Edward Murray sank back exhausted, as Katie was snatched from his arms;
but the desire for life was yet strong in him, and he tried to force his
way along, just as the fierce wind sweeping up the valley drove back the
flame and smoke from the doorway, giving him again the breath of life,
as he was on the point of suffocation. But he was now scorching; and
the little sense left told him that his last moments were at hand, when
he felt his extended arms seized, and he was forced from the flaming
building, to lie almost insensible for a while, till his eyes unclosed
upon the tattooed face of Wahika, the savage lying beside him, until the
convicts had turned a ridge of the gap. Then, lifting him in his arms,
the native bore the young man a hundred yards into the shade of the
trees behind the desolated farm, and scooping water in a broad leaf,
poured the cold grateful fluid over his scorched face, and gave him some
to drink.
Then he disappeared, but to return after a short time with the body of
the poor old settler--Mrs Lee helping him with his burden--which they
laid reverently down; when Wahika again took his departure, to help in
one of the shepherds who was much injured, but able to lend some aid.
The savage was apparently unhurt, and he busied himself in the dark
shadowy dell, where they lay concealed watching the reflection of the
fire, by applying cooling leaves to wound and bruise, and bandaging them
after the rude surgical fashion of his tribe. He did all, too, in a
quiet fashion, with hands as soft and gentle as a woman's, while the
sufferers lay in a stunned, helpless state, hardly seeming to realise
the horrors of the past night. For the dawn was fast approaching, and
as the glow from the burning building slowly sank, far above their heads
upon the icy summit of the mountain appeared the first gilding of the
rising sun, making the snowy pinnacles to flash and sparkle in the
glorious light of another day.
The savage can live where the European would starve; and Wahika soon
contrived some food for the three who were in his charge; but when,
feeling somewhat revived, Murray would have sought the ruins, Wahika
restrained him, laying his hand upon his arm, and listening with bent
head and distended nostrils, before gliding silently away to return
before many minutes had elapsed, to whisper in his broken English the
words, "Come back."
At the same time he pointed down the valley, before helping the wounded
shepherd farther back into the little ravine in which they lay, to where
the concealment was better; then going forward, once more he crept from
tree to tree, till he could peer down from behind a crag, and see the
ruffianly crew, trooping back from the bay to the farm, stand in
consultation for a few minutes, when one of their number pointing higher
up the valley, they resumed their irregular march.
But there was a stoppage directly, and some confusion, and the
sharp-eyed savage saw that one of the women, whom he soon made out to be
Katie, had fallen, and that some arrangements were being made to carry
her, when a fresh start was made, the poor girl having sunk down, partly
from exhaustion, partly overcome by emotion at the sight which greeted
her.
Wahika started then, for a few yards below him he heard an agonising
exclamation, and he leaped down just in time to throw himself upon
Murray, as he was rising to hurry to what must have been instant death.
"No good--no good! Stop; and Wahika get tribe to come and--"
He stopped; but there was a strange look in his eye as he brandished his
club, and then held the young man back amongst the leaves, for his
strength was but feeble as compared with that of the savage.
"Wahika friend--tribe friends," he said after awhile, during which they
had watched the convicts till they disappeared; and they were then about
to return to the little ravine, when a low cry, as of some one in
distress, smote upon their ears, apparently from the direction of the
smouldering house, for they could not see it from where they stood.
There being apparently now no reason for concealment, the convicts being
far up in a bend of the Gap, Murray slowly followed the savage down till
they could peer through the leaves, when the former uttered a hearty
"Thank heaven!" for, kneeling amongst the ashes, his face buried in his
hands, and his whole frame shaken by the sobs which burst from his
breast, was Mr Meadows, weeping like a child, and uttering disjointed
words, as he mourned for the destruction that had come upon this
peaceful home.
He did not hear their approach, for he was praying so fervently for
those whom he had every reason to suppose dead, that Murray had stiffly
knelt by his side and touched him ere he started to his feet; but only
to kneel again and embrace his wounded companion as though he had been a
son.
"Thank heaven! thank heaven!" he exclaimed fervently; "I thought you
were there,"--and he pointed to the smouldering heap close by. "Has any
one else escaped? Two of the women are there,"--and he pointed up the
valley.
