FRIENDS ASHORE.
As the Hosmers returned to the hotel, each noted a handsome carriage
before the door, with liveried outriders, and while themselves
alighting young Allyne and his friend, Mr. Donelson, came down the
steps to reach it, but, seeing our party, made haste to intercept them.
"We've just been to call on you," cried the former, his face radiant at
the fortunate meeting, "and were about departing utterly crestfallen.
Do you notice our style?" with a merry glance at the grand equipage.
"Notice it! It fills all the horizon," laughed Hope, with reddening
cheeks. "We supposed that the Governor-General, at the very least, had
come to bid us welcome, and inquire after our health. Of course we
could not admit the idea that he had come here for any other purpose."
"Well, we may not be the Governor-General--who, by the way, might not
feel like a journey from Calcutta just for a friendly call even upon
two charming young ladies," observed Mr. Donelson, "but I haven't a
doubt you'll find us quite as interesting!"
"And a great deal younger," added Allyne suggestively.
"Oh! such conceit," cried Faith, as they bubbled over with laughter.
"And we're much obliged for your valuable information," added Hope,
rather taken aback at her own blunder.
"About the location of the Residency, or our relative ages?" asked
Allyne.
"We make no charge for either!" continued Donelson, airily.
"Better come back inside then, gentlemen," proposed the captain. "It's
a bit warm here."
But they felt they must get back for dinner, now, though it evidently
cost Allyne something to decline.
"We will sometime meet again?" he questioned, as he clasped Hope's hand
and looked beseechingly into her eyes.
"Possibly," she returned, flushing slightly, then with a mischievous
glance, "But are you certain which of us you are speaking to? Have you
learned to distinguish us yet?"
"I have--perfectly!" was the tart response. "When the rose gives me a
taste of its thorns it is you; Miss Faith is never sarcastic."
"Indeed!"
"But,"--quickly--"I like thorns! They give zest to the loveliest rose."
"Come," admonished her father in a dry tone, "this glare and glitter
will give you a headache. It isn't healthy."
The girls somewhat slowly followed him in. The young men rode away.
In the heart of one was a deadly fear that, by one hour's foolishness,
he might have forfeited some privileges which had become most precious
in his sight of late. The other broke into his musings with a ruthless
word,
"The captain does not specially favor us, Tom."
"I am sure he treated us politely," was returned with some resentment.
"Yes, too politely. I wouldn't get foolish in that direction, my boy;
it won't work."
Tom Allyne did not answer, and his face was sober. But presently its
expression lightened. He recalled what Carnegie had said of the
captain's comment, after that dreadful night of fire and flood, and
took courage.
"I've got to prove myself a man first," he told himself, "and it won't
be an easy thing to do, with my surroundings. Is she worth it?" Then,
as the color flamed into his cheeks, "Heaven help me to be worthy of
her! And remember that you are worth saving, or you wouldn't have been
given this chance, Tom Allyne!"
It was late the next afternoon when, trying to keep cool in their shady
balcony in sheer white gowns of India lawn, another guest was
announced, and to the surprise of both Mr. Carnegie entered, with the
Traveler.
"Why, we thought you had gone on!" said Faith, with a flush, doubtless
produced by the heat, which was great.
"I expected to," returned Carnegie, as the others exchanged greetings,
the captain appearing in a duck coat and trousers which quite
transformed him, "but found a day's reprieve awaiting me, which has
lengthened out, as my men have had to undergo some formalities of
registration here. I have been too busy to see you sooner, though it
was hard to keep away. I met old Quint on the street to-day, and
really longed to shake hands with him, just because he was from the
'International.' How attached I did get to that dear old steamer!"
"Yes, these attachments to steamers are really wonderful!" observed the
Traveler with a dry air that sent the captain and Hope off into a peal
of merriment, while the other young people looked very sheepish. But
Carnegie soon rallied.
"I think they are, myself!" he allowed with frankness. "And I don't
propose to let the attachment die out in my case, either," he added
boldly. "Captain Hosmer, may I write to you and your daughters
occasionally?"
The captain gave him a keen glance, which presently broadened into a
smile.
"I shall be happy to hear from you," he said heartily, "but I am not a
very good correspondent, myself. I usually get Faith, here, to answer
my letters. Of course she may not make them so interesting as I
should, but, barring a little too much tendency to long words and
poetical quotations, she does very well. Yes, indeed, let us hear
occasionally, Mr. Carnegie. I shall be interested to learn how you
succeed in your new work."
Though all were smiling at the captain's raillery, Carnegie turned an
earnest face upon him.
"I have some idea that I may go back with you. You will have to be
here much longer than you had intended, won't you?"
"Considerably longer, yes. All right, if you can. The old
'International' will give you a welcome."
The two callers lingered almost beyond the limits of etiquette, and
when they separated it was with an "Au revoir" from the young officer.
"I won't say good-by," he declared; "I shall see you again."
