THE CAPTAIN'S STORY
At half-past seven o'clock that same evening Herries was on the
fisherman's jetty situated in the lower parts of Tarhaven, and with
him was his cousin. Both were well wrapped up, as the night was
bitterly cold. However, the atmosphere was clear, and there shone a
wintry-looking moon, the light of which was occasionally obscured by
drifting clouds. Maud looked over the grey choppy sea to an emerald
star, which indicated the position of the "Tarabacca," and shuddered
at the idea of venturing out on such an evening. Timid as a rule, only
her love for Kyles made her resolve to board the ship. Also she had
another idea in her head, and as she thought of it again, she stole a
glance at her cousin, which was forebodingly forbidding.
But Herries was looking up towards the town, and wondering why Ritson
did not come. The lawyer had insisted upon sharing the adventure, and
on taking charge of the gold.
But the watched pot boiled on this occasion, and very soon a cab drove
down to the top of the jetty, and Ritson came along, well-muffled up
in a fur coat, followed by two men carrying a wooden box, which they
placed in the waiting boat by his directions. Then Herries got in,
after handing Maud to a seat, and the oarsmen,--there were two, dipped
their oars into the gleaming water.
"Got it there?" asked Angus, nodding towards the wooden box, as they
swept clear of the jetty.
"The lead. Yes!" said Ritson with a frown. "You mean the leaden seals,
don't you?"
"Certainly," replied Herries, seeing that Ritson did not wish either
the boatmen or Maud to learn the real contents of the wooden box.
"They are very heavy--those seals," continued Ritson with emphasis.
"What seals?" asked Miss Tedder, glancing at the box.
"Official seals connected with the Indiana Republic," answered the
solicitor promptly. "Captain Kyles is taking them out."
"But I thought that he was not allowed to enter the Republican
territory again?"
"Oh, he's made all that square. He and Señora Guzman are steaming back
to Indiana to-morrow," replied Ritson, lying frankly.
"I'll go too," muttered Maud, "that is, if----" she huddled her wraps
about her and stole a vicious glance at Herries, which passed
unnoticed in the darkness.
There was not much conversation. Herries was anxiously wondering
if Gowrie would be accused of committing the crime, and was
congratulating himself that he had not informed Inspector Trent about
the meeting on the yacht. He would scarcely have been so easy in his
mind, had he known that Ritson had arranged with Trent that the police
should board the "Tarabacca" between nine and ten o'clock, when the
truth had been told, as it was probable it would be by that time.
Ritson, on his side, was debating if he would inform Herries that Pope
Narby had tried to pass one of the notes for which Sir Simon had been
murdered. The lawyer had no doubt in his own mind but that Pope was
the culprit, and privately considered himself a fool, for taking four
thousand pounds in gold on board the yacht to pay Kyles for
information already received. In fact, he had intended to stop away,
but Trent had advised him to go, and to hear what Kyles would say.
Then, even if the money were paid, it could be recovered again by the
police, when they paid the proposed visit. Kyles did not expect that
the law would board his nefarious craft on that night, and within a
couple of hours.
As for Maud, she kept glancing every now and then at her cousin and
hugging her secret to her breast. She had conceived an idea, by which
she hoped to get back her fortune and thus secure Kyles. "If I could
only get him away from that woman," thought Maud, "I would be quite
happy. And when I have the money----" she glanced again at Herries,
and laughed softly.
"What is amusing you, Maud?" he asked, rather uneasy at mirth so
obviously out of place.
"Only my own thoughts," she muttered. "Shall we soon be there?"
Herries nodded. The yacht was only a stone throw away. As he looked,
the long black form of the launch shot out from behind the ship, and
steamed at full speed up the Thames, in the direction--as it seemed to
Herries,--of the waterway which led to the "Marsh Inn."
"That boat can go," he said, wondering what was up.
"Ah, sir, she just can," said one of the boatmen, as the launch sped
along scattering the white foam from her sides to glisten in the pale
moonlight. "She's been dodging about these waters for the last month
or so, racing between Tarhaven and Pierside. She can show a clean pair
of heels, like the yacht herself."
"Is she quick?"
The boatman chuckled.
"I should just think so. A mate of mine met one of the engineers, a
Scotch chap, and he said that she could steam hell for leather,
begging the lady's pardon."
