ON THE ISLAND
We were not, however, bound to sea, a course which would in our
situation have been madness. Better have perished under the bloody
hands of the mutineers than adventure on a wide ocean, without sail or
food or compass, to die of thirst, exposure, or starvation. Legrand
took the boat well out upon that tranquil water before swinging her
round to reach the island far away from the _Sea Queen_. We had no
guess as to what size the island might be, but hoped that it might be
sufficiently large to provide us a hiding-place, as well as with
opportunities of securing food.
The night was placid, and the sea like a smooth lake. When we had got
some way out, and the sounds of the water on the yacht, together with
the human noises of her crew, had faded, a singular silence fell. The
plash of the oars was the only sound that broke on the ears. The air
was soft and serene; nature seemed to have at last relented, and to be
out of key with those tragic deeds committed on the sea. As I sat,
passing such reflections in my mind, I heard a voice at my ear in
French:
"But, Monsieur, where is my mistress?"
It was Juliette, faithful still. I had to explain, and she cried out in
alarm, and then was silent. She was above all a practical woman, as I
had gathered, and no doubt she saw the position. Mademoiselle was gone,
and it was patent how she was gone. Holgate's words had put her fate
beyond uncertainty. She was in the hands of the mutineers, but with
what object I could not guess. Possibly, Holgate had some thought that
she was privy to the hiding of the treasure. If he had, I knew better.
But, meanwhile, whatever design he had, it was not likely that
Mademoiselle was in danger. Probably, indeed, she was suffering less
discomfort at the moment than she had endured during the last few
hours. If we were destined to destruction by the mutineers, as I had no
doubt, Holgate was biding his time. It might be that he still had some
suspicion that one or more of us knew the secret he sought. So he held
his hand.
Under Legrand's guidance, the boat grounded with a dull, soft, swishing
noise on sand, and in the darkness we effected our landing. That done,
it remained to conceal our craft in case of emergencies, which we
succeeded in doing under a spreading patch of bushes well above the
reach of the tides. Then the question of shelter faced us.
This part of the island appeared, from the trend of the ground, to move
gently upwards among dwarf trees and shrubs, and, plunging almost at
random in the night, we hit upon a knoll at the base of which was a
hollow screened by some bushes. Here we decided to stay till the sun
was up. Legrand helped Lane, who was badly fatigued, and Ellison made
himself useful all round, paying complimentary attentions to the French
maid. As for me, I am not ashamed to say that I had but one thought
just then, and that was to render the Princess comfortable. I found
some dry ferns and piled them up as a couch, so that she was protected
from the hard, unyielding earth, and then I bade her sleep. She had not
spoken since we had entered the boat, and she rendered herself
submissively as a helpless child to my directions. She lay down, and I
was aware that she was looking into the depth of heaven, where a few
stars shone dimly. She was thinking of her brother, and (dear heart) I
pitied her. I yearned towards her as a lover yearns to his mistress,
with the single desire that he may comfort and solace and protect her.
Ah, well! my secret had been no secret to me for many days. There was
only one divine woman on earth, and she lay upon a rude couch in a
savage island, under the naked stars, and stared disconsolately to
heaven.
I fell asleep at last, and when I awoke, stiff from the earthy bed, the
night was receding westward. The dawn was merging in pearls and gray,
and a little light was suffused about the hollow. It was still warm. My
companions slept, some tossing restlessly, but the Princess lay almost
as if she had been sleeping under the hand of death. Her bosom moved
regularly, her parted lips disclosed the even white of her teeth; she
was safe from fears and immune from sorrows now at least, and I thanked
God. I got up and pushed my way through the bushes towards the beach on
which the high tide rumbled monotonously. Each moment the light grew
stronger, and I had walked only a little way before I was enabled to
make out the loom of the yacht some half-mile or more away. I mounted
the rise behind our sleeping-place, and now perceived that the land ran
upwards from where we were into a central ridge, dotted on the slopes
with trees. On the south-easterly side the island appeared to be broken
and to conclude in rocks, and here was where the _Sea Queen_ lay, with
a seaward list. It was plain, then, that so small a sanctuary would not
offer us adequate protection from Holgate if he wished to pursue us,
and my heart sank as I considered the position. Would he at the best
leave us to our fate on the island? And if so, would that be more
merciful than despatching us by the bullet of the assassin?
