The next morning Rasp was sent off to act as superintendent, for Mr
Parkley decided that Dutch must stay and help him in his plans for
carrying out the Cuban's wishes, if he took the affair up, and
previously to discuss the matter.
Dutch announced to Rasp then that he would have to set off at once.
"It's always the way," grumbled the old fellow. "Board that schooner,
too. Yah!"
"Never mind, Rasp; you like work. You'll be like the busy bee,
improving each shining hour," said Dutch, smiling.
"Yes; and my helmets, and tubes, and pumps getting not fit to be seen,
and made hat-pegs of. Busy bee, indeed! I'm tired of improving the
shining hours. I've been all my life a-polishing of 'em up for some one
else."
He set off growling, and vowing vengeance on the men if they did not
work; and Dutch returned to find Mr Parkley with a map of the West
Indies spread upon the desk.
"Look here," he said, "here's the place," and he pointed to the
Caribbean Sea.
"Do you think seriously of this matter, then?" said Dutch.
"Very. Why not? I believe it is genuine. Don't you?"
"I can't say," replied Dutch. "It may be."
"I think it is," said the other, sharply; "and it seems to me a chance."
"If it proved as this Cuban says, of course it would be."
"And why should it not?" said Mr Parkley. "You see he has nothing to
gain by getting me to fit out an expedition, unless we are successful."
"But it may be visionary."
"Those ingots were solid visions," said Mr Parkley. "No, my lad; the
thing's genuine. I've thought it out all right, and decided to go in
for it at once--that is, as soon as we can arrange matters."
"Indeed, sir!" said Dutch, startled at the suddenness of the decision.
"Yes, my lad, I have faith in it. We could go in the schooner. Take a
couple of those divers, and some of our newest appliances. I look upon
the whole affair as a godsend. Hum! Here he is. Don't seem too eager,
but follow my lead."
A clerk announced the previous night's visitor; and Dutch recalled for
the moment the previous day's meeting, and the annoyance he had felt on
seeing the stranger's admiring gaze. But this was all forgotten in a
few moments, the Cuban being certainly all that could be desired in
gentlemanly courtesy, and his manners were winning in the extreme.
"And now that you have had a night for consideration, Senor Parkley,
what do you think of my project?" he said, glancing at the map.
"I want to know more," said Mr Parkley.
"I have told you that vessels were sunk--ships laden with gold and
silver, Senor Parkley, and I say join me. Find all that is wanted--a
ship--divers--and make an agreement to give me half the treasure
recovered, and I will take your ship to the spots. Where these are is
my secret."
"You said I was slow and cold, Mr Lorry, yesterday," said Mr Parkley.
"You shan't say so to-day. When I make up my mind I strike while the
iron is hot. My mind is made up."
"Then you refuse," said the Cuban, frowning.
"No, sir, I agree. Here's my hand upon it."
He held out his hand, which the Cuban caught and pressed hastily.
"Viva!" he exclaimed, his face flushing with pleasure.
"You will both be rich as princes. Our friend here goes too?"
"Yes, I shall take him with us," said Mr Parkley.
Dutch started in wonder at what seemed so rash a proceeding.
"And he must share, too," said the Cuban, warmly.
"Yes; he will be my partner," said Mr Parkley.
"And when do we start--to-morrow?"
"To-morrow!" laughed Mr Parkley. "No, sir; it will take us a month to
fit out our expedition."
"A month?"
"At least. We must go well prepared, and not fail for want of means."
"Yes, yes, that is good."
"And all this takes time. Trust me, sir, I shall not let the grass grow
under my feet."
"I do not understand the grass grow," said the Cuban.
"I mean I shall hurry on the preparations," said Mr Parkley.
The Cuban nodded his satisfaction; when the rest of the morning was
spent in discussing the matter; and, though the visitor was extremely
careful not to say a word that might give a hint as to the locality of
the treasure, it became more and more evident that he was no empty
enthusiast, but one who had spent years in the search, and had had his
quest browned with success.
Several days passed in this way, during which great success attended the
raising of the copper, and a proper deed of agreement had been drawn up
and duly signed between the parties to the proposed expedition, at
which, however, Dutch had said but little at his own home, lest he
should cause his wife, who had been delicate since their marriage, any
uneasiness.