Herries winced. Kyles was extremely unscrupulous, and in a boat of
great speed, might not hesitate to keep him a prisoner until much more
than four thousand was paid over. He had only to get up steam and slip
away in the darkness for South America, and it would be difficult to
catch him. However, the adventure was begun and had to be finished,
and Herries, believing that his luck had changed with marriage, hoped
for the best.
Shortly the boat was longside the yacht, swinging up and down on the
tide. Kyles was expecting them, and a rope ladder was lowered. Up this
swarmed Herries who was well used to the sea. Ritson came next, but
was in a state of terror the whole time owing to the swaying of the
rope ladder. Lastly, the boatmen assisted Maud up the steep black side
of the yacht. Kyles, who had made no observation when the two men
ascended, uttered an exclamation when he saw a woman appear.
"Have you brought your wife, Herries?" he asked, much vexed.
"It's my cousin."
"Your cousin!" said Kyles in tones of dismay.
By this time Maud had scrambled on deck, and was holding out her hand.
"Good evening, Captain Kyles," she said ceremoniously, "you have been
quite a stranger of late."
"Why--why do you come--come here?" stammered the Captain who was
considerably taken aback.
Maud laughed in an amused manner.
"To say good-bye," said she, carelessly.
"Humph! I believe that," he retorted and she could hear him grit his
teeth at her unwelcome presence. At that ominous sound, the girl, who,
unfortunately for herself, really did love him, turned pale, and laid
her hand on her heart, as though she there felt a cruel pain, as no
doubt she did. Kyles stared at her frowning and then turned away with
a grunt of satisfaction as a wooden box was hoisted on board by the
two boatmen and a couple of his own sailors.
"You've got it," he said, in a thankful tone.
Herries nodded.
"And this is my solicitor, Mr. Ritson, who advanced the cash and has
come to see it paid over,--on conditions," added the young man
significantly.
"Oh, I'll keep my word," said Kyles, looking over the side, "you two
men below can remain where you are!" Then he turned to three
truculent-looking sailors, "Don't let them come on board. You know
what to do when the launch returns."
After giving his orders, he asked the company to come below, and two
sailors carried the box between them down the brass-bound steps which
led to the state-room. Herries was surprised at the splendour of the
cabin, but still more surprised when he saw, seated at the head of the
long table, a well-known figure sipping whisky and smoking vigorously.
"Aye!" said the voice of the missing sage, "it's me, ma ain sel, Angus,
taken awa frae a useful existence tae herd wi' tarry men, the which
ca' themsels sailors, but who are nae mair nor the scum o' the arth.
But I'll hae an action for false detention if there's law to be had,
and I chairge you, laddie, tae pay ma fees."
"How the deuce did you come here?" asked Herries, recovering from his
astonishment.
"I kidnapped him," said Kyles casting down his gold-laced cap, and
throwing off his oilskin. "Sit down, Miss Tedder."
"Miss Tedder," echoed Maud in tones of reproach. Kyles flushed all
over his bronzed face, and gave her an angry look, striving meanwhile
to remain calm. "We can speak, after we have transacted this
business," he said.
"Call me Maud, then."
"Maud," said the Captain in ironical tones.
"And what is Maud doing here?" asked another voice--a woman's, cold
and cutting as an east wind.
Maud recognised her rival with a snarl like that of an angry cat, and
looked defiantly at her. Señora Guzman, in a richly trimmed dinner
dress, which well became her beauty, was standing at the door of her
berth, and her face grew pale with wrath, as she gazed at the insolent
baby face of Miss Tedder.
"You have no right here," said the Mexican lady, "this is my ship."
"Captain Kyles' ship," taunted Maud.
"He is the skipper, and my servant. How dare you thrust yourself here
uninvited?"
"I brought her, Señora," said Herries, firmly, "and it will be as well
to postpone any conversation you may wish to have, until we have
despatched the business we have come about."
The two women glared at one another, and all the men,--even the
philosophic Gowrie,--felt uneasy at their attitude.
"Dods," he growled, "an' they ca' yon the weaker sex. It's weel that
the late Mistress Gowrie is unnergrund, for never again wull I trust
my ain precious sel' tae sic jades as they."