I returned to my companions to find Legrand and the French maid awake.
Juliette was serviceable as of old. She inquired of me sweetly what
chance her mistress had and took my assurances philosophically. She
would do her duty, I was sure, but I doubted the depth of her
affections. She came of sound, sensible peasant blood. And this was
what was needed at the moment, for we had to see to some breakfast,
Legrand agreed to mount guard while I went on an excursion of
investigation along the north shore. Here I was hidden from the eyes of
those on board the _Sea Queen_ by the intervening range of hills. It
took me just twenty minutes of strolling to reach the farther end of
the island, where the barren rocks swarmed with gulls and other sea
birds, from which you may draw some idea as to the dimensions of our
domain. I obtained some sea-gulls' eggs from the nests on the rocks,
having to beat off some of the infuriated creatures to secure my booty,
and, thus supplied, returned to the camp. The remainder of the party
were now awake, and Juliette prepared the eggs, roasting them in the
sand by the aid of hot ashes. As we were well-nigh famished, I think we
all ate with appetite, except the Princess, who was still very silent
and listless.
"Princess," I said to her presently, "if a man lose half his treasure,
will he then throw away the other half recklessly?"
She looked at me in wonder. "You have lost a brother," I continued,
"but you have your own life which God gave you to guard."
"Yes," she said slowly, "I know you are right, but it is hard. I will
try, but----" She shivered. "It is hard--so hard to forget. I live in a
nightmare by day; it is only in sleep I can forget."
But she ate her breakfast after that, and a little later accompanied me
to a spring Ellison had discovered for a drink of water. As we stood
there in the morning sunshine, the fair wind tossing her skirts, she
faced me gravely.
"You have not given up hope, then?"
"No," said I frankly. "We are not beaten yet. I think I shall be able
to restore you to Europe, to hand you back to your uncle's palace."
She looked away to sea. "We were to have given up that for
always--Frederic and I," she said softly. "--we arranged it between
us."
"Princess," I said, "you did not approve. I have always known it. You
consented out of love for him. And now you shall go back."
She shook her head. "It is too late. The mill will never grind with the
waters that are passed. I did not--I was afraid. Yes, but I made up my
mind. He was all I had, and now I have nothing--I am alone."
It was impossible to assure her. There was no consolation possible now,
whatever might come hereafter. Her eyes encountered mine.
"But I am grateful--oh! so grateful, to those who stood by him to the
end and risked their lives for him," she said in a broken voice and
with tears in her eyes, and she put out her hand impulsively. I took
it, and my voice was almost as broken as hers.
"It is not true you are alone," I said, "for those who stood by your
brother belong to you. They would die for you."
"My friend," she murmured. "No; I am not alone."
Legrand expressed great anxiety that we should improve our position,
which, indeed, left us a prey to any attack. We therefore wended our
way along the northern beach towards the rocks, in the hope of hitting
upon a situation in which we might have some chance of defence. The
scarp descended boldly into the blue water here, and the edges were
planted with brushwood. Brushwood, too, covered the slope of the hills,
interspersed with larger trees. Here and there the rough rock
outcropped and was broken, no doubt, by the winds of that tempestuous
sea or by the frosts. Legrand and I mounted, leaving the others below,
and ascended to the top of the rise, from which the shafts of our eyes
went down upon the southern beach. But the _Sea Queen_ was concealed
from view by the abutment of hill which sloped outwards and formed an
arm to a pleasant little ravine. From the top of this a stream bubbled
out of the rock and fell downwards in a jet of silver. Legrand stooped
to refresh himself with a draught preparatory to turning back, for it
was not advisable that we should venture lower upon that side of the
hills. As he did so he stopped suddenly and straightened himself. With
his hand he beckoned to me, pointing to the hillside. I looked and saw
what was in his mind. Just under the summit the rock-stratum emerged in
mass, and on one side the earth yawned in a hole.
