The Light of Scarthey: A Romance by Egerton Castle
CHAPTER XXIII
THE DAY: NOON
There stood two men and they did point their fingers at that house. And on his finger one had blood; the other's finger shook.
_Luteplayer's Song._
Broken lengths of wall, a crumbling indication of the spring of onceexquisite arches, windows gaping darkly like the eye sockets of askull--this was all that was left of the old priory of Pulwick, whilomproud seat of clerical power and learning. But the image of decay wasrobbed of all melancholy by the luxuriance of climbing vegetation, bythe living screen of noble firs and larches arranged in serried ranksupon the slopes immediately behind it, with here and there a ruggedsentinel within the ruinous yards and rooms themselves; by wild bushesof juniper and gorse and brambles. And, with the bright noon sunpouring down upon the worn red sandstone, and gilding the delicatetassels of the larches' green needles; with the light of young love,spreading glamour upon every leaf and stone, in the eyes of thelovers, the scene, witness of so many sweet meetings, bore that day abeautiful and home-like aspect.
Captain Jack was standing upon the grass-grown floor of what had beenthe departed monks' refectory, with ears eagerly bent to listen.
Three ragged walls, a clump of fir trees, and a bank of bramblesscreened him from any chance passer-by, and he now and again peeredthrough a crevice on to a path through the woods, cautiously, as iffearful to venture forth. His face was pale beneath its tan, and hadnone of its usual brightness; his attire for him was disordered; hiswhole appearance that of a man under the pressure of doubt andanxiety. Yet, when the sound of a light footfall struck among thethousand whispering noises of wind and leaf that went to make up thesilence of the ruins, the glory of joy that lit up eye and lip left noroom for any other impression.
Madeleine stood in the old doorway: a vision of beautiful life amidemblems of decay and death.
"I come alone to-day," she said, with her half-shy smile. And then,before she could utter a further word of explanation, she was gatheredinto her lover's strong arms with a passion he had never as yet shownin his chivalrous relations with her. But it was not because they metwithout the sympathetic rapture of Miss Landale's eye upon them; notbecause there was no other witnesses but the dangling ivy wreath, thestern old walls, the fine dome of spring sky faintly blue; not becauseof lover's audacious joy. This Madeleine, feeling the stormy throbbingof his heart against hers, knew with sure instinct. She pushed himgently from her as soon as she could, the blushes chased from hercheeks by pale misgivings, and looked at him with eyes full oftroubled questioning.
Then he spoke, from his full heart:
"Madeleine, something has happened--a misfortune, as I wrote to you. Imust now start upon my venture sooner than I thought--at once. I shallhave to _fly_ in fact, to-day. There have been spies upon me, and mysecret trust is in danger. How they have tracked me, how suspicion hasbeen aroused, I cannot guess. But I have been tracked. A fellow cameat dawn. I had to defend my secret--the secret not my own, the chargeentrusted to me. The man was hurt. I cannot explain, dear love, thereis no time; even now I run the risk of my life by being here, and lifeis so dear to me now, my Madeleine! Hush! No, do not be afraid! I amafraid of nothing, so long as you trust me. Will you trust me? Icannot leave you here behind; and now, with this cursed stroke ofill-luck, this suspicion upon me, it may be long before I can returnto England. I cannot leave you behind, I cannot! Will you trust me,Madeleine, will you come with me? We shall be married in France, mydarling. You should be as a queen in the guard of her most humbleslave. I am half mad to think I must go. Ah, kiss me, love, and sayyes! Listen! I must sail away and make believe that I have gone. My_Peregrine_ is a bird that none can overtake, but I shall come backto-night. Listen: If you will be on the island to-night--Sir Adrian isthere already, and I hear your sister is coming--a freak of fancy--andhe, God bless him, has told her to bring you too (it shows my luck hasnot deserted me yet). I shall be there, unknown to all except Renny. Icannot meet you nearer home, but you will be my own brave bride andkeep your own counsel. You will not be frightened, will you, mybeautiful love? All you have to do is to follow Renny's instructions.My ship will be back, waiting, an hour after dark, ready, when you setfoot on it, to spread its wings with its treasures--treasures, indeed!And then we shall have the world before us--riches, love, such love!And once safe, I shall be free to prove to you that it is no commonblood I would mate with that dear and pure stream that courses in yourveins. You shall soon know all; will you trust me?"
