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Levett-Yeats"> + +<meta name="Publisher" content="Longmans, Green, and Co."> +<meta name="Date" content="1899"> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<style type="text/css"> +body {margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; background-color:#FFFFFF;} + + + + +p.normal {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify;} +.center {text-align:center; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + + + +p.right {text-align:right; } + +p.continue {text-indent: 0in; margin-top:9pt;} +.text10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} +.text20 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:20%; margin-right:0px; font-size:90%;} + + +.poem0 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 0%; + margin-right: 0%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem1 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 2em; + margin-right: 10%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem2 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + +.poem3 { + margin-top: 24pt; margin-left: 30%; + margin-right: 30%; text-align: left; + margin-bottom: 24pt; font-size:90%} + + + + + +figcenter {margin:auto; text-align:center; margin-top:9pt;} + +.t0 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:0em; margin-right:0px;} +.t1 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:1em; margin-right:0px;} +.t2 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0px;} +.t3 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:3em; margin-right:0px;} +.t4 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:4em; margin-right:0px;} +.t5 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:5em; margin-right:0px;} +.t6 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:6em; margin-right:0px;} +.t7 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:7em; margin-right:0px;} +.t8 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:8em; margin-right:0px;} +.t9 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:9em; margin-right:0px;} +.t10 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:10em; margin-right:0px;} +.t11 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:11em; margin-right:0px;} +.t12 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:12em; margin-right:0px;} +.t13 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:13em; margin-right:0px;} +.t14 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:14em; margin-right:0px;} +.t15 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:15em; margin-right:0px;} +.t16 {margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px; margin-left:16em; margin-right:0px;} + + +.quote {text-indent:.25in; text-align: justify; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} +.ctrquote {text-align: center; font-size:90%; margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:36pt} + +.dateline {text-align:right; font-size:90%; margin-right:10%; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + +h1,h2,h3,h4,h5 {text-align: center;} + +span.sc {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:100%;} +span.sc2 {font-variant: small-caps; font-size:90%;} + +hr.W10 {width:10%; color:black; margin-top:24pt; margin-bottom:24pt} + +hr.W20 {width:20%; color:black; margin-top:12pt; margin-bottom:12pt} + +hr.W50 {width:50%; color:black;} +hr.W90 {width:90%; color:black;} + +p.hang1 {margin-left:1em; text-indent:-1em;} +p.hang2 {margin-left:2em; text-indent:0em;} + + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Galahad of the Creeks; The Widow Lamport, by +S. (Sidney) Levett-Yeats + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Galahad of the Creeks; The Widow Lamport + +Author: S. (Sidney) Levett-Yeats + +Release Date: December 14, 2011 [EBook #38306] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GALAHAD OF CREEKS; WIDOW LAMPORT *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books + + + + + +</pre> + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<p class="hang1">Transcriber's Note:<br> + + +1. Page scan source:<br> +http://books.google.com/books?id=Kv8MAAAAYAAJ</p> + + +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<div style="margin-left:60%; margin-right:10%"> +<h4>Appleton's<br> +Town and Country<br> +Library</h4> + +<h4>No. 214</h4> +</div> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>A GALAHAD OF THE CREEKS</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<table cellpadding="30" style="width:70%; margin-left:15%; border:4px solid black"> +<tr><td> +<h4><i>NINTH EDITION</i>.</h4> + +<h3>The Honour of Savelli.</h3> + +<h4>BY S. LEVETT YEATS.</h4> + +<h5>12mo. Cloth, $1.00; paper, 50 cents.</h5> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<p class="normal">"Unsurpassably written, full of matter of historical value, and in +excellence of composition, clearness of description and delineation of +character is assuredly one of the first in the field."--<i>Chicago +Journal</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The story is full of romance, life, and action.... One of those which +demand reading through at a sitting."--<i>San Francisco Chronicle</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"A picturesque and exciting panorama of the most brilliant and +eventful period of old Italian history."--<i>London Times</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"The book is a first-rate piece of work, and holds the reader +enchained from the sensational outset to the very last page."--<i>London +Athenæum</i>.</p> + +<p class="normal">"Stirring incidents and adventures follow so closely upon each other's +heels that the reader becomes fascinated. It is a story to be read and +reread for the mere pleasure the reading gives."--<i>New York Evening +World</i>.</p> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<h4>D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK.</h4> +</td></tr></table> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>A GALAHAD OF THE CREEKS</h1> + +<hr class="W10"> + +<h2>THE WIDOW LAMPORT.</h2> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h4>BY</h4> + +<h2>S. LEVETT-YEATS</h2> + +<h5>AUTHOR OF THE HONOUR OF SAVELLI</h5> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>NEW YORK<br> +D. APPLETON AND COMPANY<br> +1897</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h4><span class="sc2">COPYRIGHT, 1897</span>,<br> +BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY</h4> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<table cellpadding="10" style="width:90%; margin-left:5%; font-weight:bold"> +<colgroup><col style="width:12%; text-align:right"><col style="width:88%"></colgroup> +<tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_1.00" href="#div1_1.00">A GALAHAD OF THE CREEKS.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2" style="text-align:left"><span class="sc2">CHAPTER</span></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>I.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.01" href="#div1_1.01">The coming of the Woon.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>II.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.02" href="#div1_1.02">A dinner à deux.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>III.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.03" href="#div1_1.03">Father Fragrance limes a twig.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>IV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.04" href="#div1_1.04">Ruys Smalley.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>V.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.05" href="#div1_1.05">"Furiis agitates amor."</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VI.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.06" href="#div1_1.06">Anthony Pozendine speaks up.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.07" href="#div1_1.07">The ruby bracelet.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VIII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.08" href="#div1_1.08">The Sirkar's salt.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>IX.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.09" href="#div1_1.09">His lady's gage.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>X.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.10" href="#div1_1.10">An atonement.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XI.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.11" href="#div1_1.11">The patience of Habakkuk Smalley.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.12" href="#div1_1.12">The episode of Li Fong.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XIII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.13" href="#div1_1.13">An overreach.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XIV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.14" href="#div1_1.14">Pallida mors.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_1.15" href="#div1_1.15">The passing of the Woon.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2"><hr class="W10"></td> +</tr><tr> +<td colspan="2"><h3><a name="div1Ref_2.00" href="#div1_2.00">THE WIDOW LAMPORT.</a></h3></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>I.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.01" href="#div1_2.01">At the door of the tabernacle.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>II.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.02" href="#div1_2.02">A cup of tea.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>III.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.03" href="#div1_2.03">A billet-doux.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>IV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.04" href="#div1_2.04">Yes.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>V.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.05" href="#div1_2.05">Mrs. Bunny Doubts.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VI.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.06" href="#div1_2.06">Master Edward Bunny.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.07" href="#div1_2.07">Dungaree's Belt.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>VIII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.08" href="#div1_2.08">Cast out from the fold.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>IX.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.09" href="#div1_2.09">At The Divan Exchange.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>X.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.10" href="#div1_2.10">Exit Manuel.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XI.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.11" href="#div1_2.11">The happy pair.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.12" href="#div1_2.12">The devil at work.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XIII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.13" href="#div1_2.13">Husband and wife.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XIV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.14" href="#div1_2.14">John Galbraith goes.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XV.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.15" href="#div1_2.15">The glory departs.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XVI.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.16" href="#div1_2.16">An account balanced.</a></td> +</tr><tr> +<td>XVII.--</td> +<td><a name="div1Ref_2.17" href="#div1_2.17">From the choir of the Holy Innocents.</a></td> +</tr></table> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1><a name="div1_1.00" href="#div1Ref_1.00">A GALAHAD OF THE CREEKS.</a></h1> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.01" href="#div1Ref_1.01">THE COMING OF THE WOON.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">The good ship steered toward the East,</p> +<p class="t1">To the East, o'er the salt sea foam;</p> +<p class="t0">And years rolled by, and time grew old,</p> +<p class="t1">But she nevermore came home.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Voyage of the Tobias</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">When a man has taken a first-class degree, when he has won his blue, +and has passed high into the Indian Civil Service without the +wet-nursing of a crammer, it might be hazarded that he is worth +something. One might go further and picture out his future career--how +he would be a prop of Israel; how, step by step, he would rise until +the Honourable Council enshrouded him; and how, after a life of useful +work, he would, like Oliver, desire more, and drop into being the bore +of "the House," or into the warmest corner of the "Oriental," and +dream over the fire of the time when he was his Honour the Lieutenant +Governor; but the lion is very old now--let him doze.</p> + +<p class="continue">Peregrine Jackson had taken the first steps to qualify for this part +in the tragedy of life, for this forging of the links of that +mysterious chain of which we know not the beginning and may never know +the end until, as to Longinus, the gates of immortality are opened +unto us. But the tall, straight, broad-shouldered young Englishman was +thinking of none of these things at present. He had elected to serve +in Burma, and he was now posted as assistant commissioner, practically +Governor of Pazobin, which is in lower Burma, and lies near the sea on +a slimy creek of the Irawadi. He leaned over the gunwale of the river +steamer that was bearing him to his destination, and the skipper, the +sleeves of his gray-flannel shirt rolled up to his elbows, stood +beside him and pointed out Pazobin, which lay about two miles off, +clinging like a limpet to the river bank. Now, a Burman river steamer +can walk, and at twelve knots an hour two miles would not take long to +cover--in fact, the Woon had already whistled shrilly to announce her +coming--a whistle that found a hundred echoes in the forest which +fringed the banks, until it died away in fitful cadences in some +unknown swamp. And let it be remembered that this is the country of +the creeks. Here the Irawadi, whose source no man knoweth, comes down +from its cradle of snow, past the tremendous defiles of Bhamo, through +the whole length of that strange land from which the veil has only +just been lifted, past cities and temples, until at last the mystery +of waters spread out with a hundred thirsty throats toward the sea, +and puddles its blue field with a muddy yellow far out, even to where +the breakers hiss around Cape Negrais. Between the wide necks that +stretch out to the sea the water has made for itself countless +cuttings, through which it ebbs and flows sluggishly beneath the +shadows of a primeval forest. The whistle of the steamer was answered +by the dull boom of a signal gun, and the broad bosom of the creek was +almost immediately dotted over with a vast number of small craft +making their way toward the incoming mail boat. "There's the pagoda," +and the Mudlark, as captains of Burman river steamers are irreverently +called, pointed to the gilded cupola which rose high above the +feathers of the bamboos that surrounded it. "There's the jetty," he +added, "and there's the courthouse. You'll know more about that +presently. Wonder how you'll like sitting there ten hours a day? And, +by George, there's the <i>nga-pe!</i>" "The what?" But as Jackson spoke, a +puff of wind brought a decomposed odour to the steamer. It was +overpowering, an all-pervading essence, and for a moment Peregrine +forgot everything in a vain effort to beat off the evil with his +pocket-handkerchief. "It's all right when you're used to it," mocked +the captain, "and you mustn't turn up your nose at it, for that +delicate condiment is the main source of revenue of your district. +Wait till I take you up some day with a shipload on board! And now, +your humble, I must be off."</p> + +<p class="continue">He vanished to attend to his duties, which to the non-professional +onlooker appeared to consist principally of swinging his arms round +like the sails of a windmill and using frightful language toward a +person whom he called the <i>serang</i>. The fitful wind, changing at this +time, relieved Jackson from the terrible odour, and allowed him to +look with a somewhat despairing curiosity at his new home. Before him +lay a fleet of small fishing craft and a single row of bathing +machines on stilts. The latter were the houses of the inhabitants, and +they were all built on piles. They were of the roughest possible +description, but here and there a plutocrat had got some corrugated +iron to make a roof with and to excite thereby the envy, malice, and +hatred of his fellows. There was but one street, from the end of which +the jetty projected into the river. Beyond this rose some larger +buildings, the largest of which had been pointed out by the skipper as +the courthouse. A little way inland towered the gilded spire of the +pagoda, with its umbrella crest that swung slowly round in the breeze. +The one street of the township was thoroughly alive. It seemed as if a +swarm of butterflies was on the move in the bright sunshine. +Everywhere there was the sheen of brilliant colour--red, yellow, +electric blue, and that strange tint which is known to milliners as +<i>sang de bœuf</i>. The small boats surrounded the steamer, and, +regardless of the danger of being swamped, recklessly jammed up +against her. With few exceptions their occupants were either women or +Chinamen. These latter exchanged joyous greetings with their +compatriots on board, and, swarming up the ship's side, set vigorously +to work preparing to land their consignments as soon as ever the +steamer drifted alongside the jetty. The ladies followed almost as +rapidly, and their agility and the skill which they displayed in +preventing the too great exposure of shapely limbs was beyond all +praise. The women had brought with them their peddling wares, and a +brisk market was opened--sharks' teeth, an invaluable love philter, +silks and fruits, and the nameless little wants of semicivilized life. +One held high above her head a row of mutton chops impaled upon a +bamboo skewer. "Excellent they are," she cried; "they have come from +the fat sheep the mail brought for me all the way from Calcutta."</p> + +<p class="continue">Everybody was smoking, except the Chinamen and the man at the wheel, +who were too busy. The Burman man was, however, so absorbed in the +contemplation of his own dignity that he did nothing but smoke; the +Burman woman, on the other hand, simply coaled herself with each whiff +of the long green cheroot she sucked, and every puff inspired her with +fresh energy for the driving of a bargain. Through all the maze of +business, however, madam remained a very woman, and many an astute +deal was lost as the joints of her armour were pierced by Ah-Sin's +oily tongue or the open admiration in Loo-ga-lay's little eyes. They +were now so close to the shore that Jackson could distinctly see the +faces of the people and the medals on the breasts of the half company +of Sikh police that were formed up on the jetty--a tribute of honour +to him, as he found out subsequently. Two Europeans stood amid the +crowd; in one, dressed in a police uniform, Peregrine recognised +Hawkshawe, the district police officer, who, while nominally his +second in command, was really to be Jackson's dry nurse in controlling +his charge until he was fit to fly alone. This period of probation +would be, of course, just as long or as short as Peregrine chose to +make it, for a member of the Indian Civil Service is ordinarily +hatched full-fledged--a diplomat, a magistrate, anything you will. In +the other, who stood beside the police officer, Jackson, although new +to the country, recognised the missionary. His unkempt beard and hair, +his long clerical coat of raw silk, and the dejected appearance of his +lean face, hall-marked him as such distinctly.