Cautiously we approached. It was the mouth of a shallow cavern some
twelve feet through and some twenty feet in width. The cave admitted us
by stooping.
"The very place," said he significantly. "It's near water too, and has
this advantage, that we can overlook the beach by which any movement
will be made."
That was in my thoughts also, and we rejoined our companions well
satisfied. But some preparations were necessary before we installed
ourselves in our new quarters. We made a larder of eggs and piled a
heap of brushwood before the door of our house. So long as there were
no mutineers in sight we should have liberty to come and go over the
brow of the hill; and upon the north side, in a little dip, we built
our fireplace, so that the smoke should not rise and attract the notice
of the _Sea Queen_.
These arrangements occupied a great part of the morning, during all
which time we saw nothing of Holgate's men. No doubt they were busily
engaged in their hunt for the Prince's treasure.
The day passed wearily enough but in safety; and with the fall of night
we felt even more secure, for our hiding-place could not be discovered
in the darkness. I reckoned that we were not, as the crow flies, more
than a few hundred yards from where the yacht lay aground, and in the
greater stillness that seems to fall at night sounds reached us from
the mutineers. As I sat at the door of the cave, with the stars
overhead, I caught a snatch of song rolling up from below, and
presently other voices joined in. A little later there was a riotous
burst of noise, as from a quarrel in progress. Had the treasure been
found, and were the sailors celebrating their triumph, or was this
merely a drunken debauch? It sounded as if the latter were the true
alternative. In their disappointment the mutineers had gone to the rum
cask for consolation. As time went on the sounds increased, and I
listened to them with a trembling fear for the unfortunate woman who
was still aboard. Black of heart as those men undoubtedly were in their
sober moments, and under the influence of the lust of gold, what would
they be when inflamed by spirits and in the throes of angry chagrin?
As I watched I was conscious that some one had issued from the cave on
light feet and stood by my side. A low voice addressed me, but before
she had spoken I knew who it was. My heart could not have failed to
recognise her.
"Do you fear attack?"
"No, Princess," said I, "not to-night. They don't know where we are;
and, besides, they are quarrelling among themselves."
She was silent for a time, and then, "That unhappy woman!" she sighed.
"She has lost all she cared for. I am sorry for her," I answered.
"Yes," she said slowly. "I suppose so; but what does any one of us care
for? What does it all mean? The puzzle is too great for me. I am
shaken."
"You must trust yourself," I said impulsive. "Trust to those who care
for you."
"You are--good," she replied softly.
"Princess----" I began, but she interposed quickly.
"Do not call me that. I am no Princess. I have given all up. I am just
Alix Morland."
"You will go back," said I, "and resume your rightful place in courts,
and this will only remain to you as a horrid nightmare."
"I shall remember the evil dream. Yes," she said; "but I shall also
remember some heroic souls and noble deeds. But it will not be in
courts."
She was silent again, but presently said, in a hesitating voice: "Dr.
Phillimore, I never wanted that marriage; I was always against it; and
now I am sorry. Poor Frederic! I was a traitor to him."
"No, no," I said, "but a loyal and devoted heart. Why are you here?
Because, even though you mistrusted his judgment, you sacrificed
yourself to your affection for him. The test of true affection is to
stand by when you disapprove. Any one can stand by if he approves."
"And it has all come to this!" she said with a sigh.
"This is not the end," said I stoutly.
Suddenly she laid her hand on my arm. "What has become of her?" she
asked. "What has been her fate?"
To say the truth, I knew not what to reply, and the trouble in her
voice declared itself again. "Can we do nothing?" she asked
distressfully. "I did not like her, but can we do nothing? It is
dreadful to----"
I found my voice then. "Not to-night, but to-morrow," I replied
soothingly. "She will take no harm to-night;" but I wished I had been
as sure as I seemed.