She hung upon his hot words, looking at him with loving, frightenedeyes. Now he gathered her to his arms again, again his bursting heartthrobbed its stormy passion to her ear. She was as one carried away bya torrent against which resistance is useless. He bent his head overher face; the scent of the bunch of violets in her breast rosedeliciously to his nostrils. Alas! Hubert Cochrane was not to reachthat kiss of acquiescence, that kiss from which it seemed that but sosmall a fraction of space and time divided him! Some one, who hadstepped along in the shadow as silently as a cat coming upon a bird,clapped here a hand upon his shoulder.
"Who are you, sir, and what do you want?" exclaimed Captain Jack,wrenching himself free, falling back a pace and measuring thenew-comer from head to foot with furious glances, while, with burningblushes Madeleine faltered:
"Rupert!"
Nothing awakens anger in hot blood sooner than an unsanctioned touch.In certain moods the merest contact is as infuriating as a blow. Suchan insult, added to the irreparable injury of interrupting theirmeeting at the most exquisite and crucial moment, drove Captain Jackbeside himself with rage.
But Madeleine's hand was still on his arm. She felt it suddenly hardenand twitch with murderous anger. But, by an effort that made theveins of his temple swell like whipcord, he refrained from strikingthe double offender.
Mr. Landale surveyed the pair for a moment in silence with his gravelook; then coldly he answered the sailor's irate speech.
"My name, fellow, is Rupert Landale. I am here to protect my cousinfrom an unprincipled and criminal adventurer."
"You take a sharp tone sir," cried Captain Jack, the flush on his facedeepening yet a shade, his nostrils ominously dilated, yet speakingwithout further loss of self-control. "You probably count upon thepresence of this lady to prevent my resenting it; but as my time withher is short and I have still much to say, I shall be forced promptlyto eject you from the ruins here, unless you will be good enough toimmediately remove yourself. I shall hope for another meeting with youto discuss the question as to your right of interference; butto-day--I cannot spare the time."
Rupert smiled without moving; then the sailor gently disengaginghimself from Madeleine would have put her behind him but that shepressed forward and laid a hand upon an arm of each of the men.
"Stay, Jack," she pleaded, "let me speak. There is some mistake here.Cousin Rupert, you cannot know that I am engaged to this gentleman andthat he is a friend of your brother's as well as of other good friendsof mine."
"My poor child," answered Rupert, closing a cold hand gently over hersand speaking with a most delicate tenderness of accent, "you have beengrossly imposed upon, and so have others. As for my poor brotherAdrian, he is, if anything, easier to deceive than you, innocentconvent-bred girl! I would have you to go home, my dear, and leave meto deal with this--gentleman. You have bitter truths to learn; wouldit not be better to wait and learn them quietly without furtherscandal?"
This was too much for Captain Jack, who fairly ground his teeth.Rupert's honeyed tones, his grasp of Madeleine's hand were moreunbearable even than the words. He advanced upon the elder man andseizing him by the collar whirled him away from the girl as easily asa straw puppet.
The fine gentleman of sensitive nerves and unworked sinews had nochance against the iron strength of the man who had passed all theyears of virility fighting against sea and storm. The two faced eachother; Jack Smith, red and panting with honest rage, only the sense ofhis lady's proximity keeping him from carrying
An unequal match it would seem, yet unequal in a way that the youngman, in the conscious glory of his strength could not have conceived.Madeleine neither screamed nor fainted; she had grown white, innatural apprehension, but her eyes fixed upon her lover's face shonewith admiration. Mr. Landale turned slowly towards her.
"Madeleine," he said, readjusting his stock and smoothing the folds ofhis collar with a steadfast striving after coolness, "you have beengrossly deceived. The man you would trust with your life and honour isa mere smuggler. He has no doubt told you fine stories, but if he hasgiven himself out for aught else he lied, take my word for it--helied. He is a common smuggler, and the vessel he would carry you awayin is packed with smuggled goods. To-day he has attacked and woundedan officer, who, in the discharge of his duty, endeavoured to find outthe nature of his suspicious purpose. Your would-be lover's neck is indanger. A felon, he runs the risk of his life every moment he remainson land--but he would make a last effort to secure the heiress! Lookat him," his voice raising in spite of himself to a shrillerpitch--"he cannot deny it!"
