At the cliff's base, the action, simultaneous, is even more exciting.
Having left their boat behind, with a man to take care of it, the
rescuers advance towards the inner end of the cove.
At first with caution: till passing the rock-portal, they see the
platform and those on it.
Then the young officers rush forward, with no fear of having to fight.
Instead of armed enemies to meet them, they behold the dear ones from
whom they have been so long apart. Beside them, half-a-dozen figures,
more like skeletons than men--with cowed, craven faces, seeming so
feeble as to have a difficulty in keeping their feet!
With swords sheathed, and pistols returned to their holsters, the
English officers hasten on, the young ladies rushing out to receive
them.
Soon they are together, two and two, breasts touching, and arms enfolded
in mutual embrace.
For a while no words--the hearts of all too full for speech. Only
ejaculations and kisses, with tears, but not of sorrow.
Then succeeds speech, necessarily brief and half-incoherent, Crozier
telling Carmen that her father is still alive, and aboard the barque.
He lives--he is safe! that is enough.
Then in answer to his questions, a word or two, on her fide. But
without waiting to hear all, he turns abruptly upon Harry Blew, who is
seen some paces off. Neither by word, nor gesture, has the sailor yet
saluted him. He stands passive, a silent spectator; as Crozier
supposes, the greatest criminal on earth. In quick retrospect of what
has occurred, and what he has heard from Don Gregorio, how could it be
otherwise?
But he will not condemn without hearing him, and stepping up to the
ex-man-o'-war's man, he demands explanation of his conduct, sternly
saying:
"Now, sir, I claim an account from you. Tell your story straight, and
don't conceal aught, or prevaricate. If your treason be as black as I
believe it, you deserve no mercy from me. And your only chance to
obtain it, will be by telling the truth."
While speaking, he has again drawn his sword, and stands confronting the
sailor--as if a word were to be the signal for thrusting him through.
Blew is himself armed with both pistol and knife. But, so far from
touching either, or making any sign of an intention to defend himself he
remains cowed-like, his head drooping down to his breast.
He gives no response. His lips move not; neither his arms nor limbs.
Alone, his broad chest heaves and falls, as if stirred by some terrible
emotion.
His silence seems a confession of guilt!
Taking, or mistaking, it for this, Crozier cries out:
"Traitor! Confess, before I run this blade through your miserable
body!"
The threat elicits an answer.
"You may kill me, if you wish, Master Edward. By rights, my life
belongs to ye. But, if you take it, I'll have the satisfaction o'
knowin', I've done the best I could to prove my gratefulness for your
once savin' it."
Long before he has finished his strange speech, the impending stroke is
stayed, and the raised blade dropped point downward. For, on the hand
which grasps it, a gentler one is laid, a soft voice saying:--
"Hold, Eduardo! _Dios de mi alma_! What would you do? You know not.
This brave man--to him I owe my life--I and Inez."
"Yes," adds Inez, advancing, "more than life. 'Tis he who protected
us."
Crozier stands trembling, the sword almost shaken from his grasp. And
while sheathing it, he is told how near he has been to doing that which
would ever after have made him miserable.
He feels like one withheld from murder--almost parricide. For to have
killed Harry Blew, would have been like killing his own father.
The exciting episode is almost instantly succeeded by another, even more
stirring, and longer sustained. While Carmen is proceeding to explain
her interference on behalf of Blew, she is interrupted by cries coming
up from the beach. Not meaningless shouts, but words of ominous import.
"Ahoy, there! help! help!"
Coupled with them, Crozier hears his own name, then the "Help, help!"
reiterated; recognising the voice of the man left in charge of the
boat--Grummet.
Without hesitating an instant, he springs off toward the strand,
Cadwallader and the gold-diggers following; two staying to keep guard
over those of the robbers who have surrendered.
On clearing the rocky ledge, they see what is causing the coxswain to
sing out in such terrified accents. Grummet is in the boat, but upon
his feet, with a boat-hook in his hands, which he brandishes in a
threatening manner, shouting all the while. Four men are making towards
him fast as their legs can carry them. They are coming along the beach
from the right side of the cove.
At a glance the English officers recognise two of them--De Lara and
Calderon--sooner from their not meeting them there unexpectedly. For
aware that they are on the isle, they were about to go in quest of those
gentlemen, after settling other affairs.
No need to search for them now. There they are, with their
confederates, rushing direct for the boat--already within pistol-shot of
it.
Nor can there be any doubt about their intention to seize upon the boat
and carry her off!