About noon on the following day we took our first sight of the
mutineers. A knot emerged into view on the beach below and spread out
presently towards the wooded valley. This gave me some concern, for I
guessed that they might be searching for us by Holgate's directions. He
had threatened to visit us. Was he now fulfilling that threat? In any
case, if they were hunting for us, we must in the end be run to earth
in that small island. And then would come the final act. We had two
revolvers and a limited amount of ammunition to defend ourselves
against the resources of the mutineers, to whom the yacht was open. We
saw no more of them, however, for two hours, and then they came
straggling back towards the little bluff behind which the _Sea Queen_
lay. If they had been looking for us, they were so far foiled. But that
was not the last of them. The boat which had landed the first lot of
mutineers had returned to the yacht, and now again struck the beach
with a fresh complement of hands. Were they to renew the pursuit? I
looked down from our eyrie, scarcely more than half a mile away, with
some misgivings. Legrand was upon the other side of the hill on an
exploration of his own, and Lane and Ellison were still wounded men. I
peered from behind our pile of brushwood and awaited events. The second
gang of mutineers had brought a keg with them, and I saw them tap it.
Only too clearly was its nature revealed. They had come ashore to an
orgie. I counted ten of them, and thought I recognised one or two of
the figures--Gray's and Pierce's for certain. Holgate evidently was not
with them, for his form would have been unmistakable, nor could I
discern Pye. But why were they there? I could only answer my question
on the assumption that they had found the treasure and were making
merry. Yet it was not like Holgate to give them the reins so completely
unless he had some purpose to serve by his complaisance.
Hurricane Island, as the mutineer had dubbed it, lay under the broad
face of the sun, and the cascade sparkled at my feet on its run to the
sea. Down below the ruffians were engaged in drinking themselves into a
condition of maudlin merriment. Well, so much the better, I reflected,
for I had made up my mind that now, if ever, was the time to inquire
into the fate of Mademoiselle. When Legrand returned, the debauch had
developed, and the boat was clumsily put to sea by two of the hands.
Evidently a fresh supply of rum had been requisitioned, for shortly
afterwards the boat returned and two more kegs were rolled out upon the
beach. This time it also brought Holgate himself, together with a
companion, whom I made out to be Pye. The men lolled in the sun,
smoking and drinking, and now singing snatches of songs. What was
Holgate about, to let them get into this condition?
Well, Holgate probably knew his own affairs. If he had not carefully
calculated every step in this situation, I should have been much
astonished. He himself, as far as I could see, took little part in the
orgie, but the clamour of voices grew louder, and reached us in our
retreat very distinctly. We could even catch the names and some of the
words that flew about. The talk was boisterous, but I doubted if it was
overmerry. Had they been baffled by the treasure after all? I counted
them again, and came to the conclusion that almost the whole of the
decimated company must be ashore. If that were so, it was time for my
excursion. Presently, when the dark came, it might be too late.
My plan, as I explained it to Legrand, was this. I would descend across
the spur of the hill, under cover of the bushes, and climb down the
steeper heights that faced the _Sea Queen_. She lay scarce more than a
hundred yards from the Island, and it would be easy to reach her by
swimming. If Mademoiselle were safe on board as I conjectured, we could
take advantage of a boat to reach the northern beach, and so make our
escape without being seen by any of the mutineers ashore. As for the
mutineers on the ship, if there were any, I must deal with them as
chance suggested.
Legrand was doubtful as to my venture, his philosophy being summed up
in the adage, "Let well alone"; but he consented that the experiment
should be tried when I pressed it. He had, in the course of his
ramblings, discovered in the north side of the hill another cavern,
which he declared would serve us on an emergency as a second
hiding-place. It was quite possible that we might be driven from burrow
to burrow like rabbits, and so it behooved us to examine well the lines
of our retreat.
I started on my journey just as the sun went down, spreading a deep
rose colour on the western waters. I walked cautiously and
deliberately, making deviations in my slanting course across the spur,
so as to keep within the screen of the bushes. I had not gone more than
a hundred yards when I was aware that I was being followed, and I
stopped and looked back. To my amazement, I saw the Princess coming up
rapidly in my wake. She had evidently sped down the ravine, and was a
little out of breath. This had imparted some colour to her pale face--a
colour which made her radiantly beautiful.
"Princess!" I said in surprise.