</p> + +<p class="continue">The steamer had now come almost opposite the jetty. A light line, one +end of which was attached to the hawser, was cleverly thrown out and +as cleverly caught by a blue-bloused Lascar. The hawser was dragged to +the shore to the accompaniment of a "hillee-haulee" chorus, and it +surged through the water like an unwilling water boa being pulled to +land. At length the end of the huge rope touched the bank, somebody +jumped into the ooze and lifted it with both arms, somebody else +twisted it deftly round a short stumpy pillar, and then, with a +drumming of the donkey engine and an insistent hiss-hiss of the +paddles, the steamer sidled slowly alongside the jetty until she +almost touched it. In an instant the bridge was placed in position and +a crowd that seemed all elbows met an invading army bent upon forcing +its way on board, and there was a little trouble. With the aid of a +fierce-looking sergeant, who used his cane freely, Hawkshawe made his +way on deck, and after a brief greeting with the skipper came up to +Peregrine.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You're Jackson, I suppose? I'm Hawkshawe."</p> + +<p class="continue">The two men shook hands and looked each other straight in the face. +Each saw the other's strength. It was later on they noticed the loose +rivets in each other's mail. After a few moments spent in desultory +conversation, during which Jackson heard and replied to the usual +question of how he liked the country, the two prepared to leave the +ship, and Peregrine sought the skipper to say adieu.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good-bye, captain."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good-bye. The next time you come with me I'll have the <i>nga-pe</i> all +ready for you."</p> + +<p class="continue">They were over the bridge, the guard of honour had presented arms, and +the Reverend Doctor Habakkuk Smalley, American missionary, was +introduced. Dr. Smalley performed the feat of shaking hands, of +mopping his face with a red handkerchief, and of asking Jackson if he +had "got it" all at once.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Got it!" was the reply; "I should think we all did--got it nearly a +mile up. It was most horrible!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Dr. Smalley groaned aloud, and stretched forth both hands in protest. +"Sir," he began, but Hawkshawe interposed.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Excuse me for a moment, doctor, but I must introduce these people to +the new king," and he led up the portly native treasury officer to the +bewildered Jackson, who found himself compelled to make and to answer +civil speeches, while he was wondering how he could have given +offence. The presentations were rapidly brought to an end, and +Hawkshawe urged a move toward breakfast, turning to include Dr. +Smalley in the invitation; but the reverend gentleman was nowhere to +be seen. He had stalked off in high dudgeon.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I've done something to offend Dr. Smalley; let me go after him and +explain, if I can, though what it can be I can't guess," said Jackson.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I should think you have!" was the answer. "Fancy Smalley asking you +his usual question about your certainty of your salvation, and only +think of your reply!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"But I meant that fearful-smelling compound!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe's laugh pealed out loudly. "Well, if a man will speak of +religion like the measles, he must expect to be misunderstood. But +there is no use in saying anything now. I will square matters for you. +Smalley is a very good fellow really, and you will get to like him +and---- But you must be very hungry. My men will take your traps over +to your own place, and you have to breakfast with me, and can then go +on, if you like. Here is the trap. Jump in."</p> + +<p class="continue">After the cramped life of the river steamer, however, the traveller +wished to stretch his limbs a little, and begged to be permitted to +walk. To this Hawkshawe agreed with an inward curse, for walking +exercise is hateful to the Anglo-Burmese. He will ride or drive +anywhere, but the climate does not contemplate walking. It is not in +the programme. An officious peon opened a huge umbrella over Jackson's +head notwithstanding his protests, and a small procession was formed. +This was increased to a very respectable size by the time they reached +their destination, for most of the inhabitants of the place, having +nothing better to do, attached themselves in a semiofficial manner +to the party, and there was quite a crowd when, after a final +leave-taking, Jackson and his host entered the house. It was a great +pleasure to find that there were houses far back from the dreary +little town on the river bank. It was disheartening to think that one +had to live amid the malodorous mud and slime, and it was equally +cheering to find instead of this a trim garden and a fantastically +pretty little house, with a breakfast table set out in a shady +veranda, which overlooked a lawn as green as emerald, upon which two +little fox terriers were chasing each other in joyous play, to the +detriment of the turf but to their own great good.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You may consider yourself fairly installed now," said Hawkshawe, "and +after breakfast we will take a run down to the courts. Drage, your +predecessor, left only three days ago, but his house, which you have +taken, will suit you admirably. You will find yourself very +comfortable there, for Drage did himself well."</p> + +<p class="continue">After breakfast Hawkshawe's fast-trotting pony took them the one mile +to the courthouse "in less than no time," as the policeman said, and, +the trifling business of the first day concluded, they drove to the +house Jackson was to occupy. He had taken it over as it stood from his +predecessor, who had gone home on long furlough, and he was much +pleased to find it comfortable beyond his expectations. All his heavy +baggage had come on before, and Ah-Geelong, the Chinese servant, whom +he had engaged as head man, was evidently a treasure. His books were +neatly stacked in their shelves, and not with the titles upside down, +for Ah-Geelong was skilled in the English tongue after his kind. +Everything was spotlessly clean, from the half-dozen servants, who +greeted him respectfully as he arrived, to the shining floor of the +rooms, on the dark wood of which a mirrorlike polish had been +scrubbed. After a few minutes Hawkshawe drove off, having made Jackson +promise to dine with him that evening, and Peregrine was left to +himself. He spent about an hour in arranging photographs and a few +paintings, and then made a tour of the house and grounds. His +ponies--two strong cobby little Shans--had come, and were looking +sleek and comfortable in their stalls. He came back and made for the +room which Ah-Geelong had arranged as his master's study. The Chinaman +had selected this with a natural taste that could not be surpassed. +The wide windows of the room opened into a veranda, from which there +was an outlook over the river. There was a perfect north light, and +the soft sea breeze that had travelled so many miles came in cool +puffs past the <i>quis-qualis</i> blossoms that twined and thrust +themselves through the trellis work of the veranda. He wheeled out a +small table and sat down to write home, for the steamer left early the +next morning and the mails went with her. The letter was to his +father, and, after describing the events of his journey, he went on to +explain the feelings which moved him on his entry into the task of +governing his fellow-creatures. He was aware that he ought to have +first learned to govern himself; but practical work mostly leaves out +that little detail upon which the moralist insists. Beyond a certain +amount of book knowledge, he knew little or nothing of the people upon +whom he was pitchforked by a gazette notification. He had been told +that the Burman was incapable of progress, a sluggard, and a fop, and +that the Chinaman was the future of Burma. His work was to collect the +revenue, to preserve order, and to administer the law. But Jackson was +not satisfied with accepting as an axiom the definition of the Burman +given to him, nor did he feel that to carry out the mere routine of +his work was sufficient. He had read much of the civilization of the +East; but, after all, what is the civilization of the East to that of +the West! Jackson was bringing all the active, vigorous West with him +to this sleepy hollow in the creeks, and his coming would be as a +breath of strong air to an invalid. He mapped out his programme. He +would be to the benighted creatures--for of course they were +benighted--over whom he was placed what his father had been and was to +him, and so on for many pages of what a high-souled boy always dreams +when he enters upon the battle of the East. With few exceptions, he +comes out of the struggle dispirited and broken, feeling that the +strong years of his life have been wasted in trying to affix the +impression of a seal upon water. He folded his letter, and, ringing +the little bell which stood near him, gave it to the servant who came +to carry to the post. He then rose and, leaning over the railings of +the veranda, looked out before him. It was almost sunset, and a veil +of shimmering gold was over the land. The yellow light fell softly on +the sleepy forest and trembled over the dreaming river. Out on the +west stretched a long, thin line of purple clouds, and his heart went +forth there, for beyond was home--home, which he should see again when +his task was done--when he had struck the dead Budh once more into +life--when the East had heard the message he bore it from the West.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.02" href="#div1Ref_1.02">A DINNER À DEUX.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Ho! A flowing bowl and a merry lass,</p> +<p class="t1">And a fig for monk or friar!</p> +<p class="t2">And the clean white light</p> +<p class="t2">Of a sword in fight,</p> +<p class="t1">And gold to my heart's desire.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>The Buccaneer</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Eight o'clock! There was just time to dress and reach Hawkshawe's +house, unless Jackson wanted to be late for dinner. He was unromantic +enough to have an extremely good appetite, and a man must dine even if +he is going to make the old East new. He got through his dressing as +quickly as possible, and found his pony waiting for him under the +portico that protected the front door of the house. Ah-Geelong +followed close at his heels with an enormous hand lantern, which threw +a blaze of light many yards around them. Peregrine protested.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There is a bright moon, Ah-Geelong; you surely do not want a lamp! +You might as well bring an umbrella!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Plentee snakee, master," and the Chinaman pointed generally all +around him with a long knotted bamboo staff. The argument was +unanswerable. Out of deference, therefore, to the cobra the lantern +was permitted to assist the moonlight, and the procession moved off. +Peregrine determined that, snake or no snake, he would come back +without the lantern, and as he rode took little mental bearings, in +order to guide himself home again. On arrival, he sent back the pony +with his groom, and Ah-Geelong disappeared into the servants' quarters +with his cosmos burner. Hawkshawe came forward with cordial greeting, +and it might have been fancy, but as they entered the drawing-room +Peregrine thought he saw the curtain that guarded the entrance to a +side door falling swiftly, and the flicker of a silken <i>tamein</i> as it +vanished from sight.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Take that long chair," said Hawkshawe, "and have a sherry and +bitters; it will give you a fillip up!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson did not want the fillip up, but he took the sherry and +bitters. He did not do so, however, in his host's scientific way. +Hawkshawe first sprinkled the bitters in, and holding the glass before +him bent it on one side, slowly turning it until there was a streak of +burnt sienna winding round the inside; then he poured in the sherry +and drank sip by sip with deep satisfaction. "It's the only way to get +the true flavour of the bitters," he remarked. This was, of course, +utter nonsense; but Hawkshawe fully believed it, and said the words so +positively that his listener bowed to his superior knowledge and also +believed. When Hawkshawe had absorbed some of the flavour of the +bitters, he asked, "How have you been amusing yourself since I left +you--office files?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, a lot came in, but I have reserved them for later on. I've been +writing letters. The mail goes out to-morrow, and I took the +opportunity to write home."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course you did. I never write home now. The fact is I haven't seen +Old England for many a long year now, and one loses touch. Besides, I +never was a good hand at writing letters, and I don't suppose anything +I have to say would be particularly interesting."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I should have thought it was quite the other way, Hawkshawe."</p> + +<p class="continue">As Jackson spoke dinner was announced, and they moved to the +dining-room. It was dinner <i>à deux</i>, and for a few moments the +conversation was general, Hawkshawe asking about friends at the +capital, most of whom Jackson had met, notwithstanding his short stay +there; but in this respect the East is a very small place. Finally +Hawkshawe got on to the subject of his work, and gave a most +interesting account of the robber gangs, or dacoits, that infested the +district, concluding by expressing his firm belief that the chief +malefactor was a well-known priest, who to all appearance had +abandoned the world, but who, Hawkshawe was convinced, although he had +apparently nothing to support his statement, acted as a fence, and was +at the bottom of all the mischief.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And you really think," inquired Jackson, "that this man is a sort of +head centre? It seems improbable, if what I have read and heard of the +Buddhist priesthood is true; but I suppose there are exceptions."</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe slowly raised his glass to the light and watched the little +beads in the Ayala. "Nothing is improbable in this country, as you +will find after a few years' experience," he answered, half in mockery +and half in earnest. "For instance, I believe it is really true that +the bad characters of the adjoining district of Myobin were all driven +here by the mosquitoes. They grow a special kind in Myobin--big gray +ones about half an inch long, and striped like a tiger. They were more +effective than the police; the dacoit couldn't stand them and came +here, worse luck!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"The obvious course, then, would be to import some of your +tiger-striped friends," laughed Jackson.</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe sighed. "We have done that, but it was of no use; there is +something in the air here which does not agree with that particular +brand of insect life. But, joking apart, the dacoits are a very +serious evil here, and I have made little or no headway against them. +Now and then I score a success, but I put down all my failures to the +priest Bah Hmoay--old Father Fragrance."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I suppose there is no way of clearing the fragrant old gentleman +out?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"None; but if one could be devised, you would end all our troubles and +earn Smalley's undying gratitude as well. But Bah Hmoay is a power in +the land in more ways than one, as you will find before many weeks, or +rather days, have passed."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why Smalley's gratitude in particular?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Because two of a trade never agree, I fancy. I don't mean by this +that Smalley is a dacoit in disguise, but that they are both bigoted +representatives of religion, and each believes the other to be the +fiend himself. By the way, the mention of Smalley reminds me that I +have explained your little mistake of this morning to the reverend +Habakkuk, and he is quite prepared to smoke the pipe of peace with +you; and this is well, as he is the only doctor within a hundred +miles, and no one knows what may happen. Of course, he will bother +you a good deal; but I should think you would know how to meet him +when he opens fire on the mission side."</p> + +<p class="continue">"It was very good of you to explain. I think also that I know what +Smalley wants, and I must say I don't see why Government should help +the mission on purely religious grounds--and he won't take help on any +other. As an educationalist, Smalley should of course be helped, and +the same argument would apply to the pagoda schools, over which I +suppose Bah Hmoay presides. I don't think we should bring in religion +into grants in aid, and it doesn't seem as if Christianity suits the +Eastern. What do you think?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't know; all that's beyond me. I do know, however, that the native +Christian is generally a d--d scoundrel. Try these cigars--they are +specially made, and you must be patriotic and adopt your new country +properly. If you won't face them, there are some Havanas--made of +cabbage leaves probably."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Thanks," said Jackson, "but I am afraid I am not yet blooded +sufficiently for a Burman cheroot. I shall move up to the height by +easy stages, and, if you will permit me, will stick to the Havanas, +which I am sure you libel."</p> + +<p class="continue">"They are better for the nerves, at any rate," replied Hawkshawe, and +Jackson noted how the flaring, sputtering vesta he lighted trembled in +the policeman's hand as he held it to the cheroot. For the true +enjoyment of tobacco there must be silence and repose. Although +Jackson was utterly unable to attack a yard of poison, such as +Hawkshawe was smoking, he knew how to enjoy a cigar, and the Havana +was very good. The little incident of the curtain and the silken robe +came into his mind again, and he caught himself getting curious about +it. Hawkshawe was smoking nervously with quick, short puffs; he +continually took the cheroot out of his mouth and rolled it between +his fingers, apparently to make the rank leaf draw easier, and +assisted his tobacco with short nips of old brandy--a thing which was +not good to see. Jackson made no attempt to speak, and they smoked +without a word being exchanged until the silence was apparently too +much for the policeman, and he suddenly asked, "I suppose you like +your new house?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Very much indeed. You were right in saying that Drage did himself +well. It is very nearly perfect."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Do you know what became of his impedimenta?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson understood the question, and flushed with anger. He controlled +himself, however, and answered shortly: "No; those are matters about +which I am not in the least concerned, nor do I think any one else +should be."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't you?" said Hawkshawe--his potations had evidently loosened his +tongue--"don't you? Well, it will force itself on you some day. You +shy at it now. We all did--I did--Thomson, Perkins, Drage did--and yet +you see we are as we are. We have found that the cycle of Cathay is +better than the fifty years of Europe."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And you call yourselves rulers of men! Why should you go down to the +level of the brute if you happen to live near him?