
Others And Go To The River.
You see, she made me kneel before the
crucifix and promise never to take you to bathe without asking her
consent.
And that's all I've got to do; I never promised to obey her
commands, so it's all right."
These pleasant adventures with Dardo on the plain were suddenly put a
stop to by the war. One morning a number of persons on foot and on
horseback were seen coming to us over the green plain from the
shepherd's ranche, and as they drew nearer we recognized our old
Alcalde on his horse as the leader of the procession, and behind him
walked Dona Nata, holding her son by the hand; then followed others on
foot, and behind them all rode four old gauchos, the Alcalde's
henchmen, wearing their swords.
What matter of tremendous importance had brought this crowd to our
house? The Alcalde, Don Amaro Avalos, was not only the representative
of the "authorities" in our parts - police officer, petty magistrate of
sorts, and several other things besides - but a grand old man in
himself, and he looms large in memory among the old gaucho patriarchs
in our neighbourhood. He was a big man, about six feet high,
exceedingly dignified in manner, his long hair and beard of a silvery
whiteness; he wore the gaucho costume with a great profusion of silver
ornaments, including ponderous silver spurs weighing about four
pounds, and heavy silver whip-handle.
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