"After the business is ended we can speak," said Señora Guzman, and
sat down disdainfully.
"I'll be only too glad," snapped Maud likewise sinking down. "You're
not going to have it all your own way, madam," and after a mutual
scowl, both fixed their jealous eyes on Kyles, who, for a brave man,
looked decidedly nervous. He was about to relieve the situation by
addressing himself to the business in hand, when the silence was
broken by an exclamation from Herries. The young man had mechanically
picked up a telegram which was lying on the table, and without
thinking had read the same. Its contents astonished him not a little.
"I beg your pardon, Kyles," he stammered, still holding the telegram
with an expression of amazement on his face. "I read this
inadvertently. It is from Kind, to you."
"Quite so," answered the Captain smoothly, "and you will see that Pope
Narby presented one of the notes stolen from Sir Simon at a shop, and
was given in charge. Also that he escaped, and that Kind believed he
fled at once with his mother to the 'Marsh Inn.' It takes a lengthy
wire to explain all that, Herries, but I told Kind not to spare
expense."
"Was this why Kind went up to town?"
"Yes. He met me yesterday ashore, and I gave him my instructions."
"Oh," cried the young man, wonderfully surprised, "and do you mean to
say that Kind obeyed them?" Kyles pointed to the telegram. "That
proves it." Ritson picked up the wire and looked at the time. "You got
this before the news came to Trent," he said sharply.
"Oh," remarked the Captain smiling, "so the police have been informed
already. I told Kind to let them know in London, guessing that the
news would be at once forwarded to Tarhaven. My only regret is that
Pope Narby should have escaped. But we can't foresee everything."
"Aye," remarked Gowrie waving his pipe, "what says glorious Robbie?
'The best laid plans o' mice an' men
Gang then wrang.'
"I'm nae varra sure o' the context, but there's the sense for ye."
Herries passed a bewildered hand across his brow. "I don't quite
understand," he observed. "Is Pope Narby the guilty person?"
"Oh, I don't say that," replied the Captain, agreeably.
"It's his limmer o' a mither," cried Gowrie.
"What!" cried Ritson, jumping up with an activity surprising in so
elderly a lawyer. "Did she----?"
"Here!" interrupted Kyles impatiently, "we'll never get on at this
rate. Mr. Gowrie, you had better tell what happened at the 'Marsh Inn'
and I'll take up the story when your knowledge fails."
Gowrie smiled graciously, asking nothing better than to be the central
figure in the conversation. The three men listened attentively, but
the two women, still glaring at one another, gave but a careless ear
to the tale, told in the old tutor's best style and in his best
English. "For the beenefit o' the lawyer body," explained Gowrie,
nodding towards Ritson, "him being unacquaint wi' the tongue o' Auld
Reekie. But baith ye laddies," he indicated Herries and Kyles
respectively, "ken well the vernacular ye sooked in wi' yer mither's
milk as it micht be."
"Get on, get on," cried Kyles looking at his watch, "we have not much
time. I have steam up, and we lift anchor before midnight."
Ritson smiled to himself, thinking that before midnight Captain Kyles
would probably find himself in Tarhaven prison. However, as Gowrie was
speaking, he gave his attention to the story, and it astonished him
not a little.
The sage related all that had taken place at the inn since his arrival
there, and described with indignation how he had been kidnapped while
searching for the box buried by Mrs. Narby. In the midst of his
diatribes, the Captain cut him short.
"I learned from Señora Guzman that Mrs. Narby had gone to see her
son in London," he explained rapidly, "and got the address from the
maid-servant of the inn. Mrs. Narby had given her the address and had
told her to send on any letters. On receiving this information I went
ashore with one of the notes, which I took from the box. I intended to
come and see you, Herries, and make an arrangement. But I met Kind by
chance on the jetty and made the arrangement with him. He agreed to
take the note to town, and give it to Pope Narby; also to try and
induce him to pass it, and then give information to the police so that
Pope might be arrested, and thus the note would be brought under the
notice of the Scotland Yard authorities."
"But Pope would never have tried to pass a note of that sort, when he
knew that the authorities had the numbers."