The strange fancies that had troubled him had been almost forgotten, and
in spite of himself he had become somewhat tinged by the Cuban's
enthusiasm, and often found himself dwelling on the pleasure of being
possessed of riches such as were described.
"It would make her a lady," he argued; "and if anything happened to me
she would be above want."
He was musing in this way one morning, when Mr Parkley came to him,
they having dined together with the Cuban on the previous evening at his
hotel.
"Well, Pugh," he said, "I'm getting more faith every day. Lorry's a
gentleman."
"Yes," said Dutch, "he is most polished in his ways, and I must say I
begin to feel a great deal of faith in him myself."
"That's well," said Mr Parkley, rubbing his hands. "You'll have to go
with us."
"I'm afraid, sir, you must--"
"Excuse you? No, I don't think I can. Besides, Pugh, you would go with
me as my partner, for I shall have all that settled."
"You are very, very kind, sir," said Dutch, flushing with pleasure.
"Nonsense, man," cried Mr Parkley; "all selfishness. You and I can do
so much together. See how useful you are to me, partner."
"Not your partner yet, sir."
"Yes, you are, Pugh," said the other, slapping him on the shoulder; "and
now we'll go in for calculations and arrangements for the expedition. I
was thinking the schooner would do, but I find it would be too small, so
I shall set Captain Studwick to look out for a good brig or a small
barque, and take him into our confidence to some extent."
"Not wholly?"
"No; and yet, perhaps, it would be as well. And now, Pugh, I've got a
favour to ask of you."
"Anything, sir, that I can do I will do with all my heart," replied
Pugh, enthusiastically.
"I knew you would," replied Mr Parkley. "You see, this is a big thing,
my lad, and will be the making of us both, and Lorry is a very decent
fellow."
"Decidedly," said Pugh, wondering at what was coming.
"Well, I must be as civil to him as I can, and so will you, of course."
"Of course."
"He's taken a great fancy to you, by-the-way, and praises you sky-high."
"Indeed!"
"Yes; and look here, Pugh, he has got to be tired of this hotel where he
is, and wants society. I can't ask him to my shabby place, so I want
you to oblige me by playing the host."
Pugh started as if he had been stung.
"Nothing could be better," continued Mr Parkley, who did not notice the
other's emotion. "Ask him to come and stay at your little place. Mrs
Pugh has things about her in so nice and refined a way that you can make
him quite at home. You will gain his confidence, too, and we shall work
better for not being on mere hard business terms."
Dutch felt his brain begin to swim.
"I'll come as often as I can, and we shall be making him one of us. The
time will pass more pleasantly for him, and there'll be no fear of
somebody else getting hold of him to make better terms."
"Yes--exactly--I see," faltered Pugh, whose mind was wandering towards
home, and who recalled the Cuban's openly expressed admiration for his
wife.
"The dear little woman," continued Mr Parkley, "could take him out for
a drive while you are busy, and you can have music and chess in the
evenings. You'll have to live better, perhaps; but mind, my dear
fellow, we are not going to let you suffer for that, and you must let me
send you some wine, and a box or two of cigars. We must do the thing
handsomely for him."
"Yes, of course," said Dutch vaguely.
"Quite a stranger here, you know, and by making him a friend, all will
go on so much more smoothly afterwards."
"Exactly," said Dutch again.
"But how dreamy you are? What are you thinking about?"
Dutch started, for in spite of his love and trust he was thinking of the
handsome Cuban being installed at his home, and always in company with
his innocent young wife, while he was away busy over his daily
avocations.
"I beg pardon; did I seem thinking?"
"That you did. But never mind; you'll do this for me, Pugh?"
"Certainly, if you wish it," said Dutch, making an effort; while the
figure of the Cuban seemed to be coming like a dark shadow across his
life.
"Well, yes, I do wish it, Pugh, and I am very much obliged. By-the-way,
though, what will she say to your going out on the expedition?"
Dutch shook his head.
"By Jove, I never thought of that," said Mr Parkley. "Poor little
woman, it will be too bad. I tell you what, I was going to get old
Norton to mind the business. I will not. You shall stay at home."
"I should like to go," said Pugh, quietly; "but situated as I am, I
should be glad if I could stay."
"So you shall, Pugh--so you shall," said Mr Parkley. And nodding his
head over and over again, he left Dutch to his thoughts.