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't know, my dear fellow, except that one gets to like, or like the +brute after a time. Why, man," and Hawkshawe rose and began to pace +the room, "what have we got to live for in this infernal country? You +rot here--<i>rot</i>, I say--and your mind and your body both go to ooze +and slime. Books! One can't read in this climate. The blue mould +covers them up, as it has covered me, and as it will cover you and +many a better man yet, and you will be as I am." Hawkshawe filled his +glass and drank to the dregs. It seemed as if he were toasting the +success of his hideous prophecy. "<i>And you will be as I am!</i>" The +words hit Jackson like a life sentence. He looked at the man before +him, at the promise in the high aquiline features and still, clear +eyes, and then he saw the little crowsfeet round the eyelids, the +puffy cheeks and trembling hands, and shuddered. No! It would never +come to that with him. But a dread rose in his heart. What, after all, +if he was wrong in his thoughts of his strength? Hawkshawe looked to +him with a strange light in his eyes. "Come," he said, "let me show +you what it is like."</p> + +<p class="continue">It was evident that Hawkshawe was determined, with a half-drunken +persistence, to continue a subject that was more than unpleasant to +his guest, and there was only one course open to Jackson, and that was +to get away as quietly as possible. "I don't think I will venture," he +replied, "and, at the risk of offending you, I must ask you to excuse +me for to-night. One always has a lot to do on first coming to a +place, and I am no exception to the rule. No, not any more, thank you, +to-night; but I will have another of those cheroots, if I may."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I suppose if wilful will, then wilful must, but you are losing a new +experience," said Hawkshawe, as he accompanied his guest to the door. +He there found that Peregrine was going to walk home. "Let me order my +trap for you, or a pony, if you prefer to ride?" he asked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, thanks, Hawkshawe; there is a bright moon, and I know my way +perfectly. I go to plan the suppression of Bah Hmoay. Goodnight!"</p> + +<p class="continue">The hard gravel crunched under his firm footsteps as he walked down +the drive. Hawkshawe stood looking after him. "He knows his way, he +says. I wish I knew mine. Mr. Peregrine Jackson strikes me as rather a +cold-blooded prig. I never could stand that sort of fellow--no," and, +as if to keep his heart up, he sang:</p> +<div class="poem3"> + +<p class="t0">"Pass the bowl, the merry, merry bowl,</p> +<p class="t1">Let it brim with good red wine.</p> +<p class="t2">I have pledged my soul</p> +<p class="t2">To the merry, merry bowl,</p> +<p class="t1">And the ruby light of wine."</p> +</div> +<p class="normal">He trolled out the verse in a rich baritone as he walked upstairs and +entered his drawing-room. Taking up a book, he flung himself into the +same long chair he had so hospitably pressed on Jackson earlier in the +evening. He glanced over the leaves for a few moments; but the effort +to read was beyond him, and putting down the volume he stared moodily +into space. He had done this for years. Every evening, except when he +was on active service--and he was keen enough then--he had drunk more +than was good for him, and sat drearily through an hour or so before +going to sleep. Ordinarily he did not think at all on such occasions; +but somehow Jackson's attitude had impressed itself on him, and he was +feeling nervous and depressed. There was that also which brought a hot +flush of shame to his forehead, for he had lied to his guest when he +had expressed his inability to bring Bah Hmoay, the dacoit priest, to +justice. It would all come out some day, and then he, Hawkshawe, would +be cast adrift on the river of shame. "D--n!" he hissed between his +teeth, and buried his hot face between his hands.</p> + +<p class="continue">The curtain before a door that led to an inner room was lifted, and a +figure entered the room. It was that of a woman dressed in the +national costume of Burma, which is so adapted to conceal as well as +reveal the figure. Taller than ordinary, she had a face and form of +imperial beauty, and as she stood there, looking at the bowed head +before her, it was possible to understand Hawkshawe when he said that +for himself he had chosen the cycle of Cathay. She crossed the room +with light steps, and, laying her hand on his shoulder, asked in +Burmese, "What is the matter? Are you ill?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson had touched a lost chord in Hawkshawe's memory, and the +murmurs of the white past were sighing in his ears. He raised his head +wearily, and drooped it again. "No, Ma Mie, not ill in body but sick +at heart."</p> + +<p class="continue">She looked at him, and, untutored savage as she was, she understood, +and, stooping suddenly, kissed him with a fierce little pressure. +"Hawkshawe," she said, "I have news for you--good news. Look up, my +husband!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.03" href="#div1Ref_1.03">FATHER FRAGRANCE LIMES A TWIG.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0"><i>Ruys</i>.--I care for naught but gold. +Gold holds the keys of this strong earth, and I +Am earthy, of its mould. That unseen thing, +The crown of glory, lies beyond the stars; +I know it not.... Give me my gold.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Maraffa, a Tragedy</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">A broad streak of yellow water is drowsing toward the sea, and lies +hedged in to the right and to the left by the most luxuriant +vegetation. Here teak and mango, palm and bamboo grow side by side, +and are laced together by the octopus arms of the cobweb of creepers +that spreads over the forest and tries in vain to bind down its +splendid growth. There is hardly any sign of animal life, although the +forests teem with it. Occasionally the great woodpecker or a flight of +green paroquets flash like emeralds through the patches of sunshine +between the leaves, or the melancholy cry of a mule pheasant echoes +dismally through the woods. Yet although no beast and hardly a bird +may be seen, this void is filled by the ever-present abundance of +insects, for here is their paradise. It is true that those grotesque +specimens of creation which, like the sons of Belial, wander forth at +night, are reserving themselves in a million cracks and crannies for +the pleasures of the evening; but the gnat and mosquito are on the +alert, and the fly is here on his path of annoyance. Through the dense +masses of foliage glide, like the snakes which infest them, the creeks +that cut the delta of the Irawadi into numberless channels, and while +thus dividing it serve as a means of communication from one part of +the country to the other; for who, unless an Englishman, would +scramble through the bramble and thorn of the jungle? Who would do so, +when it is so easy to sit in a canoe and ship silently along the ooze +of the creeks?</p> + +<p class="continue">Some little way back from the main stream a canoe lies hidden in a +small backwater. There are two occupants, and, being Burmans, they are +of course both smoking, for smoke to the Burman is what beer is to the +Saxon, a Derringer to the gentlemen of Arkansas, or opium to the +Celestial. One of the two, in whose powerful hand is grasped a +long-bladed paddle, is apparently a man of the people. He wears his +hair long, and the golden brown of his limbs is covered with tattoo +marks in strange devices. The other is a man of God; his yellow robe, +his shaven crown, mark the priest of Budh. There is no asceticism, +however, in the fat cheeks, or in the beadlike eyes which glint out +from above the high cheek bones. The mouth is like a sword cut, long +and cruel-looking, and the sensual aspect of the face is only matched +by its cunning and treacherous look.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Payah," said the man with the paddle, using a Burmese title of the +highest respect, "we have now waited for two hours; the steamer will +not come to-day."</p> + +<p class="continue">The priest went on smoking as if he had not heard the remark, and his +companion relapsed into silence. After a few minutes, however, the +clerical gentleman found voice.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Moung Sen," said he, "your name means red diamond, but it ought to +have meant a clod. Did I not tell you that the steamer will come +to-day? and I tell you again she will come. The wire has brought me +the news. Two hours! What are two hours to me? I gain two hundred +years of eternal bliss by meditating during two hours on holy matters +of which you laymen know nothing---- Hark! there is the whistle that +was to be our signal."</p> + +<p class="continue">And even as he spoke the shrill whistle of the Woon announced her +coming, and the dull boom of the answering gun from Pazobin rang out +in response.</p> + +<p class="continue">Moung Sen bent his back to the paddle, and the boat shot out of the +backwater to the very edge of the creek. There, concealed by the +drooping foliage, they could see without being seen, and watch without +any risk of discovery.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Payah Bah Hmoay, the steamer approaches near," and, parting the +screen of leaves with his hands, Moung Sen peered out.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, and with it Jackson, the new ruler of the land. I heard him say +in Rangoon that he would stamp out all evildoers, so you, Moung Sen, +had better be careful."</p> + +<p class="continue">The boatman showed a row of teeth that would have driven a tiger mad +with envy, and chuckled to himself. As the steamer came near they +could hear the hissing of the paddles, and the wash rocked the canoe +up and down to the no small danger of its upsetting.</p> + +<p class="continue">Moung Sen was longing for a race. He would have dearly liked to have +pulled against the steamer for the jetty. His slanting eyes twinkled +with excitement, and he turned an imploring look on Bah Hmoay.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ho!" grunted Father Fragrance, "be still. What with racing and +gambling and women, you will come to a bad end some day--hang to a +string and dance upon nothing. Is this a time to think of racing, +when that young fool on the steamer yonder is come here with his +new-fangled notions? Back, I say! Our friends have heard the steamer's +whistle and will have assembled. Here! give me a paddle too." He +seized the spare paddle that was handed to him, and, loosening his +robe to give his arm free play, rowed with a most unclerical skill. +Guided by their powerful strokes the canoe sped back, and, taking a +narrow cutting at the head of the backwater, they rowed steadily on +for ten minutes and then stopped.</p> + +<p class="continue">Moung Sen put his hands to his mouth and hooted twice like an owl. A +cock crowed twice in reply. "They are there," he said, and, running +the canoe on to the bank, the two men secured it firmly with a +creeper, then, taking an almost invisible path, they trotted along it +like sleuthhounds. After a short distance was travelled in this manner +Moung Sen hooted again, and again the cock answered as it were out of +the hollow of a huge silk-cotton tree a few yards away. Then the tree +began to give up its fruit. One by one four men came out of the +hollow, and half a dozen others dropped lightly from the branches +where they had lain concealed. Each as he approached the priest bowed +lowly before him. They took their places in a semicircle whose ends +were to the right and left of Bah Hmoay. He gazed on them for a +moment; they were a strong and likely looking set of men, fit for any +devil's work. The chequered light fell on the bronze of their bodies, +for they were naked to the waist, lit up the hideous blue and red of +the tattoo marks with which they were covered, and ran in a line of +fire on the long straight blades of the <i>dahs</i> they held in their +hands. Then Bah Hmoay spoke, taking the men before him into his +confidence, choosing his language simply, and appealing to all their +weaknesses.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And now, my companions," he concluded, "I have told you all that I +learned during my visit to Rangoon, and how the plans are progressing. +At Wuntho the chief is ready to take up arms; the Shan States are +on fire--on fire, I say--and every creek and jungle holds gallant +men only waiting for the signal to rise. Our whole difficulty is +money--for when was a Burman rich? I propose, however, to meet this, +and to find funds by a bold stroke. You all know the treasury at Yeo. +It is thirty miles from here, and there are a hundred rupees there, +all with the White Queen's head on them. Half shall be yours; the +other half goes to the cause. Are you ready?"</p> + +<p class="continue">There was a murmur of assent.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Thank you. There is but one word more: in a week from to-day--the day +of the guinea pig--you must be at Yeo. And now for the water of the +oath." He loosened a small pocketbook from his waist cloth as he said +these words, and, writing a few lines on a page, tore it out. One held +an earthen vessel full of water before him, and another lit a sulphur +match. The Boh put the match to the paper and held it over the water, +into which as it burned away the cinders fell; but when the flame got +too close to his fingers to be pleasant the chief dropped the little +unburned tag of paper into the water, and it went out with a splutter. +Then taking the vessel in his hands, he swore to be faithful to the +men before him, and, drinking a little, handed it to Moung Sen. That +worthy pledged his soul on his good faith to the assembly, and, taking +his sip, passed on the bowl. It went the round of every man there +until it reached the last, who, when he too had sworn and drunken, +dropped the vessel to the ground, where it broke into pieces.</p> + +<p class="continue">This closed the chapter of the order, and the knights proceeded to +disperse, each man with his long green cheroot burning in his mouth +and his <i>dah</i> tucked away over his shoulder, a grotesque amalgam of +devil and the child, the like of which is not equalled anywhere in the +world.</p> + +<p class="continue">Bah Hmoay and his Little John were once more alone, and the Boh or +chief turned to his subaltern with a somewhat anxious look in his +eyes, and asked:</p> + +<p class="continue">"Do you think they will be true?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"My name means red diamond, but it ought to mean a clod," laughed +Moung Sen. "Yes, I think they will be true, and will all be hanged for +their faith, while you will end as a great man. But there is something +else to do to-day."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Hawkshawe--true--I have not forgotten; however, we ought to be +getting back," and making for the canoe they rowed out into the open +stream and then drifted down toward the town. As the priest stepped +from the canoe his face assumed the severe expression of sanctity +suitable to his calling; an obsequious disciple met him and opened an +umbrella over his head, and he walked toward the pagoda or temple +meeting with respectful greetings from all. He entered the gates of +the pagoda, on either side of which grinned two colossal griffins, +and, making his way through a courtyard thronged with worshippers, +passed into the great hall, where a huge image of Gautama looked down +upon him with calm, inquiring eyes. A tall, graceful woman stood at +the foot of the idol, and as the priest approached she looked at him +with something of impatience in her glance, and said, "I have been +waiting here for nearly an hour."</p> + +<p class="continue">"My daughter, it is patience and resignation which, united with +thought, leads us to holy Nirvana."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Pish! I haven't come here to bandy words about Nirvana. Was it for +this you sent Loo-ga-lay for me?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Bah Hmoay dropped his voice to a whisper as he said, "You are too +hasty; women are always so. Follow me," and, passing behind the idol, +he touched a door which seemed to open of its own accord, disclosing a +small passage dimly lighted by a single lamp. At the end of the +passage was a small archway, so low that it was necessary for both to +stoop as they entered it, and beyond was a large hall, along whose +sides a row of Gautamas or images of the Budh was arranged with +military precision. The images were alternately of white and black +marble, and at the extreme end lay a huge recumbent casting of the +Messiah of the East. Small lozenge-shaped cuttings in the wall above +let in bars of light, which fell on the dim statues and made the +polished brass of the recumbent image glow as if it were red-hot. The +girl leaned lightly against the arm of the huge figure, and something +flashed in her hand as she did so. Bah Hmoay observed it as he pointed +to the dagger, and said with a smile, "You are very careful, Ma Mie; +too careful for one so beautiful."</p> + +<p class="continue">There was enough in the speaker's voice to make his listener turn on +him like a panther, and Father Fragrance stepped back with a hasty +apology. Then he spoke in a low tone for some time, the woman all the +while keeping her guarded attitude. "There," he said at last, "this is +a good offer. Will it do?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am selling my husband's honour," she replied. "No, it is worth a +larger price."</p> + +<p class="continue">The priest uttered an exclamation of impatience, and moving off a few +feet stooped near the foot of an idol, and picking up something from a +recess there returned bearing it in his hands. He held it to the light +as he approached, and Ma Mie saw that it was a bracelet of rubies, +which flashed and glowed with a hundred colours. She almost gasped as +she looked at it.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, how lovely!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Let me put it on your arm." Bah Hmoay, suiting his action to his +words, stepped back with an admiring look. "There is nothing like this +in all Pazobin," he said. "I will add it to my offer."</p> + +<p class="continue">The woman hesitated and was lost. "It is a bargain," she said, and the +face of Father Fragrance glowed with joy. "The new Englishman comes to +dine with him to-night," she added. "When he is gone, I will settle +all. And now I must go; I have been away too long."</p> + +<p class="continue">"You can go this way," said the priest as he turned the key in a +carved door toward the right, and opening it showed Ma Mie a back path +that led out of the pagoda gardens. "And remember, the police guard +must be very weak at Yeo next Friday."</p> + +<p class="continue">She nodded and passed out, and Bah Hmoay watched her down the pathway +and saw her raise her arm and look at the bracelet upon it. "Selling +her husband's honour!" he laughed to himself. "When had Hawkshawe any +to sell? Those ideas of hers are, however, very expensive, and I had +to take away my peace offering from this old gentleman here." He +patted the face of the idol from under whose foot he had removed the +jewels. "However, he won't miss it, and Friday evening will see me +repaid and ready to buy another rag of Mr. Hawkshawe's honour."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.04" href="#div1Ref_1.04">RUYS SMALLEY.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">He rode toward the Dragon Gate, +And blew a ringing call, +A virgin knight, in armour bright, +'Twere sad to see him fall. +Ah, saints of heaven, steel his heart, +And nerve his arm withal!