"And one is poor;"--Murray was too weak to overcome his emotion; he
could not utter the name.
"I feared so--I feared so," sighed Mr Meadows. "And her mother? Safe?
Thank Providence! but let us get away from here; they may come back,
and then there will be no mercy. Heaven bless you, my son!" he
exclaimed fervently and gratefully to Wahika; for, seeing a gaping wound
still bleeding upon the old man's forehead, he had soaked a piece of
native mat in the spring hard by, and begun tenderly to bind it up.
"And you are a savage!" muttered Mr Meadows half to himself. "How can
I preach to such as you, to leave your simple faith, when your white
brethren do such deeds as these? No, no!" he cried; "not brethren, but
the outcasts of our civilisation, let loose to raven and destroy.
Thanks, thanks, my son; heaven bless you! Let us go now, friend Murray,
and see those who are saved."
The distance was but short; but, in pain from their injuries, they
proceeded but slowly, Wahika stopping and looking back from time to time
till they came up to him.
They had to pass the body of poor old Martin Lee; and here Mr Meadows
paused, knelt down, took one stiffened hand, kissed it, and then softly
replaced it by the old man's side.
"Cut down like the wheat, and gathered into the heavenly garner. A
true, blunt, honest Englishman, and a dear friend, Edward Murray."
A tear or two fell upon the face of the inanimate form, as the old
minister bent his head over him for a few moments, and then he rose.
"He looks at peace, friend Edward. Would that we could have saved him!
I am weak now," he said, wiping his eyes in a simple undisguised
fashion; "but I do not see why I should feel ashamed. Let us go on."
It was a sad meeting between the widow and the clergyman; but there
seemed no time for tears. Katie was in the hands of the convicts, and
how was she to be saved?
There was little said that the savage could not comprehend, though he
was not so ready at expressing himself; but he said simply, and with an
earnestness which bespoke his feeling.
"Wahika go fetch bright flower back; but Wahika only one--men kill, and
bright flower of Moa's Nest not saved."
"Yes," said Mr Meadows, "it would be madness to go alone; we must have
help and strength. You, Edward Murray, must seek friends in one
direction; and, with heaven's help, I will see poor Lee's wife into
safety, and bring friends from elsewhere to fall upon the rear of these
Philistines. Perhaps, too, our dark friend can bring up some aid.
Which way will you go, Murray?"
The young man gazed almost reproachfully in his face for a few moments;
and then pointed up the valley, in the direction taken by the convicts.
Mr Meadows then turned to Wahika.
"And which way go you, friend?"
"Wahika go with white friend here," was the reply.
"Almost too daring to be of any avail," mused Mr Meadows. "Then it is
to me alone falls the task of bringing up help."
They stayed that day in the little ravine, trying to recruit their
strength. There was but little difficulty in securing some provisions,
for the convicts had been prodigal in the midst of plenty, and there
were tokens of their waste in all directions. There were the lowing
unmilked kine too, asking to be relieved of their abundance, and eggs in
plenty. A little search also placed weapons in the hands of Murray; but
Mr Meadows declined to accept the gun offered him by Wahika.
"No," he said; "I dropped mine when I climbed through the window, and
escaped through the outhouse, and I trust I may never have to take one
again in hand. I shall not need it--at least, at present, for my duty
is to retreat and summon aid."
That night a grave, hastily scooped out by Wahika, received the body of
poor old Martin Lee; and an hour afterwards Mrs Lee was mounted upon
Joey, who came from the field where he was grazing at his master's call,
and accompanied by the savage and Edward Murray, Mr Meadows took hold
of the bridle and led the way.
At the end of a few hundred yards, the track began to ascend the side of
the valley, and Murray stopped.
"Send help as soon as you can, sir," he said; "and heaven speed you!"
"Heaven speed you too!" said the old man fervently. "It is a desperate
hazard you go upon; but I dare not say stay. Break a branch once and
again to show your track, and remember that you can do no more now than
watch the enemy. You are weak and unable to cope with one, even; so
bear in mind that your best way of helping her we love is by stratagem."
Murray took the cold hand of Mrs Lee, and tried in choking tones to say
a word or two of comfort; but she rested the other hand upon his
shoulder, and whispered the one word, "Katie!"
"Or death!" muttered Murray in an undertone, and they parted.
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