Madeleine gazed from one to the other. Her mind, never a very quickone at decision, was too bewildered to act with clearness; moreoverwith her education and ignorance of the world the indictment conveyedno special meaning to her.
But there was an agony of suspense and beseeching in the glance thather lover cast upon her; and to that appeal she smiled proudly. Herswere no true love, she felt, were its confidence shaken by theslandering of anger. Then the thought of his danger, danger admittedby his own lips, flashed upon her with terror. She rushed to him,
"Oh go, Jack, go!--As you love me, go!"
Mr. Landale, who had already once or twice cast impatient looks ofexpectation through a window of the east wall, taken by surprise atthis unforeseen result of his speech, suddenly climbed up upon abroken piece of stone-work, from which there was an abrupt descenttowards the shore, and began to signal in eager gesticulation. Therewas a sound of heavy running footfalls without. Captain Jack raisedhis head, every nerve on the alert.
"Go, go," again cried Madeleine, dreading she knew not what.--A fatpanting red face looked over the wall; Mr. Landale turned for a secondto throw at the lovers a glance of elation.
But it seemed as if the sailor's spirits rose at the breath of danger.He rapidly looked round upon the ruins from which there were no otheroutlets than the window guarded by Mr. Landale, and the doorway inwhich the red-faced new-comer now stood, framed in red stone; then,like a cat he darted on to the ledge of the wall at the opposite end,where some invading boughs of larch dropped over the jagged crest,before the burly figure in the blue coat of the preventive service hadrecovered from the surprise of finding a lady in his way, or gatheredhis wits and his breath sufficiently to interfere.
There the nimble climber stood a moment balancing himself lightly,though the ivied stones rocked beneath him.
"I go, love," he cried in ringing voice, "but one word from you and Igo----"
"Oh, I trust you! I will trust you!" screamed the girl in despair,while her fascinated gaze clung to the erect figure silhouettedagainst the sky and the stout man looked up, open-mouthed. Mr. Landalesnarled at him:
"Shoot, fool--shoot!" And straining forward, himself drew a pistolfrom the man's belt, cocked it and thrust it into his grasp.
Captain Jack kissed his hand to Madeleine with a joyful gesture, thenwaved his hat defiantly in Rupert's direction, and with a springdisappeared, just as the pistol cracked, drawing a shriek of terrorfrom the girl, and its bullet flattened itself against the upper stoneof the wall--considerably wide of the mark.
"Come, this way----!" screamed Mr. Landale from his window sill, "youhave another!"
But the preventive shook his head, and thrust his smoking barrel backthrough his belt, with an air of philosophical resignation; and slowlyapproaching the window, through which the fugitive could now be seensteadily bowling down the seaward slope, observed in slow, fat tones:
"Give you a hand, sir?"
Rupert, thrusting his extended arm aside jumped down beside him as ifhe would have sprung at his throat.
"Why are you so late?--why have you brought no one with you? I gaveyou notice enough. You fool! You have let him slip through yourfingers, now, after all! Couldn't you even shoot straight? Such a markas he made against the sky--Pah! well may the sailors say, lubberly asa land preventive----!"
"Why, there you are, Mr. Landale!" answered the man withimperturbable, greasy good-humour. "The way you shoved that therepistol into my hand was enough to put off anybody. But you countrymagistrate gentlemen, as I have always said, you are the real sort tomake one do illegal actions with your flurry and your hurry overeverything. 'Shoot!' says you, and damme, sir, if I didn't shootstraight off before I knew if I were on my head or on my heels. It's amercy I didn't hit the sweet young lady--it is indeed. And as for theyoung gentleman, though to be sure he did show a clean pair of heelsat the sight of me, I had no proper time for i-dentification--no timefor i-den-ti-fi-cation, Mr. Landale, sir. So I say, sir, it's a mercyI did not hit him either, now I can think of it. Ah, slow and sure,that's my motter! I takes my man on his boat, in the very middle ofhis laces and his brandy and his silk--I takes him, sir, in the veryact of illegality, red-handed, so to speak, and then, if he showsfight, or if he runs away, then I shoots, sir, and then if I hits, whyit's a good job too--but none of this promiscuous work for AugustusHobson. Slow and sure, that's my motter."