</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Sir Amory</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Jackson walked out into the moonlight with a feeling of relief at +having escaped from Hawkshawe. His disgust at his host's code of +morality was only equalled by his pity for him. Perhaps, after all, +the man did not mean what he said; and it was possible that an appeal +to Philip sober would result in the expression of sentiments widely +different from those which bubbled forth from Philip charged with a +quart of Ayala, sundry short brandies, and a multitude of "baby pegs," +as three fingers of mountain dew tempered with a split soda are called +in the country of the creeks. Peregrine hesitated a moment whether he +should go straight home or walk on a little. A great mass of official +papers had come to the house as he left it that evening, and his work +was cut out for him; but after what had happened he was in no mood to +begin at once. He pulled out his watch, and seeing by the bright moon +that it was barely half-past ten, decided to adopt the latter course. +He walked slowly toward the river face, and then across the soft sand +to the deserted jetty, where he paced up and down its full length. In +front of the dark outline of the forest a few twinkling lights marked +the sleeping town, for Pazobin went to roost early. The fishing craft +were all huddled together like sheep in a pen, and the outgoing tide +lapped angrily at the wooden piles below. The wind bore to him the +soft tinkle of the bells that swung from the golden umbrella on the +spire of the pagoda. Their dreamy monotone fitted exactly with the +scene, and seemed to call all good Buddhists to that Nirvana which to +them is the end of all things. Everything was calm except the mind of +the man who paced the teak planking of the jetty. Jackson was in that +temper which would have been horrible doubt to an older man, but which +to him in his youthful confidence in his own power was absolute +certainty. He had shaken off the momentary terror of Hawkshawe's +prophecy, "And you will be as I am!" That would never be; his young +heart swelled with pride as he drew himself up in the consciousness of +his strength. He did not seek aid in prayer. He had never sought it, +except in dim infancy. Since his mother's death, in his childhood, he +had known no care but that of his father, and the older man had +brought up his son in his own creed, which was, to summarize it, man. +And Peregrine drunk it all in eagerly and was an apt pupil. He held +himself apart from all beliefs--Calvary, Mecca, the groves of Gya, +were all one to him in that they all aimed at the good of mankind, in +that they had all accomplished untold good. He was aware of the +rewards offered to the faithful--the harp and crown of the Christian, +the sensual paradise of the Moslem, the merging into the deity of the +Buddhist--and none of these tempted. He had looked with scorn on the +professor of a faith who calculated on the advantages that would +accrue to him from his fidelity; he despised the human being who sold +good works for a price and speculated in futurity like a stock broker +making a time bargain. He was young and very cocksure. The solitary +up-and-down tramp, combined with the cheroot and his naturally calm +temper, began to quiet Peregrine's excitement, and he finally put +aside all thoughts of Hawkshawe and stopped for a moment near the huge +crane which stretched out its long arm over the river as if begging +for something. The Havana had burned low by this time, and he flung it +from him, watching the little arc of fire die away with an angry hiss +into the water below. Then he turned to go. He recrossed the sand, +once more passed Hawkshawe's house, from an upper window of which the +light was burning brightly, and, turning to the right, took, as he +imagined, the road home. He had said that he thought he knew his way +perfectly, but now it seemed as if the bearings he had taken were all +wrong. One tree was like another, one bend of the road was like every +other he had passed. The few houses were all built on the same plan, +and he could scarcely discern them in the mass of foliage with which +they were surrounded. It flashed upon him that he had lost his way, +when he was so sure of it. What if he had miscalculated his strength +as he had done the road? He stopped for a moment near a wooden gate to +try and see if he could find a landmark, and as he did so a sudden +blaze of light streamed out of one of the windows of a long building +that lay within the gateway. A moment after the droning tones of an +American organ stole into the night, and above them rang out a woman's +voice clear and distinct:</p> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">My God, I love thee; not because</p> +<p class="t1">I hope for heaven thereby,</p> +<p class="t0">Nor yet because who love thee not</p> +<p class="t1">Are lost eternally.</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">He listened in a manner spellbound not only by the voice, which was of +the rarest order, but also by the words, which poured forth from the +heart, the genuine unselfishness of the Christian's belief. That pure +flood of melody floating into the night seemed to give all his +convictions the lie as it passed out on its way beyond the stars to +God's throne. Cheap and jingling as the verses were, the simple words +sung by such a voice carried with them a revelation he had never +imagined. He wondered to himself what manner of woman this was whose +voice affected him so powerfully. He determined to see this beautiful +saint--for of course she was beautiful--and stepping cautiously down +the road approached the open window through which the song poured. +Standing back amid the yellow and purple leaves of a croton, he peered +in, and saw a long narrow hall filled with rows of empty benches. At +the head of the room, and close to the window, was a low dais, and +upon this the organ was placed. The singer was seated with her back +turned toward him; but the light from a shaded lamp lit up the sunny +gold of her hair and fell on the outlines of an exquisite figure. She +was alone, singing to the night. Overcome with curiosity, Peregrine +stole softly to the window and raised himself slightly with his hands +to look in. As he did so the sudden snapping bark of a dog, hitherto +lying concealed near its mistress's dress, rang out, and the singer +turned round so sharply that it was impossible for Peregrine to +withdraw unobserved; but as she turned he saw that the perfect beauty +of her face more than realized the picture he had drawn in his +imagination.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Who are you? What do you want?" she gasped, with an alarmed light in +her eyes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am very sorry," explained Peregrine humbly. "I have lost my way, +and seeing a light and hearing music thought I--I----" and he +stammered and broke down for a moment; but picking himself up, went +on, "I have only arrived here to-day. My name is Jackson, and the +house I want to find is the one that was occupied by Mr. Drage; +perhaps you know it, and if you can give me a rough idea how to find +it I shall be very grateful, and I hope you will accept my sincere +apologies for having frightened you."</p> + +<p class="continue">As he spoke, the look of fear on his listener's face passed away. "Be +quiet, Flirt!" she said to the little dog, who kept alternately +growling and yapping to herself, and then, turning to Jackson: "Yes, +you did startle me at first. So you are Mr. Jackson. My husband--that +is, Dr. Smalley--said he met you to-day," and she smiled as if she was +thinking of something that amused her. "This," she continued with a +little wave of the hand, "is the school, and we live next door. If you +will kindly come in by that door to your left you can help me to shut +the musical box, and then I will take you right away to my husband, +and he will see you through the wilderness to your home." The slight +American accent in her voice lent her words a piquant charm, and it +was with a true American's ready resourcefulness that she carried on +the conversation with Jackson and attempted to take stock of him at +the same time as he stood outside, half in shadow and half in light.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It is very kind of you," said Peregrine gratefully, and he made +toward the door, delighted with the lucky accident that had brought +him this adventure. Nevertheless, the words "my husband" did not +please him. So this beautiful creature was Smalley's wife! "I wonder," +he muttered to himself, "if marriages are really made in heaven, why +they don't assort people better." There was, however, no more time for +regretful reflection, for the door was opened by his involuntary +hostess, and they walked up to the dais together. As Jackson closed +the organ Mrs. Smalley looked at him from under her long lashes, +and a faint colour stole into her cheeks. She stood by placidly, +however, holding a large hymn book in her hand and saying nothing. +When he had finished, she spoke: "Now you can carry the light and +come along--tchick, Flirtie!"</p> + +<p class="continue">And they went into the garden, Peregrine full of pleasure at being +ordered about in this unceremonious manner, and his companion walking +demurely beside him.</p> + +<p class="continue">A few steps brought them to the parsonage; the Reverend Habakkuk was +summoned from the interior and matters explained to him. He hospitably +pressed Jackson to stay and have some refreshment, but Peregrine +noticed an impatient look in his hostess's face and declined. Smalley +determined to lead Peregrine back himself, notwithstanding his +protestations that all he wanted was a few simple directions, and, +putting on a wide felt hat, turned to his wife, "I shall be back soon, +Ruys; do not wait for me."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good-night, Mrs. Smalley." For the life of him Peregrine could not +help throwing a shade of regret into the last words, and an odd light +came into his listener's eyes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good-night, Mr. Jackson. I am--we both are--<i>so</i> glad you <i>lost</i> your +way here. I trust you will in future be able to find it often." She +made a demure little courtesy as she said this in an even voice, and +Jackson and his host passed out of the house.</p> + +<p class="continue">She listened till the sound of their footsteps died away, and then +turning round to her dog picked it up and sat in a chair with the +little animal in her lap. "Flirt," she said, "I guess he's perfectly +luv-ly. There, you can go down now. I want to think." And she sat +leaning back in her easy-chair with a pleased expression on her face +until Habakkuk returned, and said, as he put down his hat:</p> + +<p class="continue">"A most excellent young man that, Ruys; I am afraid I misjudged +him sadly to-day," and the missionary, pulling a chair near his +wife, rubbed the palms of his hands together softly. "Remarkably +good-looking, too, don't you think?"</p> + +<p class="continue">She turned and looked him full in the face. "I don't think I've given +Mr. Jackson's looks a thought."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course not, of course not," said Habakkuk timidly, and began to +repeat the nervous rubbing of his hands together.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why of course not?"</p> + +<p class="continue">The calm tone in which this question was asked entirely upset Smalley; +he stopped his hand exercise, and, crossing one leg over his knee, +began to nurse it and sway slightly backward and forward. He did not +answer his wife's question, and she watched him for a moment, and in +her heart began to wonder how it was she had ever consented to marry +this lanky, shuffling creature before her. She knew his moral +character was irreproachable; if only his personal appearance were +more prepossessing. She had truly and honestly tried to do her duty as +his wife, but the chains of her bondage were beginning to gall. +Mentally she was far Smalley's inferior. She could not live in the +clear ether, in the pure air of his thoughts, and she was always +unconsciously dragging him down while making many an honest effort to +rise to his level. She had lived so quietly for so long a time that +the sudden and unconventional manner of her meeting with Jackson +had affected her powerfully. There was no denying that he was +good-looking, and she had drifted into a flirtation with him at sight +as naturally as a duck takes to the water. Oh, if life were only +different for her! she thought as she watched Smalley swinging himself +in his chair. The slow motion exasperated her; her nerves were at a +tension, and she said sharply:</p> + +<p class="continue">"Habakkuk, I wish you wouldn't fidget so! Can't you sit still anyhow, +like any other mortal? Do read, or do something. I want to think, and +my head is aching."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course, of course," assented the missionary, and a furious light +gleamed in his wife's eyes, which, fortunately for him, Habakkuk did +not observe. He was a man slow of thought, and it was only after a +little time that he began to realize that his wife had said she was in +pain. He looked at her softly from his calm blue eyes, and then, +putting forth his hand, laid it gently on hers. Ruys received the +caress passively. Then Habakkuk was emboldened, and he tried to draw +her toward him. She evaded him, however, by a deft turn of the +shoulder, and, rising, walked to a table in the room, and picking up a +heavy Bible placed it before her husband, as she said primly:</p> + +<p class="continue">"It is getting very late. I think you had better read a chapter before +going to bed."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.05" href="#div1Ref_1.05">"FURIIS AGITATUS AMOR."</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Belike for her, a royal crown<br> +I'd wager to a penny piece.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Old Play</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">As Jackson and his guide left the gates of the parsonage Peregrine +struggled with a temptation to look back over his shoulder. Finally he +gave in with a sense of shame at his weakness, and then was +unreasonably irritated to find that no shadowy figure behind the +tinkling bead screen before the open window watched their passage down +the moonlit road. The result was that for the first few hundred yards +of their walk there was very little talk, for Peregrine's silence +discouraged all the missionary's attempts at conversation. Suddenly +the whole countryside seemed to be filled with the flashing light of +gems. A blaze of jewelled glory came and vanished in a moment, and +then appeared again in all its fairy beauty to slip away as swiftly as +before.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What on earth is that?" asked Peregrine, moved out of his reserve at +the sight.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Bugs," replied Habakkuk, "fire-bugs. They're pretty lively to-night, +anyhow. Each one with the little lantern God has given him. They don't +make a real show, however, because of the moon."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course," said Peregrine, "I might have known they were fireflies, +but it all came so suddenly, and I had no idea the sight was so +perfectly beautiful," and he pointed to the millions of little lights +twinkling through the night.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I guess so, Mr. Jackson; just as if all the little stars had come +down to earth and hung themselves out on the trees to dry." The +constraint with which the walk began now vanished, and Smalley took +the opportunity to read Jackson a lecture on the subject of health, +summing up with these words, "I am speaking as a medical man now, Mr. +Jackson; you must remember to take care of No. 1--that is, of +yourself. This is a most treacherous climate, and I have known many +men stronger even than you look fall before it like withered leaves. +Take a quinine pill daily, and always wear flannel next to your skin. +I don't do it myself, but then I'm a seasoned vessel. Ah! here we are +at your gate."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Do come in, Dr. Smalley?" and Jackson held the wicket invitingly +open.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, no, thanks," replied Habakkuk. "Pooh, man! Don't thank me for +showing you the way a few yards. Good-night! I must get back, for my +wife is sure to be waiting for me."</p> + +<p class="continue">The last words jarred on Jackson, and he felt all his old feelings +returning as he shook hands with his guide, who turned and shuffled +off into the moonlight. When Jackson had got about a third of the way +down to his own door, however, he heard his name shouted out by +Habakkuk.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What is it?" he called out as he hastened back.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Only this--don't forget about the flannel and the quinine. +Good-night!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Confound him!" and the angry young man turned on his heel and entered +the house. It was very fairly late now, and Jackson had worked himself +again into a thoroughly excited frame of mind. Ah-Geelong devoted +himself to making his master comfortable for the night, and as the +slippered Galahad sat in an easy-chair trying to collect himself and +gather together the fragments of resolve to attack the pile of papers +he saw on the table in his study, he heard the angry fizz of a +soda-water bottle and the hissing of its contents as it was poured +into a long tumbler and placed beside him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What <i>are</i> you doing, Ah-Geelong?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Allee masters dlinkee peg--peg him keep off fever. Dlinkee peg and go +sleep," and Ah-Geelong almost lit up the room with the shining row of +teeth he displayed. It was impossible to be angry, but Jackson told +the man to go, and he went, wondering, perhaps, wherein he had done +wrong.</p> + +<p class="continue">Peregrine rose from his seat and went to his study. But over the file +before him flirted the outlines of the face he had seen. "Ruys," he +murmured to himself, repeating the name by which he had heard her +called, and it almost seemed to him that she replied, and that he +heard the melody of her voice again. The far-off shadows of the room +gathered to themselves form and substance, and as he leaned back idly +there rose before him the vision of the dimly lighted school hall and +that golden head bending slightly over the music. He had never been in +love, and he gave himself up for the moment to the fascination of +dreaming over the face he had seen. This was what inspired the knights +of old. He stretched out his strong right arm and almost felt that he +held a lance in rest. What would he not give to know that this +peerless woman was his own? How he would work and labour! But a few +short hours ago he was bowing at the shrine of a lofty ideal that was +to carry him through life, at that invisible glory which strengthened +his shrinking heart and nerved him to the highest for duty's sake. And +all this was gone. The old god was dethroned in a moment, and the soft +notes of a woman's voice, the touch of her hand, a glance from her +eyes, and the past was rolled up like a scroll.</p> + +<p class="continue">"My God," he said, "can this be love?" It never struck him that he had +unconsciously appealed to that Godhead in whom he thought he had no +belief. He was not able to think of that then--of how in a moment of +trial the doubting soul turns instinctively to cling for support to +that ethereal essence we call the Creator, and endows it with a living +faculty to hear and to answer. Surely this spontaneous appealing to a +higher power is something more than the mere force of habit. It +springs from the heart pure as the snows of Everest, genuine and true. +And this is the instinct which is not taken into account in the +mathematical reasoning of the atheist; the touch of fire that would +enlighten him out of his darkness is wanting. He will allow the +instinct which tells an animal of his danger, which signals to him a +friend; but to man, the highest of all animals, will he deny the +instinct of the soul which shouts aloud to him the existence of God.