HOW WE FIGHT FOR LIFE IN THE CAVERN OF THE TREASURE
I was amazed, astounded even, at her hardihood in sucking any possible
poison out of that wound in my arm at so great a risk to her own life,
if the weapon had been envenomed. And I was most profoundly touched,
too. But as I had had my lesson on the ship I presumed no further; I
viewed it as done out of common humanity and to preserve a life useful
to her--nothing more. I dared not put any other construction upon her
noble action, even in thought. Meanwhile in my turn, I took such hasty
precautions for her safety as I could while I thanked her. I bade her
rinse out her mouth thoroughly with a mixture of the cold water and the
strong spirit of which I still had my flask nearly full.
By this time we had withdrawn to the back of the outer cave. Indeed,
that was the only safe place for us, for a constant succession of
weapons was being thrown through the opening. We needed no further
warning to keep us out of reach. Master Pimball was showing himself
something of a general, too. He was keeping us away from the entrance
and with the great host of men at his command he was building up the
broken-down heap of stones which would presently enable them to come at
us in force. At least that was what I guessed from what I had seen and
what I now heard.
While my little mistress busied herself with tying up my wounded arm
with strips torn from the sleeve of my shirt which I had offered for
the purpose--she had wanted to make bandages out of her underwear but I
stayed her--I considered what was to be done. I had four loaded pistols
and therefore four lives in my hand. No man could show his head in
that entrance without receiving a shot. After that I could account for
a few more, perhaps, with sword, axe, or naked fist, but in the end
they would inevitably master me. Unfortunately, the entrance was broad
enough for four or more to enter abreast easily.
Should I open the battle there or retreat into the inner cave and
wait, was the question that had to be decided. Perhaps the latter would
be the safer plan but I had a strange unwillingness to adopt it, for
once within I feared we should never get out alive except as prisoners,
so long as they held the outer cave and I could never dislodge them
from it. There was not much more chance of getting out alive from the
outer cave, for that matter, but still it seemed so. We could at least
see the sky and the sunlight. Should we stay there or go further into
the wall?
I decided upon the former course. I explained to my mistress that I
would keep the outer cave as long as I could, begging her to retreat
to the inner chamber. She demurred at first, but when I spoke to her
peremptorily at last--God forgive me--she acceded to my request humbly
enough. Indeed, she saw that in this matter I could not be denied and
also perhaps that I had right and prudence on my side. Her presence
would only have embarrassed me in my fighting although I could quite
understand that she wanted to fight, too. It was in her blood and she
has since confessed that she never expected that we would come through
the conflict alive and she would fain have died by my side. But that
was not to be, and so, for the once she obeyed me.
I thrust the best pistol into her hand and told her to reserve it for
herself in case her capture was inevitable, but not to pull the trigger
until the last moment. And I promised her faithfully that I would not
foolishly or uselessly jeopard myself but that after I had made what
fight I could, I would join her if it were in any way possible.
Even then she hung in the wind awhile, seeming loath to go when all had
been said between us. Finally she approached me, laid her hand on my
arm and looked up at me. Seeing that she had previously decided to go
and said so, I wondered what was coming now.
“Master Hampdon,” she said softly, “here we be a lone man and woman
among these savages and murderers with but little chance for our
lives, I take it. I am sorry that I struck you on the ship--and--you
may--kiss--me--good-by.”
With that she proffered me her lips. I could face a thousand savages,
a hundred Pimballs, without a quiver of the nerves, but at these
unexpected words and that wonderful condescension, my knees fairly
smote together before this small woman. I stood staring down at her.
“You were once over eager to take from me by force what I now offer
you willingly,” she said, half turning away in a certain--shall I say
disappointment?
With that I caught her to me and once again I drank the sweetness of
her lips. We were bound to die and I kissed her as a man does when he
loves a woman. I forgot the savages outside, the stones, the spears,
the arrows streaming through the entrance, the yells and curses that
came to us. I held her in my arms and without resistance. I could have
held her there forever, quite willing to die in such sweet embrace. She
pushed me away from her at last and I could swear that my kisses had
been returned, and then with a whispered blessing she dropped to her
knees and crawled within the adjoining cave.
I could have fought the world, thereafter, for her kisses intoxicated
me like wine. Yet even then I did not delude myself. I felt that on
her part at least, it was a farewell kiss such as two true devoted
comrades might give to each other in the face of death. I said to
myself that to her the pressure of my lips had only been as the salute
of an ancient gladiator about to die was to the Cæsar who watched the
struggle. To me--well I blessed her even for that crowning mercy.
With a pistol in each hand and the third upon a rock close at hand I
waited. I had not long to wait. There was a sudden fiercer rain of
arrows and spears, some of which struck at my feet or by my side. I
gathered up a sheaf of them and laid them at hand beside the pistol on
the rock.
The next instant two tremendous savages and a white man appeared in
the entrance. The shot was easy, the target fine. I couldn’t miss. The
first bullet went into the brain of Master Glibby, the next tore off
the head of the leading chief. Reserving the third pistol, I seized a
spear and drove it through the throat of the other savage. I shouted
with triumph, and Mistress Lucy has since confessed to me that,
kneeling down and peering through the opening, contrary to my explicit
order which was for her to seek safe cover, she saw all and that my
call of victory was the sweetest sound she had ever heard.
