"Yes; come in Mr Harley," and the tall, stern-looking Resident entered
the room with the free at-home-ness of people living out at a station
where circumstances force the Europeans into the closet intimacy.
"Is anything the matter?" exclaimed the doctor's wife, as she saw his
anxious face.
"Well, not yet," he said; "but I must confess to being a little nervous
about something that has happened. Don't go away, Bolter."
"Only going to make a few preparations for a run out. Back directly."
"No, no," said the Resident; "you would oblige me by staying. I think,
Bolter, you will have to give up all thought of going out at present."
"Then something is the matter!" said the doctor.
"Oh, it isn't doctor's work--at present," said the Resident, smiling.
"The fact is, the Rajah has been hanging about Perowne's place a good
deal lately."
"Yes, we had observed it," said Mrs Bolter, severely.
"And the foolish fellow seems to think he has had a little encouragement
from Miss Perowne."
Mrs Doctor nodded and tightened her lips as the Resident went on:
"The result is, that he has been to Perowne's this morning and proposed
in due form for her hand."
"Why, the scoundrel has got about a dozen wives," cried the doctor.
"Yes, and of course Perowne tried to smooth him down and to soften the
disappointment; but he has gone away furious. I have just come from
Perowne's, and I called to put you on your guard."
"Think there's any danger?" said the doctor, sharply.
"Can't say. You know what these people are if they do not have their
own way."
"Yes," said the doctor, thoughtfully. "They can be crafty and cruel
enough I know; and they don't love us any better than they did ten years
ago, when I was all through the old troubles."
"Of course," said the Resident, "if there should be any threatening of
trouble you will come across to the island till it is over. I would not
show that we are at all uneasy, doctor; only be upon one's guard."
"Yes," said Mrs Doctor, who had been listening attentively, "that will
be best. There may be no trouble over the matter, Mr Harley, and I
think we should, as you say, be doing wrong by seeming to be alarmed."
"Then my expedition is quashed for the present," said the doctor,
dolefully.
"It can wait, I am sure," said his lady, quietly; and her lord resigned
himself to his fate as the Resident repeated his advice about not
spreading the alarm and exciting the natives by whom they were
surrounded, and then left them to go to the fort on the Residency
island--a picturesque little clump of rocky earth that divided the river
into two parts. On mounting upon the bamboo landing-stage the first
person he encountered was Captain Hilton.
Knowing as he did that the young officer had been very attentive to
Helen Perowne of late, he hesitated for a few moments, naturally feeling
a repugnance to speak upon such matters to one whom other men would have
considered a rival; but after a little thought he laughed to himself.
"I am a fatalist," he muttered, "and I am not afraid. Here, Hilton," he
said, aloud, "I want to speak to you. Ah, there's Chumbley, too. Don't
take any particular notice," he continued, as he noted that several of
the natives were about. "Have a cigar?"
He drew out his case as he spoke, and Lieutenant Chumbley coming
sauntering up in his cool, idle way, the case was offered to him, and
the three gentlemen went slowly along the well-kept military path
towards the little mess-room.
"Anything wrong?" said Captain Hilton, eagerly; and as he spoke the
Resident saw his eyes turn in the direction of Mr Perowne's house on
the east bank of the river.
"Not at present; but the fact is, I am afraid Mr Perowne has seriously
affronted the Rajah this morning, and I think it would be as well to be
upon our guard."
"Got any more of these cigars, Harley?" said Chumbley, quietly. "I like
'em."
"For Heaven's sake do hold your tongue, Chumbley!" cried the captain.
"I never did see a fellow so cool and indifferent."
"Why not?" replied Chumbley, in his slow drawl. "There's nothing wrong,
only that the Rajah has been to Perowne's this morning to propose for
the fair Helen, and he has come away with a flea in his ear."
"What?" cried Captain Hilton.
"How did you know?" exclaimed the Resident, turning upon Chumbley,
sharply.
"Guessed it--knew it would come from what I saw last night. That's it,
isn't it?"
"Yes, that is it," replied the Resident, frowning slightly.
"The insolence--the consummate ignorant audacity!" cried the captain,
his face flushing with anger. "The dog! I'll horsewhip him till he
begs for mercy!"
"You will do nothing of the kind, Hilton," said the Resident quietly.
"But it is insufferable," cried Hilton. "An ignorant, brown-skinned
savage to pretend to place himself on a level with gentlemen, and then
to dare to propose for an English lady's hand!"
"Don't be excited, Hilton," said the Resident, looking fixedly in the
young officer's handsome, angry countenance. "You forget that the Rajah
may look down upon us as his inferiors. He is a prince in his own
right, and rules over a very large extent of country here."
"Oh, yes, I know all that," cried Hilton, angrily; "but of course
Perowne sent him about his business?"
"Yes, and that is why I have come to you. There may be nothing more
heard of the matter; but I think it is quite possible that the Rajah may
have taken such dire offence that he will force all his people to join
in his quarrel, and the result be a serious trouble."
