A Message to Garcia

Summary

Cuba, 1898: imperial scarlet spills across a tobacco-scented dawn when steel-helmeted Spaniards slash through a mulatto farmer’s dream of autonomy. Dolores, barefoot in a linen shift the colour of bone, watches her father and brother roped like cattle for summary judgment; Captain Hernandez, epaulettes glinting like guillotines, offers freedom in exchange for the girl’s almond-eyed complicity. A single crackle of rifle-fire ricochets through the canebrake—her father crumples, a marionette with severed strings. In the echo she buries a pearl-handled dagger to the hilt beneath Hernandez’s sternum, flees barefoot up volcanic scree to the rebel-haunted sierra where the mythic Garcia—part guerrilla, part saint—plots insurrection from a cave curtained by orchids. Meanwhile the Maine drifts into Havana’s sulphuric dusk; Dolores’ brother José, half-starved spectre of vengeance, slithers into a phosphorous-lit vault and thumbs the detonator that turns a battleship into a Vesuvius of rivets and hymn-singing sailors. Washington panics: McKinley dispatches the laconic Lieutenant Rowan—equal parts Achilles and postal clerk—to locate the ever-elusive Garcia among mangrove and malaria. Enter Mme. Gonzalles, Paris-trained temptress with a mind like a switchblade, whose lace parasol conceals coded cables to Madrid. She shadows Rowan across the Gulf Stream, but Dolores, now garlanded with ammunition belts, intercepts every machination. Uniforms swap, identities dissolve, jungle drums outpace telegraph wires; amid orchid-reeking ambushes Rowan entrusts the parchment to Dolores, who, in a final fusillade, becomes both messenger and martyr, her lace scarf the only epistle that returns to camp, fragrant with gunpowder and gardenia.

Synopsis

Spanish soldiers arrive in Cuba and raid the farm of Dolores' father. Father and brother, attempting to protect their home, are arrested and held for court-martial. Captain Hernandez listens to Dolores' plea for their release and taken by her beauty, promises to set them free. His advances to her are interrupted by the sound of a rifle volley. Through the open window, Dolores sees her father fall before the firing squad. For this she kills Hernandez. Running to his home in the mountain fastnesses, she tells Garcia, Cuba's savior, of her act. Political unrest finds the Maine anchored in the Harbor of Havana. Jose, Dolores' brother, hiding from the troops who have killed his father, seeks revenge. Prowling about, he enters a subterranean vault where he sees an officer exhibiting to some visitors, the switch which controls the mines laid in the harbor. The officer and his friends depart, and Jose throws the switch which sends the Maine and its crew to the bottom. Garcia's whereabouts are unknown and President McKinley seeks a man who can deliver a message addressed: General Garcia, Somewhere in Cuba. Of the many who are called, Lieutenant Rowan alone is chosen. Mme. Gonzalles, a spy in America, employed by the Spanish government, is instructed to ascertain the attitude of the United States government, after the sinking of the Maine. She discovers that Rowan is sailing for Cuba with a message for Garcia. Determining that the message must not reach its destination she follows Rowan on his trip across, arranging by wire for his arrest upon his arrival in Havana. A soldier, stopping at a well near Dolores' home, drops a message addressed to Captain Gonzalles, Mme. Gonzalles' brother, informing him that she has arranged for the American's capture. Dolores rushes to Garcia with the news. On board ship, Mme. Gonzalles makes several efforts to get the message, but each time is foiled by Rowan. He learns of the fate that awaits him and when the boat docks, escapes the pursuing soldiers by jumping overboard. Rowan swims ashore and eludes the pursuing Spaniards. Meeting one of the soldiers single-handed, Rowan overpowers him. exchanging his own wet clothes for the man's uniform. Thus, clad as a soldier of Spain, Rowan sets out to roam the wilderness for Garcia. He meets Dolores who, at first frightened because of the uniform he wears, shows her relief and joy when she learns that he is "Americano." He manages to make her understand that he is seeking Garcia. "Butcher" Weyler, Governor-General of Cuba, upbraids Mme. Gonzalles for her failure in effecting Rowan's arrest. Fearful lest Weyler wreak his wrath upon her, Captain Gonzalles, her brother, offers to assume personal responsibility for the immediate capture of Rowan. From the brow of a hill, Rowan and Dolores sight the pursuing party. Capture is imminent and Rowan entrusts his message to Dolores. They part ways and soon Rowan is made a prisoner. Dolores, however, manages to set him free. Again, they start on their journey, but the pursuers soon take up the trail and before long they find themselves ambushed. All hope seems lost. Dolores parts the bushes and reveals in the distance, the house of Garcia. She returns the message to Rowan and bids him hasten on, while she remains behind with his rifle, holding off the attacking troops. Rowan delivers the message, but on his return he finds the bullet-riddled body of Dolores, mute witness to her great heroism. As a sacred memory of the one who made the delivery of the message possible, he takes back home with him Dolores' lace scarf. Back in the barracks the boys are rejoicing at Rowan's success. He is greeted amid wild shouts and cheers, and when the lace scarf comes to view his friend turn to him with an all-knowing smile. But the story of Dolores' sacrifice soon makes them understand and when the call to arms is sounded they march away cherishing the name of the unknown "little Cuban."