He left for home that night with the cloud seeming to darken round him.
He felt that under the circumstances he was bound to accede to his
partner's wishes, and yet he was about to take this man, a stranger, to
his own sacred hearth, and he shuddered again and again at the ideas
that forced themselves upon his brain.
"I've said I'll receive him," he said at last, half aloud; "but it is
not yet too late. Hester shall decide, and if she says `No,' why
there's an end of it all."
A short run by the rail took him to his pleasant little home--a small
house, almost a cottage, with its tolerably large grounds and well-kept
lawn. The little dining and drawing-rooms were shaded by a broad green
verandah, over which the bedroom of the young couple looked down, in
summer, upon a perfect nest of trailing roses.
Dutch gave a sigh of satisfaction as he saw the bright, sunny look of
pleasure that greeted him, and for the next hour he had forgotten the
dark shadow as he related to his young wife the great advance in their
future prospects.
"I do love that dear old Mr Parkley so," she cried, enthusiastically.
"And now, Dutch, dear, tell me all about why this foreign gentleman is
taking up so much of your time. Why, darling, is anything the matter?"
Dutch sighed again, but it was with satisfaction, as with a mingling of
tender love and anxiety the little woman rose, and, throwing one arm
round his neck, laid her soft little cheek to his.
"Matter! No, dear. Why?" he said, trying to smile.
"You looked so dull and ill all at once, as if in some pain."
"Did I? Oh, it was nothing, only I was a little bothered."
"May I know what about?"
"Well, yes, dear," he said, playing with her soft hair, as he drew her
down upon his knee. "The fact is that Mr Parkley is anxious for some
attention to be paid to this Cuban gentleman--this Mr Laure."
"And he wants us to ask him here," said Hester, gravely; and for a
moment a look of pain crossed her face.
"Yes. How did you know?" he cried, startled at her words.
"I can't tell," she replied, smiling again directly. "I seemed to know
what you were going to say by instinct."
"But we cannot have him here, can we?" said Dutch, eagerly. "It would
inconvenience you so."
She remained silent for a moment, and a warm flush appeared upon her
face as he gazed at her searchingly; for it was evident that a struggle
was going on within her breast, and she was debating as to what she
should say. Then, to his great annoyance, she replied--
"I don't think that we ought to refuse Mr Parkley this request, dear.
I hardly liked the idea at first, and this Mr Laure did not impress me
favourably when we met."
Dutch's face brightened.
"But," she continued, "I have no doubt I shall like him very much, and
we will do all we can to make his stay a pleasant one."
Dutch remained silent, and a frown gathered on his brow for a few
moments; but the next moment he looked up, smiling on the sweet
ingenuous countenance before him, feeling ashamed of the doubts and
fancies that had intruded.
"You are right, dear," he said, cheerfully. "It is a nuisance, for I
don't like any one coming between us and spoiling our evenings; but it
will not be for long, and he has come about an enterprise that may bring
us a considerable sum."
"I'll do all I can, dear," she cried, cheerfully.
And then, going to the piano, the tones of her voice fell upon the ears
of Dutch Pugh even as the melodies of David on the troubled spirit of
Saul of old, for as the young husband lay back in his chair, and
listened to his favourite songs--sung, it seemed to him, more sweetly
than ever--the tears gathered in his eyes, and he closed them, feeling
that the evil spirit that assailed his breast had been exorcised, and
that the cruel doubts and fears were bitter sins against a pure, sweet
woman, who loved him with all her soul; and he cursed his folly as he
vowed that he never again would suffer such fancies to gain an entrance
to his breast.
For quite an hour they sat thus, she singing in her soft, low voice
ballad after ballad that she knew he loved; and he lying back there,
dreamily drinking in the happiness that was his, and thanking Heaven for
his lot. For the shadow was beaten back, and true joy once more reigned
supreme.
He was roused from his delicious reverie by the touch of two soft, warm
lips on his forehead.
"Asleep, darling?" whispered Hester.
"Asleep? No," he cried, in a low, deep voice, as he drew her to his
heart. "Awake, darling--wide awake to the fact that I am the happiest
of men in owning all your tender, true, womanly love."
As he spoke his lips sought hers, and with a sigh of content, and a
sweet smile lighting up her gentle face, Hester's arms clasped his neck,
and she nestled closer to his breast.