DOROTHY’S hours of grace passed all too quickly. The girl’s natural
impulse was to turn at once to Howard for aid, and when the moments
sped by without bringing him, she turned to Mrs. Joyce and learned of
his imprisonment.
“But don’t you be worryin’ about that, miss,” said the kindly
Irishwoman. “It’s safe and sound he is. The cap’n is just kapin’ him
locked up till after the wedding.”
“There’ll be no wedding,” flashed Dorothy.
“An’ why not? It’s worse you might do, my dear. All men are
cantankerous, but Cap’n Forbes ain’t a bad sort, if you take him the
right way; an’ he’ll make a good husband--the best here, anyway. An’
you’ve got to remember that while a smart man might get out of here,
if he was free, even the smartest man--let alone a woman--couldn’t if
the cap’n didn’t want him to; and sure it is the cap’n don’t want you
to go. I know it’s hard, but I don’t see but what it’s the best thing
you can do--seein’ you wouldn’t marry your friend, Mr. Howard, under
any circumstances.” And Mother Joyce glanced quizzically into Dorothy’s
face.
The girl blushed; then hid her face. “Oh! Mrs. Joyce,” she sobbed.
“I--he--things were different when I said that.”
“Oh! indade! Now, were they? You nad’n’t say any more, miss. A nod’s as
good as a wink to a blind horse. It’s a fine, upstandin’ young fellow
he is, and I don’t blame you. Joyce and I’ll do what we can for you and
him. And you’ll not be lavin’ us behind when you sail away?”
“Leave you! Never!”
Fortunate it was that this understanding had been reached so quickly,
for little further opportunity for talk was offered later. All that
evening and all the next morning the members of the community visited
Dorothy, one by one, each with tales to tell of the pleasures of life
in the Sea and with praises of Captain Forbes. Not one seemed disposed
to help the girl.
Even Mr. Willoughby, the minister, could give her little comfort. When
she appealed to him directly to help her, he squirmed uncomfortably.
“Captain Forbes is a man of wrath,” he mumbled; “hard to resist. My
sacred calling is of little import in his eyes. If you decide to refuse
him, I trust I shall find strength to offer you such support as I may.
But you must remember that I am only one--and a man of peace besides.”
Clearly there was little hope to be placed in the minister. But Dorothy
made one more appeal.
“You could refuse to perform the ceremony,” she suggested, tearfully.
“And so I shall,” promised Mr. Willoughby. “If I must,” he added, with
quickly following repentance. “But to what end? Captain Forbes is a
sea-captain, and as such can perform marriages at sea. Whether he can
marry himself is doubtful. But I know him; he will settle the doubt in
his own favor and marry you willy-nilly. I--I really think that you had
best submit. Since you have to stay here, you cannot occupy a better
place than as Captain Forbes’s wife.”
“But I don’t have to stay. I won’t stay. Mr. Howard promised----” She
stopped and bit her lip. “I see you cannot help me, Mr. Willoughby,”
she finished. “Good morning.”
The minister sneaked away, and Prudence Gallegher crept in, weak,
ill, and frightened, to add her mite to the weight that was crushing
Dorothy’s heart.
“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, glancing fearfully behind her from time
to time. “Oh, I’m so sorry. But--but hadn’t you better marry Cap’n
Forbes? Nobody will dare to hurt him, and--and--you won’t be handed on
from one to another as I was.”
This sort of thing, kept up almost without cessation for twenty-four
hours, drove Dorothy almost to distraction. As four o’clock drew near,
her condition grew pitiful. In vain she looked for a means of escape.
If any had offered she would have taken it instantly, facing without
hesitation the terrors of the foodless desert in the heart of the
wreckage. But none did offer. Always she was surrounded by jailers. She
could see no hope anywhere--nothing to do but resist till the last, and
then---- What then? What should she do then? What could she do? One
weak girl beset by a score of men. Her brain reeled at the thought.
Eight bells rang out, and Joe appeared at the door.
“Cap’n Forbes says as how will you an’ Mother Joyce please step on
deck, miss,” he petitioned.