Mr Perowne drew his handkerchief from his pocket, and wiped the dew
from his forehead.
"Good Heavens!" he ejaculated, "they assassinated poor Rodrick, and here
is that girl only home for a few weeks, and a shock like this to come
upon me! Surely I've troubles enough on hand without a worry like
this!"
He walked to the window and saw the Malay prince entering his boat by
the landing-place, where it was pushed off and pulled into mid-stream by
a dozen stout rowers.
"The man's mad with passion," muttered Mr Perowne. "I would not have
had it happen for all I possess. Women always were at the bottom of
every bit of mischief, but I did not expect Helen would begin so soon."
He had another look at the Rajah's handsome boat, which took the place
of a carriage in that roadless place, and saw that the Malay prince had
turned and was gazing back.
"I don't know what's to be the end of all this, and--Oh, Harley! is that
you? Come in."
The Resident, looking rather troubled and anxious, came in through the
veranda, gazing sharply at Mr Perowne.
"What has the Rajah been here for this morning?"
"What has he been here for?" cried Mr Perowne, angrily, and glad of
someone upon whom he could let off a little of his rage. "Why, to do
what you ought to have done in a downright way. I gave you leave, and
you have done nothing but play with her."
"He has not been to propose for Helen's hand?"
"Indeed, but he has."
"How unfortunate! I did not know that matters had gone so far as that?"
"Nor I neither. I knew she was flirting a bit, confound her. Did you
meet him?"
"Yes, and he would not speak. I saw something was wrong from his savage
manner."
"Perhaps he thought you had come up to propose, eh? Had you?"
"Not exactly," said the Resident, looking very serious.
"Because if you had, you ought to have come before," said Mr Perowne,
biting his nails.
"I came to remonstrate with Helen, after seeing Mrs Bolter this
morning."
"Hang Mrs Bolter for a meddling little fool," cried the merchant.
"She drew my attention to the serious dangers that might ensue if Helen
led this man on. I ought to have foreseen it, but I did not, and that's
the most troublous part of it. I ought to have known better," cried the
Resident, biting his lips.
"Oh, it's very easy to talk," said Mr Perowne, whose previous night's
blandness seemed to be quite gone, to leave a weak, querulous
childishness in its place.
"Knowing what I do of the Malay character, Perowne, I ought to have
watched her, but I confess I was so wrapped up in my own feelings that I
did not think."
"I thought you wanted to marry her, I gave you my consent at once. I
told you nothing would please me better," continued the father,
querulously; "but ever since you both landed you seem to have done
nothing but shilly-shally."
"Don't talk like that, Perowne," said the Resident, impatiently. "A man
does not take a wife like you make a bargain. I want to win her love as
well as have her hand."
"And you hang back--I've seen you--and let these other fellows cut you
out. Hilton and Chumbley, and then this Rajah. I say--I must say,
Harley, it is much too bad."
"Yes, yes, I have done as you say; but I had a reason for it, Perowne, I
had indeed; but I find I can manage natives better than a beautiful
girl. If I had foreseen--"
"If I had foreseen it," cried Perowne, interrupting, "I'd have had her
kept in England. Confound the girl!"
"It never occurred to me," said the Resident, "though it ought, that
danger might arise from her flirtations."
"Danger! Why I shall lose thousands!" cried Perowne. "The fellow will
never forgive me, and throw endless obstacles in my way with his
people."
"Helen refused him, of course?" said the Resident.
"Of course--of course," said the merchant, pettishly.
"I blame myself deeply for not being more observant," said the Resident.
"Others have seen what I failed to see, and it was always so.
Lookers-on see most of the game; but I am awake to the danger now."
"Danger? danger?" said Perowne, looking up now in a startled way. "Do
you think there is danger? I hope not; but we ought to be prepared.
What do you think it will be best to do?"
"See Hilton, and tell him to double all guards; fill your revolver with
cartridges; and be always on the alert. We must make no show of begin
in danger, but go on as usual, while reinforcements are quietly sent for
from Singapore."
"Do--do you think it will be as bad as that?"
"Worse, for aught I know," said the Resident, bitterly. "That fellow,
with all his smoothness and French polish, may turn out, now he is
thwarted, a perfect demon. Perowne, we have contrived to make him our
bitterest foe."
"But--but it couldn't be helped, Harley," said Perowne, in an apologetic
tone. "Helen could not--"
"Suppose you leave Miss Perowne's name out of the question, Mr
Perowne," said the Resident, sternly. "I'll go on and see Hilton now,
and we must do the best we can."