"I hope not," drawled Chumbley. "I hate fighting."
"Pooh!" ejaculated Hilton. "If the scoundrel gives us any of his
insolence, we'll send him handcuffed to Singapore!"
"I should be greatly obliged, Hilton," said the Resident stiffly, "if
you would modify your tone a little. For my part, I am not surprised at
the Rajah's conduct, and I think that it would be better to let our
behaviour towards him be conciliating."
"What! to a fellow like that?" cried the captain.
"To a man like that," said the Resident, gravely. "If he behaves badly
we are strong enough to resent it; but if, on the other hand, he cools
down and acts as a gentleman would under the circumstances, it is our
duty to meet him in the most friendly spirit we can."
"I don't think so," cried Hilton, hotly, "and if the scoundrel comes to
me I shall treat him as he deserves."
"Captain Hilton," said the Resident, and his voice was now very grave
and stern, "I must ask you to bear in mind that we occupy a very
delicate position here--I as her Majesty's representative; and you, with
your handful of troops, as my supporters. We are few, living in the
midst of many, and we hold our own here, please to recollect, by
_prestige_."
"Of course--yes, I know that," said Hilton.
"That _prestige_ we shall lose if we let our judgment be biased by
personal feeling. Kindly set self on one side, as I am striving to do,
and help me to the best of your ability by your manly, unselfish
advice."
Hilton frowned as the Resident went on; but the next instant he had held
out his hand, which the other grasped.
"I am afraid I am very hot-headed, Mr Harley," he exclaimed. "There,
it is all over, and I'll help you to the best of my power. Now then,
what's to be done?"
"First accept my thanks," cried the Resident. "I knew that I could
count upon you, Hilton."
"I'll do my best, Harley."
"Then stroll quietly back to the barracks, and in a matter-of-fact way
see that all is in such order that you could bring up your men at a
moment's notice."
"Reinforcements?" suggested Captain Hilton.
"I did think of asking for them," said the Resident, "but on second
thoughts it seems hardly necessary. I would do everything without
exciting suspicion, and as if you were only inspecting the fort. Now
go."
"Right," said the captain; and he walked away, saying to himself:
"He's a good fellow, Harley, that he is, and he does not bear a bit of
malice against me for cutting him out. Poor fellow! he must have felt
it bitterly. Hang it all! I could not have borne it. The very fact of
this fellow proposing for Helen nearly drove me wild. I think if I were
to lose her I should die."
Chumbley was about to follow Hilton, but the Resident laid a hand upon
his shoulder.
"Of course I can count upon your discretion, Chumbley?" he said.
"Oh, yes, I suppose so," said the young man, "so long as you don't want
anything done in a hurry. Nature seems to forbid a man to be scurried
in this climate; but I say, Mr Harley, don't let's have a row if you
can help it, I'm a soldier, but if there is anything I do abhor, it is
fighting. I hate blood. The very idea of having to make our lads use
their bayonets gives me a cold chill all down the back."
"Depend upon it we will not have a quarrel with the natives if we can
help it, Chumbley. If diplomacy can keep it off, there shall be none;"
and nodding his head in a friendly manner to the young officer, he
strolled away.
"But diplomacy won't keep it off, my dear sir," said Chumbley. "If
Mother Nature turns loose such a girl as Helen Perowne, to play fast and
loose with men like Murad, a row must come.
"Let me see," he said, after a pause, "what shall I do with myself
to-day? Best way to avoid scrapes is to keep up friendly relations with
the natives.
"Oh, what a worry this love-making is! We all go in for it at some time
or another, but hang me if I think it pays.
"Little Helen quite hates me now, since I've broken the string and will
not be cajoled into coming back. By Jove! what a wise little girl
little Stuart is. One might get up a flirtation there without any
heart-breaking. No: won't do, she's too sweet, and wise, and sensible.
Hang it all, can't a fellow talk sensibly to a pretty girl without
thinking he's flirting! I like little Stuart. You can talk to her
about anything, and she never giggles and blushes, and looks silly.
She's an uncommonly nice young girl, and twenty years hence, when
beautiful Helen has grown old, and yellow, and scraggy, Stuart will be a
pleasant, soft, amiable little woman, like Mrs Bolter. There's a woman
for you! 'Pon my word I believe she likes me; she talks to me just as
if I were a big son.
"Well, now, what's to be done? I'll go and see if Hilton wants me, and
if he doesn't I shall have a few hours ashore.
"By the way, I wonder who'll marry little Stuart?" he said, as he went
slowly on with his hands behind him, his broad chest thrown out, and a
bluff, manly bearing about him that would have made an onlooker think
that he would not make a bad match for the lady himself.
"I shan't," he added, after a pause. "Hilton's a precious idiot not to
go for her himself, instead of wasting his time upon a woman who will
throw him over. As for me, I'm beginning to think I am not a lady's
man. I'm too big, and clumsy, and stupid. They tolerate me when they
don't laugh at me. Bah! what does it matter? Sport's my line--and
dogs."