The speaker who had been rolling a quid of tobacco in his mouth duringthis exposition of policy, here spat emphatically upon the grass, andcatching Madeleine's abstracted eye, begged pardon for the libertywith a gallant air.
"Aye, so slow, man, that you are pretty sure to fail," muttered Mr.Landale.
"I knows my business, sir, meaning no offence," retorted Mr. Hobsonserenely. "When I has no orders I acts on regulation. I brought no onewith me because I had no one to bring, having sent, as per regulation,my one remaining man to give notice to the water service, seeing thatthat there schooner has had the impudence to come back, and is at thisvery moment cruising quite happy-like just the other side of the bank;though if ever their cutter overhauls her--well, I'm a Dutchman! Youmight have done wiser, perhaps (if I may make so bold as to remark),to leave the management of this business to them as understands suchthings. As to being late, sir, you told me to be in the ruins attwelve noon, and I beg to insinuate that it's only just past the hournow."
At this point the preventive man drew from his capacious breeches abrass time-piece, of congenial stoutness, the face of which he turnedtowards the magistrate.
The latter, however, waved the proffered witness impatiently aside.Furtively watching his cousin, who, leaning against the door-post, herpale head thrown out in strong relief by the dark stones, stood as ifabsolutely detached from her surroundings, communing over troubledthoughts with her own soul, he said with deliberate distinctness:
"But have I been misled, then, in understanding that you were with theunfortunate officer who was so ferociously assaulted this morning?that you and he did come upon this Captain Smith, red-handed as youcall it, loading or unloading his vessel on Scarthey Island?"
"Aye, sir," rolled out the other, unctuously, "there you are again,you see. Poor Nat Beavor, he was one of your hot-headed ones, and seewhat it has brought _him_ to--a crack in his skull, sir, so that itwill be days before he'll know himself again, the doctor says, if everhe does in this world, which I don't think. Ah, I says to him, whenwe started in the dawn this morning agreeable to our arrangement withyou: 'For peeping and prying on the quiet without any running risksand provoking others to break the law more than they're doing, I'myour man,' says I; 'but as for attacking desperate individles withoutproper warrant and authority, not to s
"The birds were flown, of course," interrupted Rupert with a sneer,"and you found the body of your comrade who had been dastardlywounded, and who, I hear, is dead now. So the villain has twiceescaped you. Cousin Madeleine," hastily breaking off to advance to thegirl, who now awakening from her reflective mood seemed about to leavethe ruins, "Cousin Madeleine, are you going? Let me escort you back."
She slowly turned her blue eyes, burning upon him from her white face."Cousin Rupert, I do not want your company." Then she added in awhisper, yet with a passion for which Rupert would never have givenher credit and which took him vastly by surprise, "I shall neverforgive you."
"My God, Madeleine," cried he, with genuine emotion, "have I deservedthis? I have had no thought but to befriend you, I have opened youreyes to your own danger----"
"Hold your tongue, sir," she broke in, with the same repressed anger."Cease vilifying the man I love. All your aspersions, your wordyaccusations will not shake my faith in him. _Mon Dieu_," she cried,with an unsteady attempt at laughter, looking under her lashes andtilting her little white round chin at Mr. Hobson, who, now seatedupon a large stone, and with an obtrusive quid of tobacco bulging inan imperfectly shorn cheek, was mopping his forehead with a doubtfulhandkerchief. "_That_ is the person, I suppose, whose testimony I amto believe against my Jack!"
"Your Jack was prompt enough in running away from him, such as he is,"retorted her cousin bitterly. He could not have struck, for hispurpose, upon a weaker joint in her poor woman's armour of pride andtrust.
She caught her breath sharply, as if indeed she had received a blow."Well, say your say," she exclaimed, coming to a standstill and facinghim; "I will hear all that you and your--your friend have to say,lest," with a magnificent toss of her head, "you fancy I am afraid, orthat I believe one word of it all. I know that Jack--that CaptainSmith, as he is called--is engaged upon a secret and importantmission; but it is one, Rupert, which all English gentlemen shouldwish to help, not impede."
"Do you know what the mission is--do you know to whom? And if, my faircousin, it is such that all English gentlemen would help, why thenthis secrecy?"
