He disappeared and Grace did not see him again for the remainder of that
day. All afternoon she waited, expecting each moment to see him
reappear. Not wishing to be away in case he suddenly returned and wanted
some supper, she omitted her customary visit to Mount Hope.
At first she did not mind his long absence. Busily preoccupied with her
sewing and half a dozen other tasks about the camp, the time passed so
quickly that she hardly noticed it. But when darkness commenced to fall
and still he did not come, she began to feel uneasy. He had not told her
that he expected to be gone so long. Something must have happened.
Perhaps he had met with an accident and at that very moment was lying
hurt, in need of assistance. She turned hot and cold by turns at this
thought. Suppose he were killed! A sudden choking sensation in her
throat, a quickened beating of her heart, told her that it would be a
greater misfortune than any that had yet befallen her. If she had never
fully realized it before, Grace knew now that this man had come to be
part of her own life.
Night fell, with its profound silence and its mysterious sounds. Nature
slept. The chirping of crickets, the croaking of frogs, the mournful
sighing of the wind in the trees, the sullen splash of the waves on the
sandy beach, were the only audible sounds. It was the first time that
Grace had been left so long alone since they set foot on the island. In
the daytime, with the sun shining, the birds singing and everything
plainly visible for miles around, she did not care. But the darkness,
the solemn silence, the strange inexplicable noises she heard every now
and again in the wood--all this frightened her. Everything around her
assumed strange, unfamiliar shapes. At one time she thought she saw some
object with gleaming eyes approaching the cabin. Her flesh began to
creep. Terrified, she quickly retreated inside the cabin and,
barricading the door with table and chairs, crouched down by the window,
straining her ears to hear some sound of Armitage.
Suppose something had happened to him! Then she would be quite alone,
entirely defenceless. The mere thought of such an eventuality caused the
blood to freeze in her veins. How could she be alone on that desert
island? She would go stark, staring mad. Ah, now she knew what his
companionship had meant to her. If only he would come back, she would
hardly be able to resist the temptation to throw her arms round his
neck. He was more necessary to her every day. No one can live without
human companionship. She must have some one to talk to. Besides, every
hour it dawned upon her more strongly that she loved this strange,
solitary man. Even at this moment of terror it was love as much as fear
that racked her heart with anxiety and anguish.
Morning was just breaking in the east when all at once he reappeared.
"Where have you been?" she asked tremulously.
She averted her eyes so he should not see that she had been weeping.
"I don't know," he answered curtly.
He seemed worn and tired. His boots were muddy, his clothes had fresh
rents and stains. He looked as if he had been tramping through the
woods all night.
"Will you eat something?" she asked.
"Don't bother," he replied. "I'll get something."
"It's no trouble," she said. Going quickly to their simple larder, she
put before him some cold fish and plantain cakes.
He ate ravenously, in stubborn silence. When she spoke to him, he
replied in low monosyllables. His eyes seemed to avoid her searching,
inquiring gaze. Once she happened to turn quietly and she caught him
staring at her in a strange way. His manner somewhat intimidated her.
She wondered if she could possibly have done or said something to
displease him.
It grew lighter every minute, but the day promised to be gloomy. The sun
was invisible behind a bank of mist, and the entire sky was overcast. It
looked like rain. There was a damp chill in the air. The weather seemed
in harmony with Armitage's unaccountable behavior. Grace felt chilled
herself. She had a presentiment that something was about to happen.
Whether it would affect her or him she did not know, but instinct told
her that danger of some kind threatened.
Something troubled her companion, that was certain. What its nature was,
she could not guess. She had never seen him so moody or acting so
strangely. But, unwilling to put herself in the delicate position of
asking for confidence he withheld, she desisted from any further
questioning, and, leaving him alone, went to her cabin. She was
exhausted from her long vigil and it was not many minutes after she
threw herself down on the bed before she was fast asleep.
When she awoke he was gone. He had disappeared mysteriously, just as he
had the first time, without leaving a word behind or a single indication
to tell where he was going, or how long he would be away. Yet he had not
entirely forgotten her. He had brought a fresh supply of spring water,
and before the door of her cabin she found some freshly caught fish and
a new supply of plantains.
Refreshed after her sleep, Grace went cheerfully about her usual morning
tasks. She tidied her cabin, took her sea bath, and prepared the
noonday meal. So busy was she that Armitage's new absence remained
unnoticed. In fact, she dismissed him from her mind. If she thought of
him at all it was to wonder vaguely what ailed him, and speculate idly
how long his mood would last. By the time the sun was directly overhead,
her work was done. Armitage not having returned, she ate her meal alone.
It was no use waiting around any longer, so she started, after dinner,
for Mount Hope. For two days she had not paid her regular visit to the
signal-fire. She felt a sense of guilt, as if she had neglected the one
thing which alone could save her.
It was a difficult, laborious climb up the hill, and she was compelled
to rest several times on the way to the summit. She looked up as she
went, trying to catch a glimpse of the smoke that was announcing to the
whole universe that two human beings were in need of immediate relief.
She could not see the smoke, owing to the projecting rocks which hid the
summit from view. At the next turn she would come in sight of it. Up and
up she went, out of breath.
Every now and then she halted and looked back. At this height, fully
500 feet above the sea, she commanded a superb view of the entire
island. A few barren rocks connected by grassy and thickly wooded
plateaus, it made but a speck on the surface of the wide ocean. Below,
under the shelter of the tall cliffs, she saw their two cabins nestling
under the trees. Thinking she might catch a glimpse of Armitage, she
strained her eyes in every direction. But he was nowhere to be seen.
There was not a sign of life anywhere. Not a human voice, not the bark
of a dog. Even the birds were dumb. Perfect stillness reigned, as in the
habitation of the dead.
Never so well as now had she realized their complete isolation. Her
heart sank. Even if a vessel passed, how could she hope that an islet as
small as this would be noticed? A sailing-master would not think for a
minute that it harbored survivors of a shipwreck. Their only chance of
attracting attention was the signal-fire.
"Thank God," she murmured, "that we had the means to light a fire. It
has never been allowed to go out. Night and day it sends out its
wireless message for aid!"
She resumed her climb and presently reached the summit. Only another
turn in the road and she would come in sight of the huge bonfire,
blazing and crackling as it sent its message of distress far out to sea.
Impatient to see it, she hastened her steps, almost running, in her
anxiety to get there. Round the bend she went until, breathless, she
emerged on the broad plateau.
Suddenly she stopped and turned pale. Could she have mistaken the road?
No, this was the place. But where was the signal-fire? The spot where it
had burned night and day all these weeks was plainly visible. The grass
and ground all around was charred and blackened by the flames, but of
the fire itself nothing remained. Some giant strength had wreaked its
fury upon it, scattered the glowing embers right and left, drowned it
out with water. The signal-fire was extinguished!
Pale and trembling, Grace stood rooted to the ground, trying to
understand. Who had done this? Why had he done it? Of course, only one
person could have done it. Was this the explanation of Armitage's long
absence the previous night? Why had he scattered and drowned out their
signal-fire?
Her face flushed with anger. Her apprehension gave place to indignation.
By what right had he presumed to take this step? If he were willing to
sacrifice himself, what right had he to sacrifice her?
Turning on her steps, she hastened down the hill and soon reached their
encampment. He was there to greet her, standing with folded arms,
silent, as if he knew where she had been and was awaiting the first
outburst of her reproaches and anger.