THE PEARL
The company gathered under Farmer Carwell's hospitable roof were
naturally amazed at the unexpected appearance of Tera's countryman.
Jack, who, of course, had been in Koiau, recognized him at once as one
of the smaller chiefs, and came forward to salute him. So pleased was
Tolai at being addressed in his native tongue, that he insisted upon
rubbing noses with Finland, much to the amusement of Rachel and her
father.
"You good man. You savvy me," said Tolai, in his broken English. "I
glad see you, Jacky. Tera here, she glad see me."
"I am astonished to see you," said Tera, frowning somewhat. "What has
brought you here?"
"Viara--she sent me all-e-same."
"My mother?" said the girl, looking at Tolai anxiously. "Why?"
"Too much devil in Koiau," replied the Polynesian, "no help big chief.
Viara, she say you go Misi Johnson. Tolai he no shamed, he go
all-e-same, and--dat is----" Here the native's stock of English gave
out, and he slid into a long explanation in his own vernacular.
Both Jack and Tera listened attentively.
"What is he talking about?" asked the inspector, curiously.
Tera explained. It seemed that her uncle Niga had revolted against his
brother Buli, and there was trouble in the island. Buli wished his
followers to become converts to Christianity, whereas Niga, as the
head of the heathen party, desired to drive the missionaries from the
island. Viara, the wife of Buli and mother of Tera, had sent Tolai to
England to see Johnson, and warn him of the difficulties Tera might
expect to meet with on her return. Tolai had embarked on a fruit
schooner trading to Sydney, and from that port he had worked his way
to London before the mast. Buli had given him Shackel's address.
Arrived there, the captain's sister, having provided him with money,
sent him off to Grimleigh in quest of Johnson. He had been told that
Tera, after the trial, had gone on to Carwell's, and thus he had
presented himself at the door.
"But there is something else," said Jack, when Tera had told all this
to the company. "I can see it in the Kanaka's eye."
Tera of course agreed with Jack, and began to question Tolai anew. It
was soon evident that Finland was right. The man was keeping something
back. But in spite of all Tera's commands he refused to tell it to any
one but Mr. Johnson. On learning this, Tera said she would take him to
the minister herself, and set out there and then. Chard took the
opportunity of putting a few questions to Pharaoh Lee touching his
relations with Zara; and Moss, at rest in his mind about the pearls,
took his departure from Poldew.
"Bring back the man to stay here," said Carwell to Tera; "as a native
he may find difficulty in getting a bed in Poldew."
"Thank you, Mr. Carwell, I will."
When they arrived at Mr. Johnson's house, the minister was surprised
to see Tera, but he was still more surprised at the sight of Tolai. He
spoke the native tongue fluently, and Tolai asked to see him alone. So
the preacher sent Tera into the kitchen with his mother for company.
In half an hour's time he joined them and gave the Polynesian a good
meal. The minister was pale and anxious. It was evident that Tolai's
message had been an alarming one.
"What is the matter?" Tera asked at once.
"Nothing; nothing. I have nothing to tell you," rejoined Johnson, and
he escaped back to the study, leaving Tolai eating.
But Tera was not to be put off in this way. She knew that there was
something serious the matter, and, determined to learn what it was,
she followed her guardian into the study. As she closed the door, and
came forward with a frown on her handsome face, Johnson looked at her
apprehensively, and made a gesture of refusal. This Tera disregarded
altogether.
"You do not wish to tell me about Tolai," she said in sharper tones
than were usual with her, "but I must know, Misi. It is only fair that
I should."
"I cannot tell you now, Bithiah. Later on I may do so."
"Is it a message from my mother?"
"Yes, to me. I am not to inform you until I think fit. The time has
not yet come."
"Is the Great Chief dead?"
"Buli? God forbid! No; he is well, and Viara also. Up to the present
Niga has not succeeded in destroying our infant church. Tera," he
added earnestly, "do not frown on me, my child. You know I have your
welfare at heart. When possible, I will let you know Viara's message.