She bit her lip; but it trembled. "What is it you accuse him of?" sheasked, with a stamp of her foot.
"Listen to me," said Rupert gently, "it is the kinder thing that youshould know the truth, and believe me, every word I say I cansubstantiate. This Captain Jack Smith, whatever his real name may be,was picked up when a mere boy by an old Liverpool merchant, starvingin the streets of that town. This merchant, by name Cochrane, anabsurd person who gave himself out to be a relative of Cochrane ofShaws, adopted the boy and started him upon a slaver, that is a shipwhich does trade in negro slaves, my dear--a pretty trade. He nextentered a privateer's ship as lieutenant. You know what theseare--ocean freebooters, tolerated by government for the sake of theharm they wreck upon the ships of whatever nation we may happen to beat war with--a sort of pirate ship--hardly a much more reputablebusiness than the slaver's; but Captain Smith made himself a name init. Now that the war is over, he has taken to a lower trafficstill--that of smuggling."
"But _what_ is smuggling?" cried the girl, tears brimming up at lastinto her pretty eyes, and all her heat of valiance suddenly gone."What does it mean?"
"What is smuggling? Bless your innocence! I beg your pardon, mydear--miss I should say--but if you'll allow _me_ I think I'm the manto explain that 'ere to you." The husky mellifluous tones of thepreventive-service man, who had crept up unnoticed to listen to theconversation, here murmured insinuatingly in her ear.
Rupert hesitated; then reading shrinking aversion upon Madeleine'sface, shrewdly conjectured that the exposition of her lover's doingsmight come with more force from Mr. Hobson's lips than from his own,and allowed the latter to proceed unmolested.
"Smuggling, my pretty," wheezed the genial representative of thecustom laws, "again asking pardon, but it slipped out, smuggling is,so to say, a kind of stealing, a kind of cheating and that of a mostrank and heinous kind. For, mind you, it ain't stealing from a commonman, nor from the likes of you and me, nor from a nobleman either:it's cheating and stealing from his most gracious Majesty himself. Forsee you, how 'tis, his Majesty he says, 'Every keg of brandy,' sayshe, 'and every yard of lace and every pipe o' tobacco as is broughtinto this here country shall be paid for, so much on, to me, andthat's called a tax, miss, and for that there are the custom housesand custom officers--which is me--to see his Majesty paid right andproper his lawful dues. But what does your smuggler do, miss--yourrollicking, dare-devil chap of a smuggler? Why he lands his lace andhis brandy and his 'baccy unbeknownst and sells 'em on the sly--andpockets the profit! D'ye see?--and so he cheats his Majesty, which isa very grievous breaking of the law; so much so that he might as wellmurder at once--Kind o' treason, you may say--and that's what makes'em such desperate chaps. They knows if they're caught at it, witharms about them, and two or three together--it's--clank."
Mr. Hobson grasped his own bull neck with an unpleasantly significantgesture and winked knowingly at the girl, who turned white as deathand remained gazing at him with a sort of horrified fascination whichhe presently noted with an indulgent smile.
"Don't take on now, my lass--no offence, miss--but I can't bear to seea fine young 'oman like you upset-like--I'm a damned, hem, hem, a realsoft hearted fellow. Your sweetheart's heels have saved his gulletthis time--and though he did crack poor Nat upon the skull (as I cantestify for I as good as saw him do it--which makes it a hangingmatter twice over I won't deny), yet there's a good few such as himescapes the law and settles down arter, quite respectable-like. A bito' smuggling now is a thing many a pretty fellow has taken to in hisday, and has made a pretty penny out of too, and is none the worselooked to arter, as I said. Aye, and there's many a gentleman and amagistrate to boot as drinks his glass of smuggled brandy and smokeshis smuggled baccy and finds them none the worse, oh dear no! Humannature it is and human nature is a queer thing. Even the ladies, miss,are well-known to be soft upon the smuggled lace: it's twice as cheapyou see as t'other, and they can get double as handsome for the money.Begging your pardon--if I may make so bold--" stretching out a great,coarse, tobacco-stained finger and thumb to close them appreciativelyupon the hanging lace of Madeleine's neck handkerchief, "may be yourspark brought you that there, miss, now? He, he, he--as pretty a bitof French point it is as has ever been my fate to lay hands on--Neverfear," as the girl drew back with a gesture of loathing from thecontact. "I ain't agoing to seize it off you or take you up,he--he--he--eh, Mr. Landale? I'm a man o' my duty, I hope, but ourorders don't run as far as that."