"He did not know that this was one of the stolen notes. Mrs. Narby, I
presume, went to London to tell him that the box had been found--which
it was by me, and is now on board,--but he would never connect Kind
and the stolen notes. Kind presented the note to Pope, who is a fool,
as a present from Señora Guzman, who admired his poetry. It was for
fifty pounds, and Pope swallowed the bait. He went out to cash the
note, as he was short of money. Kind, according to my instructions,
entered the shop with him, and declared that it was one of the notes
that had to do with the Tedder murder, and gave Pope in charge."
"But since Kind gave him the note----"
"Oh, Kind could explain that in due time. All he wanted and I wanted,
was to have that Narby animal arrested. However, Pope lost his head,
and before the policeman could seize him, he escaped. I think that was
how the affair happened, and you see from that telegram, that Kind
believes Pope and his mother have made for the 'Marsh Inn.' I expect
that they will hastily pack a few things and escape."
"Then Pope Narby killed Sir Simon," said Herries again.
"I can't be certain of that until I see him," said Kyles.
"Then you don't get the four thousand pounds," retorted Ritson.
"I'll have it before midnight," said Kyles glancing again at his
watch, "for then I sail for--let us say, Indiana. I have so wish that
you, Mr. Ritson, should put the police on my track. Mr. Herries I can
trust, but you,--a lawyer."
"Aye, aye," commented Mr. Gowrie, "they lawyer bodies are the bairns
o' Auld Nicky-Ben. The Faither o' Lies, the Accuser o' the Brethren,
perverse an' damnable----"
"Don't miscall your best friend, Mr. Gowrie," snapped Ritson. "But we
are no nearer the end than we were. Perhaps, Captain Kyles, you will
now make your long deferred explanation."
"Have you the four thousand pounds?" asked Kyles sharply.
"There's the box. But you don't get it until----"
"Open the box, and let me see the money," said Kyles. "How do I know
but what you will diddle me?"
"You said that you would trust me," put in Herries.
"Yes. I also said that I mistrusted your lawyer. I'll get a
screw-driver and a hammer. The box must be opened," and Kyles left the
cabin in a hurry.
"I believe he is guilty himself," exclaimed Ritson striking the table.
"You are wrong," remarked Señora Guzman quietly, "Captain Kyles is
innocent."
"He isn't," cried Maud, viciously. "I can prove--"
"You can prove nothing."
"I can!"
"You can't, and what is more, you shan't."
The two women, panting and savage, faced one another defiantly.
However the scene was ended for the time being by the return of Kyles,
and the box was opened by Ritson, who declined to let the Captain
tamper with the precious metal. When the lid was thrown back and the
glitter of sovereigns was displayed, Kyles raised another objection.
"You have some money there," he admitted, "but how do I know that the
sum amounts to four thousand pounds?"
"Count it," said Ritson curtly.
"That would take too long. Mr. Herries, will you give me your word of
honour that the sum of four thousand pounds is in that box?"
"Yes, so Ritson assures me."
"Ah," Kyles was suspicious at once, "then _you_ can't say yourself if
the whole--hark!" he stopped abruptly and held up his finger.
There was a long shrill whistle, evidently from some steamer near at
hand. Kyles rushed out of the cabin, and Ritson hastily replaced the
lid on the box, wondering if the police had arrived thus
inopportunely, and before the revelation had been made. But in any
case the gold was safe, and he chuckled at the thought of having Kyles
arrested, and forced to speak the truth in order to save his own neck.
The buccaneer would not gain possession of the gold after all, for
which Ritson was profoundly thankful. But his glee was of short
duration. In five minutes, during which everyone sat pale and
expectant, Kyles returned. But not alone. With him was Pope Narby,
white and sick with fear. He shambled in at the heels of the Captain,
and dropped into a chair.
"Here," said Kyles, waving his hand, "allow me to present to you Mr.
Pope Narby. He and his mother did return to the 'Marsh Inn' to prepare
for flight. I sent up the launch, and they have sought safety on board
this boat. I'll take them to South America. Meanwhile, I can now say,
Herries, that this," he laid his hand on Pope's arm, "this is the
murderer of your uncle."
"No, no," howled a high, shrill voice, "I killed 'im," and Mrs. Narby,
looking like a grey old rat at bay in a trap, rushed into the cabin.