I thought we had done, but they were an indomitable lot, those South
Sea islanders, and they were well urged. Four others took their places
at once, spears in hands, which they threw at me. I dodged them with
some difficulty and let fly the third pistol. They came crowding this
time and the bullet from the heavy weapon accounted for two others,
but the survivors had gained a footing, and the shelf behind them was
suddenly filled with lifting heads and climbing men.
I clubbed my weapons and hurled them one after another fair and square
into the mass. One man went down with a broken skull. The rush was
checked, they gave back a little. I cast spears and arrows at them
but now the shield men had come up and they caught the missiles on
their shields. The front rank wavered and perhaps if they had been
unsupported, they might have been driven below, but the crowd behind
would not let them retire. Slowly they began to move toward me.
I doubt not I was a terrible figure, for I had whipped out my cutlass
by this time and stood at bay. I had forgotten for the moment all else
but the lust of the conflict and in another second I had flung myself
upon them in a fury. It was my mistress who recalled me to myself.
“Save yourself,” she shrieked, “they are upon you. Come hither.”
With that I dropped down and made a spring for the opening. I had
waited too long. The leading man would have pinned me to the earth
with his spear. The entrance was wide fortunately, and Mistress Lucy
would see through the part I did not block with my huge bulk. Again
disregarding entirely my instructions, she fired the last pistol at
that nearest man. He went down like a ninepin, both legs broken,
which gave me time to gain the inner chamber and stand upright. I was
bleeding for I had been cut here and there, but was otherwise all right.
“That shot saved my life,” I cried panting, “you should have kept it
for yourself.”
“I can find means to die,” she answered, “if by naught else, by your
sword blade.”
“Good,” I exclaimed, proud of her prowess and her resolution.
They gave us no time for further speech for urged by what promises of
reward, what passionate hatred, what bestial desire, I know not, they
came on. The narrow entrance was suddenly black with the islanders who
thrust their spears at us. Fortunately my mistress had moved aside and
was out of range, but I was perilously near being cut down. Mistress
Lucy had the sword which I had thrust into her hand, and I the great
axe which I had cast into the inner cave ahead of me.
Those outside were even less able to see than we and perhaps they
thought we had withdrawn, or been driven back, for they crept forward
with assurance.
While I had lived in the gardener’s lodge at Wilberforce Castle, I had
got to be quite an axe-man. I brought down the heavy weapon on the
first head, striking with just enough force to kill and yet leave me
able to recover myself without delay, and when three heads had been
knocked that way in rapid succession with no more damage to me than a
trifling spear cut on the ankle, the battle stopped for a moment. I
laughed.
“Come on, you dogs!” I shouted, “I can play at that game until you are
more tired of it than I.”
I spoke without thought, however, for those outside the opening drew
back the bodies by their legs and thus cleared the entrance. I judged
that the outer cave, which was large and spacious, was now filled with
men. They were shouting and gesticulating in great excitement. But
none made any effort to enter. Finally, I heard a human voice speaking
English. It was Pimball.
“Master Hampdon?” he cried.
“Speak not to me, murdering villain,” I answered.
“Now this is madness,” he shouted. “You are trapped like rats; we have
only to wall up the entrance or build a fire in front of it an’ you
will both die.”
“It is a thousand times better to die so,” I answered shortly, “than to
live with craven men like you.”
“You are a fool,” he exclaimed.
He dropped down on his knees as he spoke and I could see his face in
the opening but too far away for me to swing my axe. If it were my
last effort I was determined that I would get him, and so I waited.
“Don’t lose the sword,” I cried to my lady across the chamber where her
white face stared at me out of the dimness.
“I shall not,” she answered undauntedly.
Then I lifted the axe and waited for Master Pimball and his men to come
on, but he had a better plan. Bullets and powder they had in plenty
and he knew from the fact that I had thrown my pistols at them that I
had none left. With a deafening roar a storm of bullets from a dozen
weapons swept the cave. I leaped back. I had to, or I should have been
shot where I stood. Of the way thus opened they took instant advantage
and under cover of a second volley they sought to enter. Well, it was
all up, all I could do was to leap upon them as they rose and--
But that moment the solid rock beneath my feet began to sway. It was
as if I had been instantly translated to the deck of a tossing ship.
I stood rooted to the spot trying to maintain a balance. Pimball had
lifted himself upon one knee and was almost clear of the entrance, but
he too stopped, appalled. A sickening feeling of apprehension that all
the savages on earth would not have inspired came over me. My mistress
screamed faintly. The natives outside broke into terror stricken shouts
and cries, an oath burst from the lips of the leader of the mutineers.
The next moment, with a crash like a thousand thunder peals the earth
was rent in twain.
The earthquake shook that rocky island like a baby’s cradle. A great
mass of rock over the entrance fell. With another roar like to the
first the cliff was riven in every direction. The noise outside ceased.
The men with Pimball were ground to death. Upon his legs lay fifty feet
of broken rock. Darkness, total and absolute, succeeded the dim light.
I remember realizing that the attack had failed and then something
struck me. Down upon the wet, still quivering sand I fell and knew no
more.