"Rupert!" cried Madeleine, piteously turning a dark gaze of anguish athim--it seemed as if she were going to faint.
He hastened up to her, shouldering the clumsy form of Mr. AugustusHobson unceremoniously out of the way: the fellow had done his workfor the time being, and this last piece of it so efficaciously indeedthat his present employer felt, if not remorse, at least a certainpity stir within him at the stricken hopelessness of the girl'saspect. He passed his arm round her waist as she shivered and swayed."Lean on me," he said, his fine eyes troubled with an unwontedsoftness and anxiety.
"Rupert," she whispered, clutching at his sleeve, eagerly fixing himwith a look eloquent of unconscious pleading, "all these thingsthis--this man talks of are things which are brought into England--arethey not? I know that--_he_ was bringing nothing into the country,but he was going to another country upon some important trust, thenature of which he had promised not to reveal. Therefore he cann
"My poor child," said Rupert, holding her close and tenderly, andspeaking with a gentle gravity in which there was this time lesshypocrisy, "there is one thing which is smuggled out of England, andit is as dishonest and illegal work as the other, the most daring anddangerous smuggling of all in fact; one in which none but a desperateman would engage--that of gold."
"Yes, gold," exclaimed the girl sharply, withdrawing herself from hercousin's arms, while a ray of intelligence and hope lit up her face."Gold for the French King's service."
Rupert betrayed no emotion; he drew from the inner pocket of his coata crushed news-sheet.
"Deceived there, as well as everywhere else, poor little cousin," hesaid. "And did the scoundrel say so? Nay, he is a damnable scoundrelwho could betray your trustfulness to your own sweet face. Goldindeed--but not for the King--gold for the usurper, for the tyrant whowas supplied already, no doubt, by the same or similar traitor handswith enough to enable him to escape from the island where he was sojustly imprisoned. See here, Madeleine, Bonaparte is actually landedin France: it has all been managed with the most devilish ingenuityand takes the whole world by surprise. And your lover, doubtless, isengaged upon bringing him fresh supplies to enable him to begin againand rack humanity with hideous wars. Oh, he never told you of theCorsican's escape, yet this news is three days old. See you, my dear,this explains the whole mystery, the necessity for absolute secrecy;all England is friendly to the French monarch; no need to smuggle goldfor his aid--but the other...! It is treason, the blackest treason onevery side of it, treason to his King, to his country, to _your_ King,to you. And he would have cozened you with tales of his loyalty to therightful cause!"
"Give me the paper," said Madeleine. A tide of blood had swept intoher face; she was no longer white and shaken, but erect and beautifulin strong indignation. Rupert examined her, as if a little doubtfulhow to take the sudden change; but he handed her the printed sheet insilence. She read with lips and nostrils expanded by her quickbreathing; then crumpled up the sheet and cast it at his feet. Andafter a pause, with her princess air of dignity, "I thank you, cousinRupert," she said; then, passing him with stately steps, moved towardsthe house.
He pressed forward to keep up with her; and upon the other side,smiling, irrepressible, jocose, Mr. Hobson did the same.
"You are not fit to go alone," urged the former, while the latterengagingly protruding an elbow, announced that he'd be proud to giveher an arm as far as the Hall.
She drew away from this well-meaning squire of dames with suchshuddering distaste, and looked once more so white and worn andsickened after her sudden blaze of passion, that Mr. Landale, seeingthat the only kindness was to let her have her will, arrested hiscompanion roughly enough, and allowed her to proceed as she wished.
* * * * *
And so, with bent head, Madeleine hurried forth. And the same glorioussun smiled down upon her in her anguish that had greeted her when shehastened an hour before glowing and light-hearted--if, indeed, a heartso full of love could be termed light--to meet her lover; the samebrambles caught her dress, the same bird trilled his song. ButMadeleine thought neither of ray nor leaf, nor yet of matingsongsters: all the spring world, as she went, was to her strewn withthe wreck of her broken hopes, and encompassed by the darkness of herlonely future.