"I am come after you," she said hurriedly, "because I don't want you to
go. Oh, don't go, please! I did not know you were going until you were
gone. Mr. Legrand told me so when I asked after you. But you must not
go. I know you are going because of what I said last night. But you
must not.... It is too dangerous. Oh, did you not see that band of
assassins there? They are wolves, they are ravening, fierce wolves. You
will perish."
My heart throbbed hard--harder than it had done before through all
those terrible days of anxiety. I took her hand. "Princess," I said, "I
must go." I held her hand tightly. "You see that I must go. But ah, I
will not forget your kindness!"
"They will kill you!" she burst out.
"No"; I shook my head and smiled. "God bless you! You are the most kind
and most beautiful woman in life. God bless and keep you!"
I kissed her hand and turned and went down.
She stood awhile, as if lost in thought, and when I looked back I
thought I could read upon her face trouble and fear. I would have gone
back to her if I had dared, but had I done so I must have taken her in
my arms.
I kept my face steadily towards the descent, and when I at last
summoned courage to adventure the gaze, she had turned and was slowly
mounting the hill.
My eyes left her and went downwards to the beach. I was almost at the
top of the spur which rolled over towards the bay on which the yacht
had stranded. What was my horror to notice some excitement among the
mutineers, and to see a man with his face towards the hill and an
uplifted arm. Good heavens! The Princess had been discovered.
I stood stock-still, rooted to the ground with my apprehensions, and
then several of the mutineers began to run towards the ravine. I
started at once on a race up the slope. Looking down I saw the full
pack streaming up the valley, and I redoubled my exertions. I was some
distance away, but I had not so far to go as they. The Princess
stopped, arrested by the drunken shouts from below, and then suddenly
broke into a run. She had recognised her danger. I bounded through the
bushes, and cut across to intercept the wolves. It was all a matter of
little more than five minutes, and then I stopped and awaited their
arrival.
The first man, who was without a weapon, came to a pause a dozen paces
from me.
"Stand, or I fire," I said, levelling my weapon.
He looked uncertainly round for his companions. Two or three joined
him, and, encouraged by this accession to the force, he said jeeringly:
"Put that down, or it will be the worse for you. We've had enough of
you. And now we've got you in a mucky hole."
"That remains to be seen," said I calmly, for I noticed that they did
not seem to be supplied with weapons. I could see others climbing up
below, and among them Holgate. A little lull fell on the scene. It was
as if fate hung undecided, not certain whether the scales should go
down on this side or that. I stood facing the group of dismayed and
angry ruffians, and without turning my head was aware of some one
running behind me. I do not think I gave this a single thought, so
preoccupied was I with the situation in front. The group was enlarged
by arrivals and one of these, stumbling, uttered an oath.
"Shoot him!" he said, and himself lifted a pistol at me.
I raised mine also, and a second and a third were now levelled at me.
The scales were against me, but even as this flashed across my mind, a
report sounded behind me, and the drunken creature fell. I glanced
about, and there was Legrand, with his steady hand and flaming eye. My
heart thrilled. A shout of fury went up in front. "Shoot them--shoot
them!" and the barrels directed at us seemed to be suddenly many.
Holgate had come to a pause on the outer edge of the group and was
observing the scene with interest. He made no movement. Death touched
us with the breath of his passage.
An arm was flung sharply about me. "If you die, I die too!" cried a
voice--a voice, ah, so well remembered and so dear! Ah, Heaven! Was it
Alix?
A pistol barked, and I swerved, almost losing my feet. If we must die,
we should die hard. I fired, and one of the mutineers uttered an
exclamation.
"Stay there," called Holgate. "Easy, men. Don't let's kill the goose
that lays the golden eggs. Let's have a few questions answered."
"Dent's down," sang out one.
"Well, there'll be all the more for those that are left," said Holgate,
easily, steering his way through the knot.
A faint laugh followed on this, but I think even the mutineers, brutal
as they were, were aghast at this revolting cynicism.
"Let's have a parley first," said Holgate, now in the forefront of the
gang. "Business first--pleasure afterwards. Now, doctor, out with it.
Where's that treasure?"
