A young merchant rode back to chide and settle matters.
At last some one remembered that Diego had struck
Juan Lepe who had flung him off. Then Tomaso had
sprung in and struck Diego. Then Miguel--"Let Juan
Lepe alone!" said my merchant. "Fie! a poor Palos seafaring
child, and you great Huelva men!" They laughed at
that, and the storm vanished as it had come.
I liked the young man.
How wild and without law, save "Hold if you can!"
were these mountains!' "Hold if you can to life--hold if
you can to knowledge--hold if you can to joy!" Black
cliff overhung black glen and we knew there were dens of
robbers. Far and near violence falls like black snow. This
merchant band gathered to sleep under oaks with a great
rock at our back. We had journeyers' supper and fire, for
it was cold, cold in these heights. A little wine was given
and men fell to sleep by the heaped bales; horses, asses and
mules being fastened close under the crag. Three men
watched, to be relieved in middle night by other three who
now slept. A muleteer named Rodrigo and Juan Lepe and
the young merchant took the first turn. The first two sat on
one side of the fire and the young merchant on the other.
The muleteer remained sunken in a great cloak, his chin
on his arms folded upon his knees, and what he saw in the
land within I cannot tell.
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