At present, let me tell you there is nothing that need disquiet you."
Tera looked at her guardian keenly, and apparently her distrust passed
away. "You are a good man, Misi. I place my heart in your hand. And
now I wish you to do something for me."
"What is it?" asked Johnson, resting his aching head on his hand.
"I wish you to marry me to Jack!"
"No, no, I cannot do that. You ask me too much."
"Misi!" Tera knelt down beside Johnson and seized his hand, which
trembled in her grasp. "You must be brave as you are good. I was wrong
to run away as I did and give you pain, but I feared you would part me
from Jack. I love him, and I cannot love you. We wish to sail next
week for the South Seas--for my own island--and we must be married
before we go. You are my friend--my guardian; you will surely do me
this last kindness."
Johnson groaned. Curious to say, since Tera had returned, he found
that his love was not so strong as it had been. Nevertheless, he felt
a pang at giving her to another man. That his should be the hand to
make them one was too much to ask. He feared it was beyond his
strength. But the perils which he had escaped had rendered him
grateful to God for the protection vouchsafed him. He felt that he
should exercise some self-denial--make some sacrifice. Therefore, he
made up his mind to curb this love which overwhelmed his soul, and
since he could not gain Tera for himself, to place her under the
protection of a husband who would make her happy and protect her from
harm. In Koiau it would be well that Tera should marry a Christian,
for with her own influence, and that of her European husband, they
might hope to do much for the people.
"I will do what you wish," he said, in a low voice, "I will marry you
to Finland in Bethgamul."
Tera uttered an exclamation of joy, and kissed the hand she held. He
winced at that soft touch. The girl turned to go, but he stopped her
before she could reach the door.
"Take Tolai with you," he said gently.
"Ioé! Mr. Carwell told me to bring him back."
"Never go anywhere without Tolai."
"Not even when I go with Jack?"
"Not even then," said Johnson, decisively. "Wherever you go, Tolai
must be by your side. It is Viara's wish."
"I will obey. But why this protection, Misi?"
"That you shall know later. At present, be content to learn that Viara
wishes you to be attended constantly by Tolai. He was sent to me for
that purpose. Now go, my dear. We shall meet again soon."
When Tera left the room, Johnson felt a strange calm stealing over
him. His mad passion seemed to be wearing itself out by its own
violence. No longer did he feel despair when Tera left his side, and
he hoped that when called upon to fulfil his projected sacrifice he
would be able to do it with calmness and dignity. It was with a
feeling of relief to him that his malady of the heart was passing
away. Soon he would be a free man; would be able to attend to his
religious duties as of yore unhindered by the storm and stress of a
hopeless love. He would return to his studies, to his old meditative
life. But Miss Arnott? As the thought of her entered his mind, Johnson
recalled his debts and the burden of gratitude which she had placed on
his shoulders. Unless he could discharge that claim, by repaying the
money she had lent him--and Johnson knew not where to obtain so large
a sum--he feared the discharge would have to take the form of
marriage. The idea dismayed him, still it was not so unpalatable to
him as it had been.
At this point his meditations were interrupted by the appearance of
Mrs. Slade, who was ushered in by his mother. The poor little woman's
black eyes were red with weeping, and she seemed to be greatly
agitated. Terror struck at Johnson's heart; for so many ills had
befallen him that he quite expected more to follow. The sight of Mrs.
Slade in this tearful condition made him fear she was a messenger of
evil.
"What is the matter?" he asked, rising nervously when they were alone.
"Oh, sir," cried Mrs. Slade, dropping limply into a chair, "I know you
ain't no parson of mine, as I was brought up in the Church of England.
But you're the only parson that I can come to for advice. You are her
friend, you know."
"Whose friend?"
"That Bithiah--Tera--oh, I don't know what her heathen name is, but
she's a minx if ever there was one."
"Mrs. Slade, I cannot hear Bithiah spoken of like this. Why do you
cry? What have you to urge against her?"
"Jeremiah!" said Mrs. Slade, and began to weep anew.