It was a day or so later. The Hosmers had taken the little steam
launch for a trip to the island of Elephanta, containing the famous
caves of the same name. It was a glorious morning, and the short trip
over the dancing, dazzling waves to the pretty islet, with its steep
banks and waving palms, was a delightful one. As they landed, the
captain pointed out the mangrove swamps, and the rich growth of wild
indigo and Karunda bushes, while Hope went wild over the splendid
butterflies, which settled down in showers before them, transforming
the green bushes into great nosegays of purple, crimson, and orange
bloom. Only, these blossoms constantly changed and shifted, with
feathery, fluttering movements and kaleidoscopic changes.
Birds were many and brilliant, also, and to add to this animal life a
horde of dark-skinned little Hindu boys started up at every turn,
clamoring to sell the party all sorts of odd collections, from jungle
flowers to the gilded wood lice, the name of which condemns them,
though they are really beautiful insects, until death robs them of
their glow, and makes them as repulsive as others of their kin.
"Haven't I heard that snakes abound here?" asked Faith timorously, as
they ascended the stone steps leading up the hill from the swampland
below. "Don't they kill a good many every year?"
Her father smiled knowingly, and, as they reached the top, turned to an
English soldier in charge, and said laughingly, "My daughter, here,
imagines you keep snakes on hand--the idea!"
The other seemed to find some fun in the remark, and grinned broadly.
"The young ladies need have no fear," he returned politely, as he
touched his white helmet.
But, as the girls passed on, he detained the Captain with a wink. "I
see you know," he whispered, "but don't be worried. We've just been
the rounds and killed three, and I don't believe any more will trouble
us to-day. Just keep your eyes open, though, for they make the
ninety-sixth this season. We'll soon get it up to the century mark;
but it isn't like it used to be, when four and five hundred made the
yearly score." His tone was positively regretful, though he referred
to the cobra, deadliest of serpents, and the curse of every bright bit
of glade and forest in India. It crawls out from its holes in the
caverns of this island of Elephanta, and, with the miasma just as
deadly that rises from the swamps, makes any residence upon its
lovely-seeming hillsides a constant menace. But where will not people
stay if prompted by self-interest? The dwellers on the sides of
Vesuvius do not lie awake to wait for its eruption, and the dwellers on
Elephanta do not step any more gingerly in their bare feet because at
any moment a sting may end their career.
If "Death stalketh abroad at noonday," we always imagine he is on his
way to some other fireside; ours is not to be invaded.
But the captain needed no warning. He had seen to it that the girls
were thickly shod for their tramp, and he himself carried a cane with a
heavy silver top, while his eyes, trained to close observation, seldom
missed seeing what they were looking for. He soon overtook the girls,
and preceded them down the stone steps into the cavern, upon which most
of these poisonous reptiles are encountered in that special vicinity.
If one _will_ visit a region devoted to a god whose power is
represented by a hooded serpent, he should not complain at meeting the
real thing, occasionally. Elephanta is dedicated to Shiva, the
Destroyer, her attributes being imaged in the person of the cobra.
"Ugh! How gloomy!" muttered Hope, as they descended into the damp,
cool cavern, keeping close to her father, but letting her roving eyes
take in the mass of carving on every side.
"What does it all mean, papa?" asked Faith, also drawing closer.
"It is grand, and horrible!"
"Dose be gods," replied the native guide, giving her a reproachful
look. "It is one s'rine to deir memory."
"Dear me! I wouldn't want to remember them," she went on quaintly, not
noticing his look. "I am only afraid I shall, in my dreams. How can
any people believe that supreme power can take such shapes as these?"
Her father looked thoughtful.
"Yet, after all, it is not so strange. When I think of the cruel
forces in nature man had to overcome in early days, with his constant
terror of the many he could not in the least understand--like
electricity, or wind, even--and his danger from savage beasts and
deadly reptiles, is it any wonder he got hold of but one idea,--that of
power? It took a Saviour to fully teach him love and salvation. Even
the prophets and priests couldn't make him fully understand. No, I
don't wonder the ancients tried to propitiate all these harmful forces
and begged for their mercy--poor wretches!"
As he spoke, in a low tone, they were passing slowly around the gloomy
place at the heels of the guide, and shudderingly gazing at the hideous
representations of a barbaric faith which seemed starting out of the
shadows under the upheld torches. At first they could scarcely
separate the crowding figures, so intermingled were they, but
presently, as their eyes became more accustomed to the weird lights and
shades, they could separate them into distinct groups and figures.
Before one gigantic, but peculiar form, which is the central one in
that cavern, they lingered long, while the guide explained that this
image is an attempt to show how perfectly the highest of their gods,
Brahma, unites both sexes, in character and personality. One side
gives the image of a man, rugged and muscular, the other, that of a
woman, softly molded, and with long braids of hair.
Into the midst of their still and thoughtful survey broke the noise of
frivolous talk and laughter, and another party were heard at the
opening. They did not at once enter. They seemed far more occupied in
making arrangements for some prospective merry-making than in any study
of these curious relics. The girls could hear talk of champagne-cup
and curry, and suddenly a voice sounded which made them look at each
other.
"That is Mrs. Campbell," said Hope. "What is she doing here?"