</p> + +<p class="continue">And the answer to Peregrine's question came unspoken, but he felt it +ringing within him. Yes, and a hot flush of shame went over him as he +thought of another man's wife. "It will not be! it shall not be!" he +said, and he fought with himself as a strong man can fight. He fought +with the devil that tempted until he saw the light of the morning star +pale in the east and a pink flush steal into the sky; and then, being +utterly wearied, he lay down and slept a dreamful sleep. It seemed to +him that he was standing beside his own body and watching a dark +stream trickle slowly, slowly from his heart. Around him were misty +figures whom he could not recognise, and he lay there very still and +silent. Suddenly there was a flash of golden hair, and a woman robed +in white stooped and kissed him on the forehead, and as she rose he +knew the glorious beauty of her face, and then he awoke.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.06" href="#div1Ref_1.06">ANTHONY POZENDINE SPEAKS UP.</a></h3> +<div class="poem2"> +<p class="t0">Hark unto me! Myself will weave the plot<br> +Close as the spider's web, with threads as fine.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Old Play</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Anthony Pozendine, the half-caste head clerk of the district office of +Pazobin, had evidently something on his mind. He sat at his desk amid +a heap of files, over which his head just appeared, and every now and +again his squeaky voice rose in petulant complaint or censure of one +of his subordinates.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Here, Mr. Pillay, can't you add, eh? You make out four hundred cases +tried last quarter, and seven hundred convictions! Sshoo!" And he +flung a file across the room at the unfortunate Mr. Pillay, who +stooped and, picking it up humbly, went on with his work.</p> + +<p class="continue">Through the half-open door of the office the buzz of voices from the +court room came in, and occasionally a peon would enter with a request +for Pozendine to see either Hawkshawe or Jackson. When it was to see +Jackson, Anthony obeyed with a resigned air and a certain amount of +pleasure, because he knew he was being sent for to remove some +difficulty of routine which the new chief felt, and this would raise +him in the eyes of his subordinate clerks, and make them think the +power of Pozendine was great in the land. When it was to see +Hawkshawe, Anthony's thin legs trembled under him, and he went with an +outside assumption of dignity but a great fear in his heart, and when +he returned there was generally an explosion of some kind. Hawkshawe +had already sent for him four times to-day, and Anthony's temper was +in shreds. He had just taken a fair sheet of foolscap, folded it +lengthwise, and written in a clerkly hand across the half margin near +the top "Memo. for orders," when again the messenger entered with a +request from Hawkshawe, that was practically an order, to see him at +once. "Damn!" said Anthony so loudly that the ten busy heads in the +room bobbed up from among the heaps of papers in which they were +buried, and ten scared faces looked at Anthony in alarm. Ten pairs of +eyes were fixed upon him with anxious inquiry in their gaze, and the +magnetic effect of this made the head clerk cough nervously and very +nearly upset the inkstand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Are you coming?" said the messenger in an insolent tone, as he stood +in an easy attitude before Anthony and inserted a piece of betel +between his teeth.</p> + +<p class="continue">Anthony glared at him. "I'm coming," he said. "Go 'way," and then he +turned on his assistants.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Wot are you all looking at, eh? Wasting time this way and that way. +Think gov'ment pays you to sit in your chairs and look about! Here +you, Mr. Rozario, you joined office a last-grade clerk two years ago, +you're a last-grade clerk now, you'll leave it a last grade, I think. +G'long and work--plentee of work--if not, I will reduce +establishment."</p> + +<p class="continue">Ten heads sank back into their papers, and the little man, seizing a +file in his hand, walked slowly out with becoming dignity, his heart, +however, full of combined fear and anger.</p> + +<p class="continue">He was absent for fully half an hour, and the clerks once or twice +distinctly heard the strident tones of Hawkshawe's voice echoing along +the long passage, through the court where Jackson sat, and into the +room where they worked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Big row on," remarked Mr. Rozario to no one in particular. "Pozendine +ketching it warm, warm."</p> + +<p class="continue">Finally the head clerk reappeared, but he came back with hasty steps +and a face in which green predominated over its habitually yellow +tinge. There were two blue lines to mark his lips, and his hands +shivered over his papers as he stood at his desk in an irresolute sort +of way. Finally he could contain himself no longer, and turned to his +chief assistant.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mr. Iyer," said he, "am I head clerk of the district office or head +clerk of the police office, eh? Answer me, eh?"</p> + +<p class="continue">The stout Madrassee clerk looked at a fellow, who looked at another, +and then, as if by one impulse, the whole room arose and crowded +around Pozendine.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Am I," repeated Anthony, "head clerk of the district office or of the +police office?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"You're chief clerk," hazarded Mr. Rozario.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," assented Anthony, "I am the chief clerk. I have served gov'ment +twentee-four years, and now Mr. Hawkshawe he sends for me and tells me +before a menial servant that I know nothing. Why, I taught four deputy +commissioners their work! Who writes revenue report? Who writes notes +on crops? Who makes tabular statements? Who drafts to commissioner and +revises administration report? Who attends to district roads? Who sees +to cess collections, budget work, record and despatch, stamps and +stationery, office routine and discipline, eh? Who? Who? Who? And now +Mr. Hawkshawe he sends for me to look over Mr. Drage's report on +police. 'Pozendine,' he says, 'you're a damfool'--call me, Anthony +Pozendine, head clerk of the district, <i>damfool!</i> 'Sir,' I said, +'that's Mr. Drage's order,' and he say, 'You ought to have been able +to tell Mr. Drage what to write.' 'See,' he say, 'now that Mr. Drage +has gone on leave nothing can be done about this, and it will give +beastly trouble--and now be off with you, infernal idiot!' <i>Damfool +and infernal idiot!</i> I will report to commissioner at once by wire +through assistant commissioner and resign. Now you go on with your +work." He flung himself down into his seat and began to scribble a +long complaint to Jackson about the treatment he had received from +Hawkshawe. There was much irrelevant matter in it, and his pen fairly +hissed along the paper. While he was thus engaged the Madrassee clerk +Iyer rose softly and, stealing toward Pozendine, whispered in his ear. +It was like one devil tempting another, and Anthony's face was +perfectly satanic in its expression of glee as he listened.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Plenty witness--Ma Mie's sister my wife," murmured Iyer, and his +yellow eyes twinkled like two evil stars. Pozendine nodded his head. +"Ah, ha! Mr. Hawkshawe, you call me damfool--I will brand you dam' +blaggard!" he hissed out aloud as his busy fingers travelled over the +paper and Iyer went back to his seat.</p> + +<p class="continue">The Madrassee watched his superior keenly from his chair, and a wicked +smile stole over his features as he half expressed his thoughts. +"Pozendine will get sack, and I will become chief clerk." He then +placidly put up a memo. for orders on the subject of the wasteful +extravagance in blue pencil indulged in by the district engineer.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">"I can not stand that beast of a head clerk, Jackson," and Hawkshawe, +flinging himself into a chair, pulled out a long brown-leather cheroot +case and extracted a gigantic cheroot therefrom.</p> + +<p class="continue">Peregrine looked up as he said slowly: "Why not? He seems a decent +sort of fellow--all nerves, though, I expect, but most men of his +class are. But what has he been doing to upset you?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, nothing in particular, only I don't like him; can't help it, +perhaps, but I hate him like poison. Why don't you get rid of the +brute? He's been too long here. Is a sort of power in the place, and +owns property. That's the sort of man who gets his palm greased, you +know."</p> + +<p class="continue">"It's a very serious matter to punish a man for a fault you think he's +going to commit. Still, as you say, he has too much power; but that +can be remedied without resorting to anything like the measures you +suggest."</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe shrugged his broad shoulders. "As you please; but if the +crash comes, don't say I didn't warn you. However, I didn't come to +talk to you about this, but to ask you if you think it wise to have so +much money at Yeo. There's close on a hundred thousand there, and the +engineer on the famine works a native, too."</p> + +<p class="continue">"What can be done? There is a strong guard, I believe?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, twenty men, and old Serferez Ali, my inspector, commands them. +He's the best man in the service. Still, I think you had better bring +in the money."</p> + +<p class="continue">"You think there is any danger?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Absolutely none that I know of at present; but old Bah Hmoay has been +so quiet of late that I'm afraid mischief is brewing, and one never +knows what may happen."</p> + +<p class="continue">"We have, then, two alternatives before us--either to bring in the +money or the greater part of it here, and send it out as it is wanted, +exposing it to the danger of being stuck up, to use a slang phrase, on +its passage, or to increase the police guard. Have we the men?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," he said, "I can spare thirty men on Saturday, and will send +them up then. With fifty men Serferez Ali could hold out against ten +thousand dacoits."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Very well, so be it."</p> + +<p class="continue">"That's settled, then. Hola! what have we here, a <i>billet-doux?</i>" and +Hawkshawe held between his finger and thumb the gray envelope he had +taken from the messenger who brought it into the room and handed it to +Peregrine. "Is the fair Ruys asking you to dinner?"</p> + +<p class="continue">For the life of him Jackson could not help the hot blood rushing to +his face, and there was something inexpressibly galling in Hawkshawe's +tone. "Excuse me," and he tore open the envelope. It was an invitation +to dine, and as he put it down Hawkshawe made a further remark that +stung him to the quick. He turned round upon his visitor and said +shortly, "Supposing we drop the subject or drop each other."</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe stared at him, and then, pulling his cheroot slowly from his +mouth, apologized awkwardly. "Didn't mean to offend you, old chap--beg +pardon and all that--will come in and see if you can go out for a ride +later on."</p> + +<p class="continue">He clanked out of the room and left Jackson to himself. Peregrine +picked up the note and read it again, and there was again a struggle +within him. Should he face or flee the temptation? He felt that the +latter alternative was hardly possible, and then it would be cowardly. +No, he was going to deliberately try his strength against himself; the +battle should be fought out to the end. He would face the trouble and +he would conquer. He felt that the love that had sprung into being, +like Pallas, full armed, could only be conquered by grappling it by +the throat. He could not run from himself, and he would not if he +could. So he wrote a few lines accepting the invitation, and then, +deliberately tearing Ruys's letter up into the smallest fragments, +turned to his files and plodded on steadily. He must have worked in +this way for at least a couple of hours when an unaccountable feeling +told him there was some one in the room. He looked up, but saw no one, +and was just about to turn to his work again when something was thrust +over his shoulder, and, turning round, he saw Anthony Pozendine.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What is it, Mr. Pozendine?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Anthony could hardly speak. He stammered out something about Mr. +Hawkshawe--abuse--damfool--and, placing his complaint on the table +before his chief, stood bolt upright at attention, for he was a +volunteer.</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson patiently read every line of the four pages of foolscap, and +then turned gravely on Anthony.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mr. Pozendine, you are on very dangerous ground. If your story about +the abuse is true, you have perhaps a little cause of complaint; but +as for the rest, it is absurd. Do you know what you are saying about +Mr. Hawkshawe?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, sir. It is true. I will go into court and swear; so also will +Mr. Iyer."</p> + +<p class="continue">Peregrine touched a bell. "Send Mr. Iyer here," he said to the +messenger.</p> + +<p class="continue">A minute after Mr. Iyer came. He stepped into the room briskly, seemed +a trifle surprised to see Anthony, but said nothing. "Mr. Iyer," said +Jackson, "Mr. Pozendine here says you are prepared to bear him out in +certain statements he makes. Perhaps, Mr. Pozendine, you had better +explain."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, sir," said Anthony, while the Madrassee's face assumed an +expression of the utmost concern.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You know what I have written here?" said Anthony.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No," replied Iyer, holding up a deprecating hand, "I know nothing."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Didn't Mr. Hawkshawe call me a damfool?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Every one say so, but I didn't hear. I know nothing."</p> + +<p class="continue">"The man is frightened, sir," said Anthony to Jackson.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There is no necessity to be frightened, Mr. Iyer; you can speak +freely."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Frightened!" said Mr. Iyer. "Why should I be frightened? I am an +honest man, of a large family, and will speak the truth."</p> + +<p class="continue">Anthony's face brightened up as he asked, "Didn't Mr. Hawkshawe take +money?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Iyoo!" exclaimed the Madrassee, flinging up his arms; "I never heard +these things. Sir, this man Pozendine is trying to get me into +trouble. He is my enemy since long time. He one big liar," and the +Madrassee shook a finger at Pozendine. "Mr. Hawkshawe take bribe! No, +not Mr. Hawkshawe, but Mr. Pozendine. He take bribe from Bah Hmoay and +Moung Sen over Dorian fruit--witness--all bazaar knows it. I will +bring four--five--one hundred witness. Sir, this one big scoundrel!"</p> + +<p class="continue">It was too much for Pozendine; his nerves had given way, and with a +scream he flung himself at Jackson's feet and grovelled there.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Pity!" he yelled; "I have twenty-four years' service--pardon!"</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">An hour later, when Hawkshawe came according to his word to see if +Jackson would go for a ride, he found Peregrine apparently idling +before his table.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ha! I see you've found nothing to do; come along."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I can't," said Peregrine; "I want to think out something."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, don't let that little affair of Pozendine's bother you. It didn't +happen in your time, you know. You'll get all the credit of finding +out about the bribery and corruption."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Do you know what has happened?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ain't I your Fouché? Are you coming?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, thanks. I must think this out."</p> + +<p class="continue">Hawkshawe turned and went, whistling gaily. Mounting his horse, he +galloped down a long embankment along the river face, and then, +reining in, stood apparently watching Pazobin robed in the glories +of a wondrous sunset. "By Jove!" he exclaimed, "I very nearly made an +ass of myself over that police guard. Anyhow, if this comes off, no +more of it; but Ma Mie is getting dangerous. My nerve is not what it +used to be, but--I must get rid of her at all risks. Damn that +straight-laced fool Jackson! He's always bringing back recollections +to me, and I, Alban Hawkshawe, can not afford to remember--to think +that my honour was once as clean as the palm of my hand, and now----"</p> + +<p class="continue">He put spurs to his waler, and galloped into the gray mist that +surrounded the forest.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">A week after, the big native rice boat that slowly made its way up the +river to Rangoon bore with it two passengers. One, seated among a heap +of brass pots and pans, surrounded by eatables, principally fruit, +could be recognised as Mr. Iyer; the other, who crouched on a coil of +rope, was Anthony Pozendine. Neither spoke to the other, but in their +eyes was a sullen hatred which showed what their thoughts were, and if +either had the courage there would have been murder on the big boat +that worked its sluggish way upstream. One morning, however, the +Madrassee spoke to his companion.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We are both ruined, Pozendine," he said. "What will you do?" Anthony +made no answer, and Iyer went on. "There is only one chance--let us +join together in Rangoon and tell all about Hawkshawe. We know true +things, and government will give us back our posts. I swear by Krishna +that I will be true; give me your hand."</p> + +<p class="continue">Pozendine stretched out his sticky fingers, and the hands of the two +men met. Then they sat together and talked all day as if there never +had been any enmity between them, planning the coup which was to get +them back their post, with a mental reservation that when this was +accomplished there was yet another account to settle.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.07" href="#div1Ref_1.07">THE RUBY BRACELET.</a></h3> +<div class="poem2"> +<p class="t0">Once was my shield as white as driven snow,<br> +Once was mine honour clean, and I, a man,<br> +Could gaze upon my fellows, meet their eyes<br> +With eyes as honest--but all that is past.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Old Play</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">"See," said Ma Mie, holding her arm to the light and displaying the +splendour of the bracelet, "is it not beautiful, Hawkshawe?" The pale +amber of her silken robe fell partially on the jewels as she said +this, and flinging it back with a graceful gesture Ma Mie again raised +the soft outline of her arm, and with lips half parted gazed upon the +red glow of the rubies with a childish delight. They were standing +near a window of Hawkshawe's house, at the very window from which the +light streamed out, a long banner of brightness, when Jackson went +back from his solitary ramble on the jetty. The glare that dazzled +outside fell softly through the bamboo <i>jalousie</i>, and warmed the +scarlet of the rubies on Ma Mie's arm to a thousand different tints.