THE WEDDING DAY
A kindly spirit might have been moved somewhat to observe
Soosie-Toosie's wonder and delight when wedding presents began to
appear before her marriage. She could hardly remember being the
recipient of any gift in her life, and she felt amazed, almost
prostrate, under the sense of obligation awakened by a tea-set from
Green Hayes, a metal teapot and milk jug from Melinda, a "History of
Palestine," with coloured pictures from Mr. Chaffe, and other
presents only less handsome. Thomas, too, was remembered by former
friends, and the kinsmen of the Stockmans, who dwelt at Barnstaple,
sent Susan an eider-down quilt of fiery scarlet and green, which she
secretly determined should comfort the couch of her father when
winter returned. This gift inspired Mr. Palk.
They had not yet decided where the fortnight's holiday should be
spent, and he suggested that Barnstaple would serve the purpose.
"Then I could be introduced to your relations," he said.
"And so could I," added Susan, "because I've never seen 'em in my
life, and father haven't seen 'em for twenty years--have you, father?"
Joe admitted that he had not, but the eider-down quilt impressed him
and he held it desirable that the families might be better
acquainted. He was not in the least proud of Mr. Palk; yet, upon the
whole, he thought it well that his daughter should come within reach
of her relatives. The honeymoon was therefore fixed for Barnstaple.
Lawrence Maynard's gift took a practical form. He did not design to
carry anything from England but his money and a few clothes. The
remainder of his property, including a small chest of good tools, a
tin trunk, and a pair of leggings, some old clothes and some boots,
he gave to Thomas, who accepted them gladly.
"Us wish you very well, though Joe do not," said Mr. Palk, "and I
hope some day, when you've got time, you'll write to me and tell
about Australia--especially how hosses be out there."
The wedding was well attended and Melinda, who came over in the
morning to help Soosie-Toosie with her new dress, declared that the
bride, in a steel-blue gown and a large white hat with a white
feather in it, had never looked so well. Mr. Palk was also clad in
blue, of another shade. His wedding garment was of ultramarine shot
with a yellow thread, and he wore a yellow tie with a green shamrock
sprigged upon it. The best man came from Newton Abbot. He was older
by many years than the bridegroom, but he had merry eyes and a merry
face and declared a score of times that he had known Mr. Palk from
childhood, and that an honester man didn't walk.
From Buckland Court came Susan's bridal bouquet of orchids and white
roses, which Mr. Ford carried up the evening before and himself
immersed in a jug of water for the night. A pair of distinguished
candlesticks and a clock came from the Court also, greatly to the
gratification of Mr. Stockman; while his landlord sent Susan a cheque
for ten pounds.
At the wedding were the family of Withycombes (the sailor had given
Susan two amazing shells from the other end of the world); while from
Green Hayes came John and Jane Bamsey and their mother. Dinah was
with them at church, but did not attend the wedding breakfast, asking
rather to return to her foster-father at home. Those who understood
were not surprised to learn her wish to do so. Mr. Chaffe was
present and also enjoyed the banquet. No less than fifteen sat down,
and they openly declared in each other's ears that Joe had "spread
himself" in a very handsome manner.
One speech only was made, and Arthur proposed the health of bride and
bridegroom in an oration which made Soosie-Toosie shed a few tears
despite herself. Then Thomas was held back, as he rose with the rest
to drink his own everlasting happiness; and his wife cut the cake,
declaring it was a terrible pity to spoil such a pretty thing.
They drove off in their blue attire presently, and the last seen of
them was Mr. Palk waving his new grey wide-awake from one window of
the wedding chariot and Susan fluttering a handkerchief from the
other.
Many curious eyes rested on Maynard during the course of the meal,
but he was innocent of the fact and preserved a cheerful demeanour.
Those who watched him mused, according to the measure of their
intelligence, as to what was proceeding in his mind; but none
guessed; all the conspirators rather found in his brown face and dark
eyes evidences of a devious and lawless spirit hiding itself for its
own purposes. He was in reality considering how far different would
his own doubtful nuptials be in a strange land amid strange faces.
When the entertainment was at an end and most of the wedding guests
had gone, with expressions of their gratitude, certain men, by
arrangement, drifted away together. Maynard, in the farmyard milking
the cows, saw Mr. Stockman with Mr. Chaffe and a few others saunter
over the autumnal moor and sit presently together upon a flat ledge
of rocks under the Beacon.
And there it was that Arthur learned the last news concerning
Maynard, the date of his departure and the hour at which, upon the
day following, he would meet Dinah at their last tryst. He himself
had come primed with an inspiration as to what should be done.
"Jane's thankful to God she haven't got to do no more hateful
spying," said Jerry Withycombe. "But there it is. He meets her at
Shepherd's Cross somewhere after six o'clock on the morning after he
goes off from here."