* * * * *
Mr. Landale and the preventive service man stood some time watchingher retreating figure through the wood, and then walked slowly on fora while, in silent company.
Presently the latter, who during the last part of the interview, hadbegun to feel a little ruffled by the magistrate's persistentlyoverbearing manner, inquired with something of dudgeon in his voice:"Begging your pardon, sir, what was that I heard the young lady callout just now? 'Gold!' she cries. Is it guineas that nipping young manis a taking over seas, if I may make so bold? Now you see, sir, wehaven't had no orders about no gold on this station--that sort ofthing is mostly done down south. But what I wants to know is: Why, ifyou knew all about the fellow's little games, you sent us to spy onhim? Ah, poor Nat would want a word or two with you on that score, Ifancy! Now it's as plain as Salisbury...."
"But I know nothing certain," impatiently interrupted Mr. Landale. "Iknow no more than you do yourself. Only not being a perfect idiot, Ican put two and two together. What in the name of goodness can a mansmuggle _out_ of England but gold? But I wanted the proofs. And yourbusiness, it was agreed with the Chief Officer, was to follow myinstructions."
"And so we did," grumbled Mr. Hobson; "and a pretty business it'sturned out! Nat's to pocket his bludgeoning, I suppose, and I am tobear the blame and lose my share. A cargo of guineas, by God! I mighthave nosed it, down south, but here.... Blast it! But since you was soclever over it, sir, why in blazes--if I may speak so to a gentlemanand a magistrate," pursued the man with a rueful explosion of disgust,"didn't you give _me_ the hint? Why, guineas is contraband ofwar--it's treason, sir--and guineas is a cargo that's _fought_ for,sir! I shouldn't have moved with two men in a boat patrol, d'ye think?I should have had the riding officers, and the water-guard, and arevenue cruiser in the offing, and all tight and regular. But you_would_ have all the credit, and where are you? and _where's_ myshare? and where is Nat?--Bah!"
"You are forgetting yourself, officer," said Mr. Landale, lookingseverely into the eyes of the disappointed preventive man, whoserising ebullition became on the instant reduced.
"So I am, sir, so I am--and beg your pardon. But you must admit, it'salmost enough to make ... but never mind, sir, the trick is done.Whatever it may be that that there schooner carries in her bottom, sheis free now to take it, barring accident, wherever she pleases. I'lltrouble you to look this way, sir."
They had emerged from the wooded part of the park, and the risingground on which they stood commanded a wide sea-view, west of thegreat bay.
"There she is again, sir," said Mr. Hobson, waving his broad paw, like ashowman displaying his goods, with a sort of enraged self-satisfaction."There is the schooner, ready to hoist sail as soon as he comesalongside. And that there black point which you may see, if your eyesare good enough, is a six-oared galley with as ship-shaped a crew--ifit's the same as I saw making off this morning--as ever pulled. YourCaptain Smith, you may take your oath, is at the tiller, and makingfun of us two to the lads. In five minutes he will be on board, andthen the revenue cutter from the station may give chase if shelikes!... And there she is, due to the time--about a mile astern.But bless you, that's all my eye, you may take your oath! They knowwell enough that in an open sea they can't run down a Salcombeschooner. But to earn their pay they will hang on till they loseher, and then sail home, all cosy.--I'm thinking," he added slily,with a side glance at the magistrate: "we won't hang him _this_ time."
Mr. Landale made no answer; during the last few minutes hisreflections had enabled him to take a new view of the situation. Afterall the future fate of Captain Jack was of little moment. He had beensuccessfully exposed before Madeleine, whose love for the young manwas, as had just been sufficiently proved, chiefly composed of thoseyouthful illusions which dispelled once, never can return.
Rupert fell gradually into a reverie in which he found curioussatisfaction. His work had not been unsuccessful, whatever Mr.Hobson's opinion might be. But, as matters stood between Madeleine andher lover, the girl's eyes had been opened in time, and that withoutscandal.... And even the escape of Captain Jack was, upon reflection,the best thing that could have happened.
And so it was with a return to his usual polite bearing, that helistened to the officer's relapse into expostulation.