</p> + +<p class="continue">A curious steely blaze came into Hawkshawe's eyes, and the wrinkles +around them gathered into deeper folds as he bent over the gems. For +the time the look of avarice in his features gave them a wondrously +Jewish cast. His aquiline nose seemed to fall over his lips, and the +lips themselves tightened into a long, hard outline. He gently +unclasped the bracelet and held it in his hand, then he tossed it +lightly in the air, and as it fell back like a star he caught it +deftly. "The stones are of the purest water, Ma Mie, but I alone have +the right to clasp them on you. Let me do so now." He fastened the +jewel once more on her. "Now," he said, "they look perfect--now that I +have put them on you myself, and you can feel that they have come from +me. Is it not so?" He drew her toward himself, while all the time his +eyes remained fixed on the gems with a terrible greed in their +expression. She remained as he had placed her, her head leaning +against his shoulder and her eyes half closed. "Shall I break it to +her?" muttered Hawkshawe. "It has to be done very soon, and might be +done now." They remained for a moment silent. "Ma Mie," said +Hawkshawe, "would you be very sorry if I were to go away for a short +time?"</p> + +<p class="continue">She looked up at him with a startled air and drew back. "You go away; +you are not ill, are you? Yes, I think you are ill. You were ill that +night when that man Jackson came to dine here and cast his spell on +you. You have never been well since. At night I have heard you call +out strange things. Yes, if you like, we will go away--you and I, to +Ava; it is cool and pleasant there, and you will get well. You want +rest, and you are tired. Is it not so? You said so that night." The +woman seemed to know of the evil that hung over her, and was making a +desperate fight. All the pleasure that had brightened her face left +it, and left it in a moment haggard and wan. She had expected this +crisis a hundred times, and a hundred times nothing had come. Still, +the feeling that she was on the brink of a precipice never left her. +She knew that some day would come to her, as it came to all women of +her class, that parting which left the man free as air and the woman +in reality still in an abyss. This spectre was always in shadow before +her, unseen but felt, and now--she knew that it was coming--she gave a +quick gasp after her speech and waited.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, Ma Mie," said Hawkshawe, and he threw a very tender inflection in +his voice. "No, we can not go together this time. I want to go home to +my own country. I have not seen it for many years. I will come back +again, and in the meantime you must wait for me at your home. You have +money. This"--he touched the bracelet on the shuddering arm--"and +other things. Besides, I will see that you have more. I intend to go +in about a month, and it would be well if you were to start for Ava +in, say, a fortnight. Bah Hmoay will take you--or shall I send for +some of your people? There, don't cry!" He tried to draw her again +toward him, but she broke from his arms with an angry sob.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You! you! you! To do this!" she gasped. "You, the father of my dead +child! You, who vowed and swore--you, who came with humble entreaty to +me! Oh, I was a fool, a fool! All women are fools, and all men liars! +Do you think my heart is a stone? Have I not been faithful? Ah, +Hawkshawe, do not send me away! See, I will follow you as a slave to +the uttermost parts of the earth. Don't go; I know you are not coming +back--don't," and she sank on her knees with a cry that came from the +soul. It would have melted any heart but Alban Hawkshawe's.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Confound it!" he said, pulling savagely at his mustache, "I must end +this somehow.--Look here, Ma Mie, look at the matter sensibly; don't +be a fool."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Fool!" and she sprang up--"fool! Yes, I am a fool to have trusted +you--trust a liar to lie!" and she laughed bitterly. "See, I have +given you my all, I have given my soul for you, worthless as you are, +and you are mine. You say you are going for a short time and that you +will come back to me. You lie, and you know it! You never mean to +come back. To think that you should perjure yourself at such a +moment! You are mine, I say; I have paid too great a price for you. +Where you go, I am; where you live, there shall I be. We shall never +part--never--until that which we call death comes between us!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Be sensible! I will give you plenty."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ah, heart of stone! It is nothing but gold with you. Yes, I will buy +you. Here, take this. Is it a fair price?" and, unclasping the +bracelet, she tossed it to him with an imperial gesture, and it fell +with a tinkling crash on the polished wood of the floor. Hawkshawe +paled to an ashy gray. He raised his hand as if to strike the proud +face before him, but his eyes sank as he met Ma Mie's fearless gaze, +and his hand slowly drooped again. Then he stooped and picked up the +bracelet. "It is worth ten thousand," he murmured to himself, and the +elvish light in his eyes answered the wicked sparkle of rubies in his +hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">Gathering up her robe, Ma Mie stepped out of the room with a breaking +heart and head held erect and defiant, and when Hawkshawe looked up he +was alone. He slipped the jewel into his pocket, and, going to a +side-table, poured himself out a glass of brandy, and then another and +another, and while he stood near the table drinking feverishly Ma Mie +watched him through the curtain from the door of her room, her hand +clasping the jade hilt of the stiletto she wore at her girdle.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ah!" she thought aloud, "I could kill him now as he soddens himself +with drink. But he is mine, and---- Oh, the shame of it! I love him! +He is mine, and will remain mine if I have to drag his soul to hell!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.08" href="#div1Ref_1.08">THE SIRKAR'S SALT.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Have I not eaten the Sirkar's salt?</p> +<p class="t1">Wherefore then shall I tell a lie?</p> +<p class="t0">Wherefore lie? Nay, mine oath is true,</p> +<p class="t1">True as above us spreads the sky.</p> +<p class="t0">We lost, but a traitor hand was there,</p> +<p class="t0">And the soldier fell in the liar's snare.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Lays of the Punjab</i>.</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">Loo-ga-lay said it was only a mistake, but the childlike innocence of +his face, his oaths and protestations, the twenty hired witnesses he +brought to prove him guiltless availed him not, and the richly +deserved three months' "rigorous" was duly awarded. With the giving of +this sentence, the details of which are of no account, the official +programme of the day was over, and Peregrine free from office routine +until Monday morning. He was to see Ruys this afternoon, and her face +appeared to flit before him and his heart bowed down to the vision; +but he set his teeth and put away the thoughts that came whether he +would or not. Was he not measuring the strength of his soul or will, +as he would have called it, against the strength of his passion? +He was going to pit the ideal against the real, and to his strong +young heart the struggle could have but one issue. He knew--none +better--that he was running a desperate risk, but there was no doubt +in his mind that the danger had to be faced, and there was a curious +pleasure in facing the danger. And all this war, which was to make or +mar him, was to be silently fought out in the drawing-room of a very +pretty woman. He found her there, looking the picture of repose, her +little dog coiled snugly at her feet, and a yellow-backed novel before +her. She put the book down with a smile as he came in, and held out +her hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am so glad to see you, Mr. Jackson. You must be horrified to see +me, a parson's wife, reading a yellow-back; but it is Armorel of +Lyonesse, and books like that make one feel good, do they not? One +seems to want so much support to keep on the straight path through +life."</p> + +<p class="continue">He picked up the volume from the table.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," he said, "Armorel was a woman who would have made any man +great. She was one to die for."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Or to live for, don't you think? I should certainly not like the man +I loved to die for me."</p> + +<p class="continue">A subtle inflection of the voice made him almost start as he looked +up, but the gray deep of her eyes was pure and unruffled. "I would +rather," she continued, "die for the man I loved. I think women were +made for sacrifice."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't you think that men are capable of it?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of sacrificing women--yes. Is it not done daily? Look at that man in +this book--what do they call him? Ah, yes, Roland--Roland Lee. What a +worthless wretch he was, to what an abyss he sank! Did not Armorel +fling herself away on him? Is it not a terrible thing for a man to +bind a pure woman to him, knowing that she must find out things that +tell her her idol has feet of clay? Oh, yes! the woman builds herself +such castles in the air, and how they crumble and fade!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"And does this never happen to man?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"I don't think so. I don't think that a man ever loves in the sense +that a woman wishes to be loved." She bent forward and took the book +from his hand as she spoke.</p> + +<p class="continue">The touch of her fingers almost made his limbs tremble as he put down +with a mighty effort the rush of words that came to his lips. He said +quietly enough, however, "I do not think you judge us fairly, and you, +at any rate, have nothing to complain of." Not a muscle of her face +moved as she folded the book, held half open in her hand, and placed +it in a small wickerwork basket that stood on a table near her. Over +this she cast a piece of embroidery work, and a moment after her +husband entered the room. He greeted Peregrine cordially, and then, +disjointing himself, sank into a chair with a weary look in his eyes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Are you feeling very tired?"</p> + +<p class="continue">How the worn look passed from the man's face at his wife's question! +"No, Ruys; tired--not a bit of it." Peregrine cut in here and asked if +it was not an off day with the mission schools. "Yes, and that's the +worst of it. It means that on Monday one has to start fresh again. +Satan takes a long pull on Saturday and Sunday, and these Burmans seem +to have a natural affinity for him."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I suppose I should hardly say it to you, but it seems to me we are +beginning at the wrong end. We are giving these people the Gospel +before they have been put in a state to understand it. How can they +understand the greatest of all mysteries, which even we--I say it with +all deference--do not understand?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"'Knock, and it shall be opened,'" quoted Habakkuk. "Mr. Jackson, I +was once as you are, searching for a light, groping about in darkness +and----"</p> + +<p class="continue">The flutelike voice of Mrs. Smalley intervened. "Come, and finish your +speech in the garden. I have had my tea-table set out there, and it +looks as if it were expecting us. Come along, Mr. Jackson, and come, +husband."</p> + +<p class="continue">She put her hand slightly on Habakkuk's shoulder as she said these +words, and the face of the priest shone with a great joy; but +underneath the long lashes of her eyes she glanced softly on +Peregrine. Jackson's honest heart rebelled against this; he felt that +there was a double game being played, felt it indistinctly, but still +that perception gave him a little extra strength, as if there was a +flaw in the chain that bound him. Yet the thought was horribly +disloyal to this peerless woman, to impute to her the motives of a +common flirt, and it was with a conflict within a conflict in his +heart that he took his seat on the rustic bench near the tea-table and +watched the white hands of his hostess as she busied herself over the +delicate teacups. Habakkuk declined to sit down. He helped himself to +a huge slice of cake, and, holding this in one hand and his tea in the +other, paced up and down ready to carry on the discussion. He cut a +half-moon out of the cake with an enormous, bite, and, waving the +remnants in the air, resumed his speech. "Wal, as I was saying, I was +searching for a light. I had not then received my call to the +ministry, and while hunting for food for the soul was compelled to +shift round considerable for food for the body. I had taken my medical +degrees, but the Lord was good to the folk of Derringerville, and they +flourished and were strong. Hence I concluded to betake me down south, +and near the Sierra Blanca found an ideal spot for a doctor. There +were thousands of typhoid microbes in every square inch of air--in +fact, it was where typhoid had its office--but the inhabitants were +spry. At first they died rather than call me in, but Elder Bullin, a +real smart man he was, convoked the estates one day, and then a +deputation waited on me--there was Calvin Snipe, Dacotah Dick, and the +elder himself. They drank the half bottle of whisky I had left, and +then put the matter squarely to me. I was to be paid a thumping good +salary as doctor to the town. If any one was ill, however, the salary +should cease until he was well again or died; the committee was to +decide in the latter event if I had done my best, and, if the decision +was favourable, arrears would be paid me on the first clean bill of +health. I was, however, bound down for five years, and, seeing I was +on the hard pan, they offered to pay down an advance. I rose to the +situation, papers were signed then and there, and Dacotah Dick paid me +my advance on the nail. Next day the whole place was down with fever, +and I went to work--had to take off my coat to it. There was, of +course, no pay for me, but I had the advance, and rubbed along on +that. By-and-bye the money dwindled away, and I was once more +stranded. I applied for more, but was sternly refused. I then +suggested resigning, and Calvin Snipe pulled out his six-shooter and +asked if I could read the maker's name on it for him. Wal, things were +looking very blue, so one fine night I----"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good gracious! Here is Mr. Hawkshawe, and half a dozen men with him. +I wonder what the matter can be? He is coming straight up to us." And, +sure enough, there was Hawkshawe riding into the gate with a tail of +policemen behind him. He halted the men with a quick order, and, +dismounting, walked rapidly across the lawn toward the tea drinkers, +accompanied by one who appeared from his dress to be a subaltern +police officer. The man was travel-stained and bespattered with mud, +and he held one arm tightly to his side as he leaned heavily on a long +curved sword as if to support himself.</p> + +<p class="continue">"How are you, Mrs. Smalley? Very sorry to interrupt your tea party, +but this is pressing business.--Good afternoon, doctor.--Look here, +Jackson, they've looted the treasury at Yeo. Here is Serferez Ali, my +inspector, who will tell you all about it--and great news, too, with +the bad. I think we have that scoundrel Bah Hmoay redhanded at last. I +heard you were here, and stopped on my way to tell you. I have, of +course, made an official report; you will find that the garrison was +weakened on the strength of a forged order from me--the order is with +my report."</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson was struck dumb for a moment by the enormity of the disaster; +he found voice, however, to ask if the whole of the money had been +stolen, and if Bah Hmoay had been arrested.</p> + +<p class="continue">"The money's all gone," said Hawkshawe, "and Bah Hmoay isn't arrested, +but he will be, I hope, in twenty-four hours. In the meantime I've +placed a watch on the pagoda, and now there is not a moment to lose. +Stay"--he bent and whispered a few words in Jackson's ear, and then +with a hasty good-bye turned and went off. When Hawkshawe had gone +Jackson turned to the inspector and asked him to briefly detail what +had happened. Dr. Smalley's knowledge of the language was of great +help at this moment, and Serferez Ali, presenting the hilt of his +sword for Jackson to touch, began:</p> + +<p class="continue">"I beg to represent that I was placed in charge of the money at the +sub-treasury at Yeo with a guard of twenty men. Night and day the +proper watch was kept. I have served the Sirkar for thirty years, and +was I going to neglect this? On the night before last Moung Sen, the +letter carrier, brought me a letter from Hawkshawe Sahib. That letter +has been sent to you with the Sahib's report. It was a forgery, as +Hawkshawe Sahib's letter will show; but I am a man little skilled in +writing, and I obeyed. Ten of our men were ordered back next morning +to Pazobin, as a disturbance was expected there, according to the +letter. In the morning I sent back the ten men and told the engineer +Babu what had happened, and said that until the guard came back +payments should not be made, as there were not enough men to attend to +these duties. The Babu sat down to write to you about it, and I +determined with the few men I had to double my precautions. There was +a bright moon that night, and during the day I had the trees near the +treasury gate cut down, so that men might not steal upon us unawares. +At eleven that night, after going my rounds, I sat down to my meal +with Hashim Khan, a fellow-countryman of mine from the Punjab. As we +sat down before the fire a shot was fired, and Hashim fell forward on +his face a dead man. Then I heard the sentries coming back, and I knew +the dacoits had attacked the treasury. There were nine men besides +myself, and we answered the fire of the dacoits; but presently the +woodwork of the building blazed up, and we, being choked with the +smoke, had to come forth, having Beni Sing and Jowahir dead, and +another, a man from Amritsur, was burned in the flames. Then we seven +who were left formed in a ring, and the dacoits closed in upon us. +With mine own eyes I saw Bah Hmoay, the priest, leading them on, and +struck at him twice, but God preserves him to die at the end of a +halter, and Moung Sen was there too, leading the robbers on. I will +swear that I saw them, for the light of the burning building was as +day. And we fought until all died, one by one, except myself, and I +too had died but that fate preserves me to see Bah Hmoay pass to hell, +and, making a dash into the darkness, I escaped. I travelled all the +rest of the night and all day, only meeting Hawkshawe Sahib an hour +ago----"</p> + +<p class="continue">He swayed gently backward as he said this, and Smalley caught him as +he was falling. "He is wounded, I fear, and must be seen to at once."</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.09" href="#div1Ref_1.09">HIS LADY'S GAGE.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Belle Mabel gathered a blood-red rose,<br> +To give to her own true knight.