"And at the cross the man must face his outraged fellow creatures,"
declared Mr. Chaffe. "And when Dinah comes, she shall see and hear
the bitter truth. All be clear in my mind's eye now and I see a very
high and solemn deed, which must be done in the spirit of justice
only--else it will fail. We be the instruments, and if any man have
any hate or ill will towards the evil doer rather than the evil deed,
then he'd better stand down and let another take his place. For
Maynard have got to be handled, and when he fights against us, as he
will, with the whole force of his baffled wickedness, we must act
without passion and feel no more rage in our hearts than the Saviour
did when he cast the devil out of a poor, suffering creature. We
must be patient under Maynard's wrath."
"'Tis a young man's job," said Joe, after Arthur had described his
dramatic purpose, "and we can very well leave it to them. Us older
blades needn't be called to be there at all, I reckon."
"I wouldn't say there was any cause for you to be," answered Arthur,
"but I shall certainly be there. It's my duty; I be the voice that
will reach his heart and his conscience, I hope, when the rough
work's done and the blow has fallen. And there's the woman to be
thought upon also. One has to consider this matter from every point
of view. I shall take Orphan Dinah back to her home, when all is
over, and she understands how the Lord has looked after her."
"'Tis a matter of the man's fighting powers," said Robert Withycombe.
"No doubt I could manage him with Jerry's help; but I reckon we don't
want a scrap and a lot of blood about, or broken heads. Be we three
men--Jerry and John and me--strong enough to make him yield without a
dust up?"
"And why not a dust up?" asked Johnny; but Arthur admonished him.
"If you feel like that, you'd best not to come, Bamsey," he said. "I
tell you again that all's spoiled if we don't carry this thing out in
a proper manner. Robert be perfectly right. The man had far better
feel he is up against a force beyond his strength to oppose. We
don't want no painful scene to spoil the dignity. And if you three
ban't equal to it, we must get in somebody else. But not police; I'm
very wishful to keep professional people out of this."
"All depends on him," said Mr. Stockman. "If he was to put up a
fight, then there'd be temper and hard knocks and fur flying, no
doubt. You want to drop on the man like a flap of lightning; but if
it's going to be a rough and tumble first, and him perhaps escaping
after all, then I say get another pair of hands, so as he will see
it's no good opposing you, even if he wants to. He must be faced
with such force as will make him throw up the sponge at once and take
what you mean to give him. He must feel 'tis just as vain to make a
fuss about it as a man feels when he makes up and knows he's going to
be hanged inside the hour."
"I wish we was going to hang him," whispered John to Jerry.
They decided that it would be wise to add a powerful member to their
number, in order that Maynard would be prevented from making any
unseemly effort to evade his punishment.
"Abel Callicott will do very nice," said John. "He's a prize-fighter
and he's to Ashburton now. If I tell him we're out to punish a
rogue, and Robert here tells him too, he'll understand there's no
cowardice meant, or nothing like that, and he'll help. The man
wouldn't waste his time trying to fight or trying to run away then."
"They prize-fighters are generally good-tempered creatures and often
religious," admitted Mr. Chaffe. "If he'll come in the right frame
of mind, well and good. But don't let there be no mistake. We must
all be on the spot and out of sight before they arrive. In fact, to
be safe, us will do wisely to get up over the night before. I pray
it may be fine weather, else it will be as painful to our bodies as
our minds. We'll foregather at Shepherd's Cross and we must leave a
good margin of time for fear of accidents."
They talked thoughtfully and seriously. Arthur Chaffe lifted the
minds of them to the high issue involved and the gravity of what they
purposed. They worked objectively with the facts and had no
subjective glimmering of the reasons that lay behind the facts in the
lives of those about to commit this deed. Here was a married man
deceiving a single woman--a frank situation, that left no place in
the argument for any extenuations. Dinah they knew, and they
believed their knowledge precluded the possibility of such a
character consenting to live in sin under any possible circumstances.
The man they did not know; but it was enough that he had planned this
wickedness. One who could plot thus had put himself beyond the pale.
Their attitude was entirely to be commended, and each felt worthy of
the occasion. Joe Stockman and John Bamsey alone might have been
accused of mixed motives, and certainly the master of Falcon Farm
would not have admitted them. As for John, in the atmosphere of the
conference, even he abated something of his fire--at least openly.
In secret he trusted that Maynard would fight, and that it might be
his privilege to administer a quietus. But, indeed, no great
possibility in this direction offered, since there must be four men
to one in any case. Johnny abandoned much thought of the man,
therefore, and centred on the future of the woman.
For the rest, Robert and Jerry merely proposed to do what now
appeared a duty; while as for Mr. Chaffe, no more placable spirit
ever planned how to chasten a sinner for his own good. He was much
pleased with what he had arranged, yet desired no credit afterwards.
"We must be silent, neighbours, when all is done," he said. "Each
man will take his part, and when it is over, we will keep our mouths
shut and put it behind us. 'Unto God be the praise'; we don't want
none."