"Your husband?" said Johnson, beginning to feel impatient--for after
all she did not belong to Bethgamul; "what of him?"
"He's a beast!"
"Did you come here to tell me that? I must confess I take no interest
in your domestic affairs, Mrs. Slade."
The little woman's eyes began to glitter with ominous fire. "Now don't
you be nasty, sir. It's all your fault."
"What is all my fault?"
"Jeremiah's goings on. Why did you bring that horrid nigger girl, as
isn't respectable, to this place, with her dirty heathen ways? I
thought it was Zara Lovell," lamented Mrs. Slade, "as he was after.
But she's dead, they tell me--killed in mistake for your heathen. But
it's not Zara, it never was her--though I've called her all the names
I could lay my tongue to." Mrs. Slade's voice jumped an octave and she
shook with rage. "It's your Bithiah!"
"What do you mean?" cried the minister, now really angry. "Bithiah is
engaged to marry Finland. Do you dare to----"
"Oh, I know my own knowing, sir," interrupted Mrs. Slade, tossing her
head. "A nice wife Mr. Finland will get. She carries on with my
Jeremiah. Oh yes, she does! I dare say she ran away first, and he went
up to London to meet her."
"Slade went to London at my request, on my business."
"I dare say. You're in the plot, too. You want Jeremiah to run away
with that girl. But he shan't--he shan't! I'll pull her hair out!"
Johnson could not forbear a smile. The idea of coupling Tera with the
lanky red-haired policeman seemed too absurd. "Really, Mrs. Slade," he
exclaimed, with as much composure as he could command, "you're quite
wrong. Bithiah does not know your---- Ah!" the preacher jumped, "what
is that?"
Mrs. Slade had stronger nerves, and did not jump, but she also turned
towards the window. "It's one of them dratted gipsies," said she, in
an acidulated voice. "Pharaoh Lee, what do you mean by poking your
nose into private business?"
"May I come in, rye?" said he--for it was indeed Pharaoh who stood in
the window--Pharaoh, haggard and fierce-looking. "I want to speak to
you--and to her."
"Well, I'm sure," gasped Jemima; "the impertinence!"
"I am engaged just now, Lee," said the minister, annoyed at the man's
intrusion; "and may I remind you that in civilized communities
visitors usually enter by the door."
"I'm sorry, rye, but I came in the easiest way I could." Lee stepped
into the room. "I followed this woman up here."
"Woman yourself, fellow! How dare you?"
"Why did you follow her?" asked the preacher, to prevent a quarrel.
"To ask her about Zara."
"What do I know of your dirt?" said Mrs. Slade, disdainfully.
"Your husband knows about her, if you don't," retorted Pharaoh. "But
why do I say your husband? As I live, I believe Slade is the husband
of Zara, and you----"
"I'll scratch your face if you call me names," shrieked Mrs. Slade.
"Jeremiah's my husband. I have my marriage lines to prove it. I'm a
respectable woman; none o' yer gipsy trash."
"Your husband was in love with Zara a year ago!"
"That's a lie," contradicted the woman. "I thought he was, but he
wasn't. I've just found out that it was Mr. Johnson's nigger girl he
was after, and I've come up to tell him so. Ay, and she was sweet on
him, too!"
"Impossible; ridiculous!"
"I tell you she was, sir!"
"Hold your tongue," cried Lee, ferociously. "Slade was in love with
Zara. I believe he married her first and you afterwards. I have no
doubt he murdered her to conceal that first marriage."
Johnson uttered an exclamation, and Mrs. Slade grew a trifle pale. "It
ain't true," she said vehemently; "you know it ain't. It was this
Bithiah girl, not Zara. Why did she give him one of her pearls if it
wasn't? Look here!"
The woman fished a pearl out of a scrap of newspaper and held it up.
"I found this in Slade's box!"
"A pearl?" cried Pharaoh, snatching it; "then this proves his guilt.
Tera said to-day in court that she gave a pearl to Zara in exchange
for her dress. I believe Slade killed Zara and took this pearl from
her dead body!"