"Now if you had only given me the hint first of all," the man wasgrumblingly saying, "and then let me act--for who would have suspecteda boat, yacht-rigged like that?--A friend of Sir Adrian's, too! Ifyou'd only left it to me! Why that six-oared galley alone is agin thelaw unless you can prove
"Yes, my dear Mr. Hobson," interrupted Mr. Landale, smilingpropitiously. "I have no doubt you would have secured him. I have madea mess of it. But now you understand, least said, soonest mended, bothfor me and (between ourselves, Mr. Hobson) for the young lady."
The man, in surprise at this sudden alteration of manner, stoppedshort and gaped; and presently a broad smile, combined with a knowingwink, appeared on his face. He received the guineas that Mr. Landaledropped in his palm with an air of great candour, and, without furtherparley, acted on the kind advice to repair to the Priory and talk withone Mrs. Puckett the housekeeper, on the subject of corporealrefreshment.
* * * * *
"Well," said Molly, bursting in upon her sister, who sat by herwriting-table, pen in hand, and did not even raise her head at theunceremonious entrance. "This is evidently the day for mysteriousdisappearances. First Rupert and Sophia; then my lord and master whois fetched hurriedly to his island (that isle of misfortune!) Godknows for what--though _I_ mean to know presently; then you,Mademoiselle, and Rupert again. It is, faith, quite a comedy. But theresult has been that I have had my meals alone, which is not so gay.Sophia is in bed, it turns out; Rupert out a-riding, on importantbusiness, of course! all he does is desperately important. And thereyou are--alone in your room, moping. God, child, how pale you are!What ails you then?"
"Molly," cried Madeleine, ignoring Lady Landale's question andfeverishly folding the written sheet which lay under her hand, "if youlove me, if ever you loved me, will you have this letter conveyed by asafe messenger to Scarthey, and given to Rene--to none but Rene, atonce? Oh, Molly, it will be a service to me, you little guess of whatmoment!"
"_Voyez un peu!_" said Lady Landale coolly. "What trust in Molly, allat once! Aha, I thought it would come. If I love you? Hum, I'm not sosure about that. If ever I loved you?--a droll sort of plea, in truth,considering how you have requited my love!"
Madeleine turned a dazed look upon her sister, who stood surveyingher, glowing like a jewel of dazzling radiance, from her setting ofblack mantle and black plumed hat. "So you will not!" she answeredhopelessly, and let her forehead fall upon her hand without furtherprotest.
"But I did not say I would not--as it happens I am going to the islandmyself. How you stare--oh you remember now do you? Who told you Iwonder?--of course, such a couple as we are, Adrian and I, could notbe divided from each other for over half a day, could we? By the way,I was to convey a gracious invitation to you too. Will you come withme?--No?--strange girl. So even give me the letter, I will take itto--no, not to Rene, 'tis addressed to Captain Smith, I see. Dearme--you don't mean to say, Madeleine, that you are corresponding withthat person; that he is near us? What would Tanty say?"
"Oh, Molly, cease your scoffs," implored poor Madeleine, wearily. "Youare angry with me, well, now rejoice, for I am punished--wellpunished. Oh, I would tell you all but I cannot! my heart is too sick.See, you may read the letter, and then you will understand--but forpity's sake go--Do not fail to go; he will be there on the island atdark--he expects _me_--Oh, Molly! I cannot explain--indeed I cannot,and there is no time, it will soon be dusk; but there is terribledanger in his being there at all."
Molly took the letter, turned it over with scornful fingers and thenpopped it in her pocket. "If he expects you," she asked, fixing cold,curious eyes on her sister's distress, "and he is in danger, why_don't_ you go?"
A flush rose painfully to Madeleine's face, a sob to her throat."Don't ask me," she murmured, turning away to hide her humiliation. "Ihave been deceived, he is not what I thought."
Lady Landale gazed at the shrinking figure for a little while insilence. Then remarking contemptuously: "Well you are a poorcreature," turned upon her heel to leave her. As she passed the littlealtar, she paused to whisk a bunch of violets out of a vase and drythe stems upon her sister's quilt.
"Molly," cried Madeleine, in a frenzy, "give me back my letter, orgo."
"I go, I go," said Lady Landale with a mocking laugh. "How sweet yourviolets smell!--There, do not agitate yourself: I'm going to meet yourlover, my dear. I vow I am curious to see the famous man, at last."