"I have told you," said I, "that the Prince removed it."
Alix's arms were about me still. I was dazed.
"Obstinate mule!" said Holgate with a grin. "See that, boys? I've given
'em every chance. Let her go."
In response to his command revolvers were raised. It marked the end,
the fall of the curtain on that long tragedy. Alix's arms were about
me, and suddenly my brain cleared. I saw as sharply and as definitely
as if I had been aloof and unconcerned in that disturbing crisis.
"Stop, men," said I. "I have one thing to say before we go further. Two
things. You shall hear about the treasure."
There was a pause. Holgate turned his black, incurious eyes on me, as
if he wondered.
"I will tell you where the treasure is, if you will allow me to give
you the history of a transaction," I said. My mind was quick, my nerve
was cool. There was a chance in delay.
"Spit it out," said one of the men encouragingly. "The funeral will
wait."
"Men, you've been taken in by that scoundrel there, your leader," I
said, pointing at Holgate. "He's diddled you all through. Ask him about
the treasure; ask him!"
The eyes of all went round to Holgate, who stood without a sign of
discomposure.
"Well, are you going to let 'em go?" was all he said. Once again the
interest of the group returned to me, but I was fighting hard
for--Alix.
"Who was it planned this mutiny and the seizing of the treasure?" I
cried. "Why, Holgate, you know well--Holgate and Pye. And who brought
about the rising? Holgate again. Why didn't you push through and get
hold of the treasure at the first? I suppose you were told it was too
difficult. Well, it would have been difficult, but that wasn't the
reason. It was because this man had got his accomplice aft, stealing
the treasure against your coming. And so, when you came, where was it?
Gone! Look here, men; I swear to you I saw this man and Pye gloating
over the treasure they had removed before your coming. Oh, he's a
cunning devil, is Holgate, and he's diddled you!"
There were some murmurs among the mutineers, who looked dubiously at
their master, and Pierce spoke.
"That's all very well, but how are we to know it's not mere bluff?
You're putting up a bluff on us."
Holgate still stood there with his unpleasing smile, and he answered
nothing. It was the truth I had spoken, but now I was to bluff.
"Well, I will prove my words," said I. "You asked me where the treasure
is, and I'll tell you. It was removed from Holgate's hiding-place by me
and hidden in Pye's cabin, and afterwards the Prince and I removed it
again and concealed it."
"Where! Where!" shouted several voices; but Holgate did not budge or
speak.
If we saved this situation, we should at least have a respite, another
chance. There was no alternative but death.
"Why, in its proper place, to be sure," said I. "In the strong-room,
where it should be. I suppose none of you thought of that. You're too
clever for that, Pierce."
"By God!" cried Pierce suddenly.
But at the moment I was startled by a change in Holgate. I had fired a
barrel at random, and now he shot on me a diabolical glance. His eyes
gleamed like creatures about to leap from cover; his lips in a snarl
revealed his teeth. A flash of inspiration came to me, and I knew then
for certain that, wherever the Prince had concealed the treasure, it
was now lying in the very place I had named in the presence of all
those ruffians. Holgate glanced a swift glance from left to right.
"What's he take us for?" he said in a hoarse, fat voice, in which rage
burned and trembled. "Who's he stuffing with these fairy tales?"
Pierce, his thin lips moving, stared at him. "Anyway, it's worth
trying," he said meaningly. "You've had your shot; I'll have mine."
"Damn it, he's fooling you," called out Holgate furiously; but already
two or three of the mutineers had started down the ravine, and the
others turned. Excitement seized upon them, as it had been a panic.
And then suddenly a cry arose: "Look, by thunder, look!"
The sun was gone, but the beautiful twilight lingered, serene and
gracious, and in that clear light we could descry the form of the _Sea
Queen_ forging slowly out to sea, and rolling as she moved on the ebb.
"Good lord! she's floated off! She came off on the high tide!" cried
Pierce; and instantly there was a stampede from the hillside towards
the beach. Pell-mell the mutineers tumbled down over bush and brier at
a breakneck speed to reach the boat that tossed idly on the water to
its moorings.