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>The Ballade of the Rose</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">There was a price on Bah Hmoay's head, and if Moung Sen had come +within the pale of the law it would have gone hard with him. Their +stronghold in Pazobin was now a thing, of the past, for the pagoda was +watched night and day, and every little township and village was +placarded with a minute description of the robber priest and his +lieutenant. When Hawkshawe dashed out in pursuit, after the first news +of the robbery, he meant death to Father Fragrance. He was well aware +of the truth of the proverb that dead men tell no tales, and assuredly +Bah Hmoay would have found Nirvana if Hawkshawe had met him. The +policeman made a forced march all that night, and in the early gray of +the morning was at Yeo. He scoured the country for miles, and one by +one the dacoits fell into his hands. And when, three weeks later, he +was recalled to headquarters by an urgent letter from Jackson, there +were but two left of the Knights of the Silk Cotton Tree--two of the +ten who had taken the water of the oath--namely, the reverend priest +and the Red Diamond. It is true that there were a number of others who +had joined in the assault on the sub-treasury, and who, if caught, +would have paid for their crime with their lives; but these ten formed +the regular gang, and now eight of them were taken alive and two were +hunted men. Old Serferez Ali recovered from his wound, which was after +all but slight, took Hawkshawe's place on the track, and vowed by the +prophet's head that Hashim's death should be revenged tenfold, for was +not Hashim of Gugar Khan his father's nephew's cousin on the sister's +side? Moreover, he was a friend, and it was not the law that would +avenge his death, but Serferez Ali himself, who had learned many ways +of doing this. Serferez swore that they should not hang until he had +satisfied himself; the law could then work its will on what remained +of them, and the grim old man, hollow-eyed and gaunt, was relentless +in his pursuit. Information came to him somehow, and it was only the +impassable jungles that saved the criminals from his vengeance. +Hawkshawe was puzzled and annoyed at Jackson's letter recalling him to +headquarters. He had been working splendidly when this sudden stoppage +came. It will be remembered, however, that it was no ordinary interest +that spurred him on. The priest knew too much, and Hawkshawe's one +hope was to seal his lips forever, for now that he was hunted in this +way there was no knowing to what the dacoit might turn and cling for +safety, and it was in his power to do incalculable harm to, if not to +ruin, Hawkshawe. And therefore it was galling to think that, after +all, his prey had escaped him. As he rode back he pulled out and read +the official letter he had received and thrust angrily into his breast +pocket. There was nothing in it but an urgent request to come back at +once. "Confound him!" said Hawkshawe, "he might have written a line to +tell me what it was about." And it was with rage in his heart that he +rode into his house and, flinging the reins to his groom, went +upstairs. A big envelope marked "Urgent" was on the table, and Ma Mie +was there, with a troubled look on her face. As he came in she could +contain herself no longer, and with a cry flung herself on his breast +and called out:</p> + +<p class="continue">"They have found out! they have found out! Fly, Hawkshawe!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"What the devil does this all mean?" said Hawkshawe angrily, and yet +with a sickening foreboding in his heart. He snatched up the great +brown envelope and read with whitening lips. It was, in brief, an +order from government suspending him pending certain inquiries that +were to be made, and adding as a rider that he was not to leave +Pazobin until the final orders of the governor had been communicated +to him. He did not notice a small note that dropped out from the +official inclosure, but Ma Mie stooped and, picking it up, handed it +to him. It contained a few lines from Peregrine telling him to keep up +heart; that he, Jackson, was sure the charges were trumped up and +would fall to the ground. The letter closed with an earnest assurance +of sympathy and a brief intimation that his successor, Phipson, had +already arrived, and was of necessity staying with Jackson, there +being no other house available for him. The blow had fallen at last, +and fallen just as Hawkshawe had almost completed his most brilliant +departmental achievement. He guessed instinctively whose hands had +struck it--the wretched half-caste Pozendine and his former enemy Iyer +were leagued together in this. Perhaps they had no proofs, but that +was, after all, a straw to clutch at. He knew he was guilty, and for +the moment he was overcome. He sank back into a chair with an oath, +and his hand slid of its own accord to the butt of his revolver; but +Ma Mie was quick.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Not that way! not that way!" she cried as she clung to his wrist and +wrenched the weapon away from his after all not unwilling hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">But a still more terrible trial awaited Hawkshawe, and that was the +formal delivering over of his office to Phipson. He was treated with +the greatest consideration, but this sympathetic treatment only added +to the agony, though it was difficult to say who felt it most, honest +young Phipson, with his soft heart, or the proud and guilty man whose +place he had taken. When it was all over, Hawkshawe went back to his +house and shut himself up, going nowhere--not even to his garden +gate--doing nothing, but morosely sitting in his long cane chair +smoking and drinking.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It is too cruel of them not to let the poor man go away," said Mrs. +Smalley; and Habakkuk thought that if he were to go and see him +Hawkshawe might be cheered up a bit.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There is no use, doctor," said Jackson. "I went myself, but could +gain no admittance; perhaps it would be wiser to leave him alone. He +will come out of this trial all right, I hope----"</p> + +<p class="continue">"If ever he lives through it," said Phipson, and they all understood, +though no one spoke another word.</p> + +<p class="continue">Smalley now turned the conversation by speaking of a mission school he +had founded at Dagon, which had flourished in so remarkable a manner +that he almost thought it advisable to go and live there himself.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And leave Pazobin?" said Jackson. "Why, we couldn't do without you, +doctor."</p> + +<p class="continue">Habakkuk was flattered at the compliment, and explained that after all +it was only an idea that might never come to anything, and he and +Phipson strolled off together to look at some plants, for Phipson was +an amateur gardener and Smalley an enthusiast.</p> + +<p class="continue">Ruys and Jackson were, alone. "You surely do not think that Dr. +Smalley will move to Dagon?" he asked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why not?" was the reply. "If his work takes him there, and he feels a +call, he must go--and of course I."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I know," interrupted Jackson, "of course you will go also to aid and +help him." Their eyes met, and his fell before the limpid light in +hers.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course," she said slowly, "there is no other thing for me to do, +unless I were to stay here and look after what is left. There is much +to do, you know. And now take me to the garden. I want to see what +those two are looking at."</p> + +<p class="continue">It was a wilderness of a garden for all Smalley's care, and one might +easily have been lost in it. Side by side they walked down a pathway, +and in the far distance they caught a glimpse of Phipson and his host +poring over a row of flower pots. Jackson was about to keep straight +on, when Mrs. Smalley deliberately turned into a bypath, and he +followed her, admiring the perfect outline of her figure and the easy +grace of her walk. "Isn't this an odd place?" she said, as on taking a +turn they came upon what was evidently the ruin of an old temple. All +that remained, however, was the plinth and a single griffin of +monstrous size, that stood up above the shrubbery around it and glared +down upon the intruders. "Fancy if such things really lived," and she +dug the silver-mounted cane she carried into the plaster.</p> + +<p class="continue">"They did, I think, in the old days," replied Jackson. "It must have +been just such a monster who guarded Castle Dolorous and carried away +the White Lady to keep her a close prisoner."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And of course a youthful knight came and blew on a silver bugle, and +then there was a fight."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, and the knight won, and the fair lady gave him a gage to wear, +and perhaps----"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, never mind the perhaps--she gave him her gage, did she? What did +she give?" and as Ruys said this she loosened with her hand a bunch of +mignonette that was pinned to her dress.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, a ribbon or a kerchief, or maybe a flower, and the knight wore it +as a charm against all evil, and a light to guide him on his quest."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," she said dreamily, "the good old days--I would we were now in +them. I can not picture a knight in a tweed suit--can you? How would a +gage look on that?" and with a sudden movement of her hand she placed +the flowers against Peregrine's breast and held them there.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Will you let it rest there?" His voice sounded strange and hollow to +himself. Ruys bent forward and fastened the flowers in his coat slowly +and deliberately, standing close to him as she did this, and a mad +longing came over the man to clasp her to him, to ask her to put her +white arms round his neck and say she loved him, to tell her she was +loved with a love that could only end with his death. But he held out +somehow, God alone knows how, and when Ruys had pinned the flowers +over his heart she said softly:</p> + +<p class="continue">"There, that is my gage; remember, it is to be an amulet to guide you +to the right."</p> + +<p class="continue">The sweet scent of the mignonette floated around him, there was a +dreaming look in Ruys's face as she met his look, and now her eyes +fell before him, and she half turned her face away to hide the pink +flush that came into her cheek. There was a moment of breathless +anxiety to the man when he felt that he must yield, but he righted +himself with a mighty effort as he said:</p> + +<p class="continue">"I will keep the gage forever, Mrs. Smalley, although I am afraid I am +but an unworthy knight."</p> + +<p class="continue">Neither spoke a word after that, but, as it were, instinctively turned +to leave a place which was so dangerous to both. They walked back +together until they once more reached the broad road, and then Ruys +turned abruptly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I have got a headache, Mr. Jackson, and I think I will go in. Don't +tell my husband; it is a mere trifle. See, there are Mr. Phipson and +he talking; go and join them. I--I--want to be alone."</p> + +<p class="continue">She turned and walked slowly down toward the house, and Jackson stood +still, staring after her with an uncomfortable feeling that her last +words suggested an understanding between them that did not exactly +exist. He bent his head down till his lips touched the flowers she +gave him, and then he went forward to meet his host and Phipson. In +the meantime Ruys reached her room, and, having carefully shut the +door, deliberately proceeded to have a good cry. It was a sheer case +of nerves with her, and the nerves had given way. She had played with +edged tools and now found that they could cut, and began to realize +that she was almost if not quite in love with this impassive youth. +The woman was a curious mixture of good and bad. She laid herself out +to do a wrong thing, and took a keen pleasure in so doing, then would +come the reaction and bitter regret. She went down on her knees in an +impulsive manner and prayed to God to forgive her sin, and she vowed +then and there to dedicate her life to his service. Then she got up, +washed off the traces of her tears, and came down to her husband. The +mail had come in, and Habakkuk was seated reading his paper. "Have +they gone?" she asked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," replied Habakkuk, "left about twenty minutes ago."</p> + +<p class="continue">She sat down on a rug near her husband's feet and rested her head on +his knee. Habakkuk put down the paper he was reading and stroked the +soft curls on her head with a gentle hand. She looked up after a +while.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Did you mean what you said about going to Dagon?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Because, if you did, I want you to go at once, and take me with you."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why, little woman, what is the matter?"</p> + +<p class="continue">She got up impatiently. "Oh, you men--you men! Will you never +understand?"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.10" href="#div1Ref_1.10">AN ATONEMENT.</a></h3> +<div class="poem2"> +<p style="text-indent:-62pt"><i>Ruys</i>.--Can I give back? Well, then I will restore.<br> +Death pays all debts.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Maraffa: A Tragedy</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">In a solitary room of his house, shut out from the light of day, +Hawkshawe was drinking himself to madness and to death. The weary +weeks dragged themselves on, one after the other, in connection with +his case, and yet nothing was done beyond the order which kept him +under judgment. The government had not as yet even decided what steps +they were to take in the matter. Called upon for an explanation, +Hawkshawe had sent up a long memorial, full, as memorials always are, +of points that did not bear on the question. He clutched at any straw +to save himself, and there was without doubt a good record of good +work done by him. Practically, however, he was already condemned, and +the governor had made up his mind almost as soon as he heard of the +case. He was a man whose muscular morality could endure no +backsliding, and the taint of the old days still hung around Burma. He +had sworn to purify it, and he meant to keep his word. "These are the +men," he said, referring to Hawkshawe, "that we want to get rid of, +and any excuse should be seized upon, for they have dragged the name +of Englishmen in the mud; of course, however, Mr. Hawkshawe must have +every opportunity of defending himself."</p> + +<p class="continue">The head of the police, to whom these words were spoken, went away +with misgivings in his heart about Hawkshawe. "He'll get over the +bribery and corruption part of the affair," he said to a confidential +friend--in other words, to his wife. "There's no real proof except the +statements of those dismissed scoundrels and half a dozen other +blackguards; but the other thing will smash him, and, with all his +faults, he is very nearly my best man."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And he ought to be turned out," said the lady. "I have no pity for +men like Mr. Hawkshawe."</p> + +<p class="continue">The chief remained silent, knowing that here argument was unavailing, +but nevertheless he still regretted Hawkshawe's fate. And from this it +will be inferred that a long connection with the seamy side of mankind +had more or less blunted the fine edge of his susceptibilities, and +that he was prepared to use any tools if they served his business, +which was the suppression and detection of crime; and perhaps he was +right.</p> + +<p class="continue">In the meantime Alban Hawkshawe slipped down with frightful rapidity. +He was like a man sliding down a snowy slope beneath which yawned a +precipice, and he was reaching the abyss at a frightful pace. He would +have killed himself had he dared; once he had almost done so, but the +little hole in the muzzle of the revolver he held to his mouth looked +so pitiless that he drew it back shrinking. His nerves were weakened, +and there was a terrible bodily fear of that death which he felt could +alone be his release. It was open to him to have left Pazobin and run +the chance of arrest; but the very attempt at flight would establish +his guilt, and he was quick-witted enough to see that his only chance +was to fight, and, although the waters were over him, yet his arm was +stretched out to grasp the one little straw in which there might be +safety. Strange as it may seem, he began to feel an injured man. There +was the shame and indignity of being kept a prisoner at large, to feel +that every one around him knew of his fall, to know that they knew him +guilty, to know that they who crouched before him formerly were +laughing over their opium pipes at his downfall. The very servants +knew it. He saw this in their faces. These thoughts drove him faster +and faster on his course, and he vainly tried to flee from himself in +the stupor of drink. And then the time came when drink did not produce +forgetfulness. But Ma Mie clung to him with the affection of a dog. +She endured his abuse and his blows, for Hawkshawe had reached a stage +when he was no longer restrained from violence because the object was +a woman. The poor creature tried to keep him from his besetting vice; +she brought out all her little arts which were once wont to please and +to beguile, but to no purpose. Hawkshawe insisted on having her about +him, but it was not to console; it was because he wanted some one upon +whom to work off the fits of semi-madness that came on him. His +servants fled in terror, and after a time he began to feel that he +could not bear to be alone. His excited brain conjured up strange +images about him, and finally the wild beast within the man awoke in +its full strength, and he was no longer a human being, but had gone +back to that early time when man was as savage as a tiger is now. It +seemed as if the soul had flitted from him while he still lived. He +had now got out of hand entirely, and Ma Mie dared not approach him, +but she hung around trying to anticipate his wants and watching his +progress with a sickening heart. Finally the time came when she went +mad also, for one night Hawkshawe put a fearful insult on her. She +drew her dagger to kill him, but he had strength to wrench it from her +grasp and flung her to the corner of the room, where she lay stunned +and bleeding. After a time she picked herself up and stepped out of +the room without a look at the wretched Hawkshawe and his still more +vile companion.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Order her to come back," said the woman who was with Hawkshawe; "I +want her to attend on me."</p> + +<p class="continue">"So she shall," was the brutal reply. "Here, Ma Mie!" he shouted, but +there was no answer. He got up and staggered to her room. It was +empty, but from the open window he saw her figure as it flitted down +the road, and a wailing sob reached his ears. "By God, she shall come +back!" he yelled, and, bareheaded as he was, reeled out of the house, +followed by the mocking laughter of the she-devil within.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">They had just dined, and Peregrine, leaning back in his chair, was +listening to a plaintive little melody played by Phipson on his +fiddle. Phipson fiddled; he did not play the violin, but his fiddling +was very sweet and good to hear. He finished his little air with a +flourish, and, resting the instrument lightly on the table before him, +said, "I wonder you don't play something or other; it is a great +distraction!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson had no time to answer; almost as the words left Phipson they +heard footsteps rushing up the stairs, and Ah-Geelong's voice raised +in expostulation. The next moment Ma Mie burst into the room. She held +in her hand a bundle of papers, which she flung before Jackson. +"There," she half screamed, "I give him up; he is a double traitor! O +Hawkshawe, Hawkshawe!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, Hawkshawe, Hawkshawe!" answered a mocking voice, and Hawkshawe +stepped in, holding Ah-Geelong out at arm's length before him with a +grip of iron. He shook the Chinaman like a rat, and, flinging him +behind him, sprang straight at Ma Mie and struck a terrible blow at +her. It was well that Phipson saw what was coming and hit up +Hawkshawe's arm. The next moment the madman had flung himself on him, +and the two rolled over together. "He's choking me, Jackson!" and +Peregrine woke up as from a dream. With the assistance of Ah-Geelong +he managed to free Phipson, but it took the united efforts of all +three to hold the maniac down. Hawkshawe, when he found that he was +overpowered, lay perfectly still for a moment, a white foam round his +lips and his eyes shifting nervously about in their deep sockets like +those of an ape. He then said quite quietly, "Let me up; the game is +played out. I can do no more." Ah-Geelong gave a warning glance, and +whispered to Jackson, "Plenty dlunk." But both Peregrine and Phipson +felt that he would attempt no more violence, and, ordering the +Chinaman to stand back, helped him to rise, which he did slowly, and +then glared round him with his restless, fiery eyes. "Where is my +wife?" he asked, and then they saw for the first time that Ma Mie had +gone. The thought that she had escaped him seemed to rouse him to fury +again. "Devil!" he shrieked, and made a dash for the door. Peregrine +and Phipson were before him, however. "For God's sake, sit still and +pull yourself together, Hawkshawe!" said Phipson. He looked at them +and, throwing his head back, laughed, and his voice was as the howl of +a beast. "Sit still! How can I sit still? There is something broken in +my head; there are the fires of hell in my heart. A devil is ever +leaning over my shoulder, and---- Ma Mie, you traitress, where are +you? Let me pass," he shouted, "or I will---- Ugh! there it is!" He +turned and, glancing over his shoulder, saw Ah-Geelong moving softly +toward him, and then with a bitter curse sprang backward out into the +veranda, and the next moment there was a dull thud below, and all was +very still. They picked him up gently and bore him to Jackson's own +room. Phipson ran for Smalley, and when Habakkuk came he looked at the +man carefully. "I will do what I can," he said, "but no human art can +save him; he is most fearfully injured. I doubt if he will live +through until the morning." But when the morning came Hawkshawe was +still alive, and when the sun sank he was not dead. There was one who +came and took her place by the sick-bed as if it was her right, and +neither of the three men had the heart to forbid Ma Mie. All through +the long hours she never left him, and they were her hands that lifted +his head as the last breath came and Alban Hawkshawe passed away. He +never once regained consciousness, and it was only his extraordinary +muscular vitality that kept him living for so long a time.</p> + +<p class="continue">When it was all over and Smalley had gone, promising to come again +with the morning, Phipson and Peregrine went back downstairs to the +dining-room and there sat up together. Sleep was impossible, and to +both of them death like this was a new and terrible thing. It was then +that Ah-Geelong came in softly and brought a message from Ma Mie to +say that she wished to see them. "Ask her to come in," said Peregrine, +and she came. She held in her hands a small inlaid casket, which she +placed on the shining woodwork of the table. Her eyes were tearless, +but her voice trembled as she spoke. "See," she said, "what was my +husband is lying dead above, and dead in dishonour. I have come to +make his memory clean and to restore----" With a quick movement of her +hands she opened the casket and scattered its contents on the table. +It was full of precious stones, and above them all coiled the ruby +bracelet, and the evil light of the gems seemed to blaze and sputter +through the night. "I restore, as he would have restored if God did +not make him mad; here they are, jewels for which he sold his honour +and I my soul. And now good-bye. You were good to him, and you saved +my life. Ma Mie will never forget."</p> + +<p class="continue">They let her go without a word, and she passed out into the darkness +forever from their sight.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.11" href="#div1Ref_1.11">THE PATIENCE OF HABAKKUK SMALLEY.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">To-night I pass the narrow straits</p> +<p class="t1">Which lead unto the Unknown Sea.</p> +<p class="t0">God, who knoweth the hearts of man,</p> +<p class="t1">Make Thou my pathway clear to me!</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Voyage of the Tobias</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Ruys's repentant fit soon began to pass away, and there seemed every +prospect of an aftermath of backsliding. She had honestly and +soulfully tried to mend, and for a few weeks everything went +smoothly--at least outwardly--for there was a hard struggle going on +within. Then she began to think the air was getting too pure for her +to live in, and then in her desperation she again opened up the +subject of the removal to Dagon, and to her surprise and joy found her +husband met her more than halfway in this. She had no very definite +object in urging the move beyond that it would enable her to flee an +ever-present temptation. It would have been well for Smalley if he had +seen what was going on, but Habakkuk had never gauged that wayward +heart. With all his love for her, he had never been able to understand +his wife. It was a mystery to him how she had ever come to marry him, +how he had ever come to ask her to share his lot. She had accepted the +offer in one of those capricious moods in which women of her nature do +absolutely anything, and she was, in fact, nothing more or less than a +refined and educated Ma Mie, without, perhaps, the rugged nobleness of +the Burman woman. When she first knew Habakkuk he had just thrown +aside a lucrative practice as a physician to enter the ministry with a +view to going on the Eastern mission. This in itself was sufficient to +attract an emotional woman, and there was something also in the innate +nobleness of soul within his ungainly frame that drew her toward him. +She had one of her "good" fits on. Here was something so very +different from the smart young men of her set who worshipped the +almighty dollar, and dreamed of the almighty dollar, whose one idea +was to amass a fortune, and to whom a business operation which +successfully brought a friend perhaps to ruin was a creditable thing. +She felt that marriage with such an one was a moral abasement, and so +she signalled, in that silent way that women know, to the strong and +loving nature that was hovering near her, and he came at her call. +Something within him, he knew not what, prompted him to speak, and he +simply told her of his love, and turned to go. It never for one moment +crossed him that he would meet anything but a refusal, and when she +softly called him back and put her hand in his, he was unable at first +to realize that his apparently absurd ambition had been crowned with +success. They were married, and almost immediately left for the East, +and almost as immediately Ruys began to repent of the step she had +taken and wished herself back again. Those smart young men who +worshipped the almighty dollar--after all, they were not so bad. She +began to contrast them with her husband, and then she began to be +miserable. Habakkuk saw this much, that she was miserable, and put it +down to seasickness. By the time he reached Burma he reflected that +his wife had about fifty different characters, and could slip on one +as easily as she slipped on a dress. He was a sensible man and +resigned himself to his fate, and then she trampled upon him because +he yielded, and he bore it all with a silent misery eating at his +heart. Then after a time his love seemed to sleep into a kind of +intimate friendship; but Ruys saw this, and would fan it all up again, +and, as soon as she succeeded, relapse into an icy dullness that made +life almost unendurable. It was their last evening at Pazobin; the +parsonage had been practically dismantled of its ornaments, and Ruys, +with a straw hat in her hand, stood in what was once her very pretty +drawing-room. Habakkuk stepped in with his slouching gait.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I wish," said she, "you wouldn't stoop so. Why don't you hold +yourself up? There!" and she straightened him; "if you always carry +yourself like that it would be so different."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I'll try," said Habakkuk. "I must enroll myself as chaplain to the +Pazobin Volunteers. There are six men in the regiment, but I'll get +drilled. Will that suit?"</p> + +<p class="continue">She was in a gay mood, and laughed blithely. "Yes, it will do very +well, and I shall have to work some colours and give it to the gallant +regiment. But you are not to go with them when they go fighting +dacoits," and she came close up to him. Habakkuk for once plucked up +courage, and, putting his arm round his wife's waist, kissed her, and +to his surprise the caress was returned. He could hardly believe it, +but she disengaged herself from his arm and said, "I want you to go +down to the boats and see that everything is ready, like a dear; then +you can come back for me, and take me on board."</p> + +<p class="continue">Habakkuk felt that he could have gone to the end of the world. He was +off in a moment, and went away holding himself very erect.</p> + +<p class="continue">His wife looked after him with a strange smile on her face. "I have +got him away for a good hour, at any rate," she said to herself, and +stepping out into the garden walked slowly down to the ruined temple, +and when she reached there she looked around as if expecting some one. +"I wonder if he will come?" she said, and almost as the words escaped +her Peregrine walked quickly across the side and came straight up to +her. "I only got your note this minute, Mrs. Smalley," he said; "of +course I was coming to see you off. It will be a great disappointment +to Phipson. There was news which took him out this afternoon. Our +friends the dacoits are to the fore again."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I thought you would come this way," she said, "and walked up here to +meet you. Dr. Smalley will be back soon; he has gone down to the boats +to see after things."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I wish I could have persuaded you not to go," said Peregrine. "You +don't know what a loss you will be to us." The young man had won a +great victory as he thought. Within the last few weeks Ruys's own +attempts at escape had helped him. He had seen the struggle, and as he +now stood over her his eyes were fearless with the strong light of +power and resolve. Her knight--he had sworn to be her knight, and was +wearing her token next to his heart. His hand should be the last to +drag her down, and therefore his voice was kind and courteous, but +nothing more, as he expressed his civil regrets at her departure.</p> + +<p class="continue">With Ruys it was different. She had taken a hasty resolve to have one +more interview with Jackson, and then to say good-bye forever. She had +determined to meet him here and ask him never to see her again, and +now that the opportunity which she herself had foolishly made had come +she was unable to speak, and her lips whitened as she stood still +before him; and then he saw that she was crying, and took her gently +by the hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mrs. Smalley--Ruys," he said, "be brave. See, you are my sister; I +will look to you for help and counsel, and will be as a brother to +you. Be brave."</p> + +<p class="continue">And even as she spoke the floodgates were opened, and all the +passionate woman spoke: "I love you! I love you! How can I be your +sister? Oh, what shall I do? What shall I do?" And she burst into +hysterical sobs, and the next moment was in Peregrine's arms, with her +soft cheek resting against his shoulder and her heart to his.</p> + +<p class="continue">For one wild moment Peregrine forgot all. "My queen! my queen!" he +said, and kissed her unresisting lips and held her to him.</p> + +<p class="continue">He put her from him, and as she stood with downcast eyes and trembling +limbs before him, he spoke: "Good-bye; it must be good-bye forever +now."</p> + +<p class="continue">She made no answer, but looked after his retreating figure with sad, +dreamy eyes, and then with a white face and aching heart turned and +walked backward to the house.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">"<i>My God, thou hast forsaken me!</i>" Never did cry more bitter come from +the soul of the prophet than came from the heart of Habakkuk Smalley +from the spot where he had watched the whole meeting and seen the +parting of the two. He had been a witness to it all from start to +finish, and only perhaps a priest could have restrained himself as +well as he had done up to now. It seemed as if his life had crumbled +away. He now knew what he had never expected, and like an inspiration +the motives of his wife in forcing him to leave the place flashed upon +him. After all, the temptation had been resisted, and who was he to +judge. He thought of the lesson his Master had taught in a case of +terrible reality, and was he, a priest of the Gospel, to stop at less +than this? He kneeled down on the turf, and, holding up his arms to +heaven, prayed. "God," he cried, "thou hast hunted me like a deer on +the mountain side, and I am sorely wounded----" He could say no more, +but gasped out "Strength! strength!" and then after a while a peace +came upon him and he arose and followed the footsteps of his wife. He +found her sitting in their now cheerless room, and her features seemed +pinched and drawn. Never a word did Habakkuk speak of what he knew, +but his voice was as kind and gentle as ever. "Everything is ready," +he said; "shall we go?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Now Ruys made no answer, but simply rose, and they went forth +together.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.12" href="#div1Ref_1.12">THE EPISODE OF LI FONG.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">"By the Prophet's head,</p> +<p class="t0">He shall die," he said,</p> +<p class="t0">"By the knife of the Khyberee!"</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Civil and Military Gazette</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Li Fong, contractor and general shopkeeper, was wearied of Dorian +fruit, of <i>nga-pe</i>, and of Pazobin. Li was no "eleven o'clock +chink "--that is, a Chinaman born and bred out of the Celestial +Empire--but was a pure Hankow man, and had migrated to Burma with the +philanthropic motive of spreading enlightenment among the outer +barbarians, and to extract as much as he could out of the country he +was honouring with his presence. But he was tired of Pazobin. Pazobin +had no more to give, and for him the orange was sucked dry. His real +business did not lie among the lead-foil packets of bad tea, with the +cubes of China sugar, that crumbled to dust at the touch, with the +inferior writing paper, the preserved ginger, and the pickled bamboo, +with which his little shop was stocked. No, it had other and more +paying ramifications, or Li could not have looked so sleek and +comfortable as he sat in his cane chair beneath a green and yellow +paper lantern and inhaled a long cigarette, the <i>soupcon</i> of opium in +the tobacco imparting a dreamy flavour to his smoke. But Li was not in +his usual spirits. "Allee pidgin gone," his thoughts ran on; "Li he go +too." Yes, this was true, too true. All business, really paying +business, had gone since Pozendine and Iyer were swept away with other +refuse, and there was nothing to be done with Mr. Pillay, who reigned +in their place. Profits had come down to zero, for Mr. Pillay was that +<i>rara avis</i> of his class--an honest man. Li Fong's approaches toward +him had resulted in Li's being treated with indignity, and, what was +worse, in attracting the particular attention of Jackson toward the +Chinaman. And when the special attention of a district officer is +drawn to a person like Li, it is better for him or her to move on, and +our sleek friend, fully aware of this, was on the eve of his +departure. But he was going heavily laden. He had sold his shop, and +was for this night a care-taker only. Honest Yen Chow, of Myobin, was +the purchaser. Yen would come to-morrow, and then Li was free as air. +He smoked his cigarette comfortably through, and dozed off slowly. +When he awoke he found that the township was going to bed. It was not +a bad idea, thought Li. He would do the same. He turned down the +burner of the little kerosene lamp that was placed within the gaudy +lantern, locked his shop door, and went inside. Here, in a little back +room, in heat and stuffiness so great that only a Chinaman could +endure it, Li Fong lived his celibate life. He lit a small lamp +carefully and placed it in a corner of the room; then he kneeled down, +but not to pray. He merely fumbled under a heap of bedding and pulled +out a small box. His eyes sparkled with delight as he opened the +casket, and he gazed at the contents with a smile of deep +satisfaction. When he had gladdened his eyes he shut the lid slowly +with a regretful snap, and put aside the treasure. There was one more +delight before sleep came, and that was contained in his opium pipe. +He lit this with a luxurious slowness, and then, stretched out on his +pallet, smoked himself into paradise. What rosy dreams were Li's! He +would be a mandarin of the green button, his ancestors would be +ennobled, he might become an Amban! "To-mollow," he murmured to +himself; but to-morrow never came to Li on earth. Li dreamed on, sunk +in lethargy, and finally fell into profound sleep, and the lamp burned +low.</p> + +<p class="continue">When he awoke again it was with the consciousness of physical pain, +and behold! the lamp was burning brightly in the room.</p> + +<p class="continue">Two men were seated beside the light, and spread out on the floor were +the jewels the little box contained. The men were arranging them in +little heaps, counting them carefully. Li made a frantic effort to +call out, but he was gagged. Then he rolled over toward the men, and +the light of despair was in his eyes. "Keep him quiet, Moung Sen," +said one of the two, and the taller man held his sharp <i>dah</i> over Li, +who crouched still, making no effort to move. The other finished his +counting, and then swept the jewels into a bag. Then he turned +savagely on the Chinaman. "Beast!" he said, "and you were going away +with the earnings of honest men!" Then, changing his voice: "What! and +you wouldn't even come and say good-bye to an old friend--to poor old +Father Fragrance! It was very wrong of you, Li Fong, very wrong." +Moung Sen here pricked Li with the <i>dah</i>, and a shiver went over the +limbs of the bound man. Bah Hmoay then spoke again. "To think that you +can't even speak, Li Fong, that your wicked mouth is gagged, and that +all my money--<i>our</i> money," and he pointed to Moung Sen, "has come +back to its rightful owners, and some more besides! Li Fong, you were +going a far journey with all that wealth. You will now go a farther +journey, where wealth will no longer avail you--where the gems of the +world are useless. Li Fong, you are going to die!" If eyes could have +spoken there would have been a piteous appeal for mercy, but being +merely eyes they could only look words, not speak them.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">"I never knew a more atrocious thing in my life," said Phipson to his +chief. "We found the poor devil with his throat slit from ear to ear, +and on the wall of the room, scratched in charcoal, the respectful +compliments of Bah Hmoay to you. Confound the brute! I'd give ten +years of my life to see him swinging at the end of a rope!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Jackson rose from his chair and slowly paced the room. After six +months of absolute quiet he had begun to think that the dacoit had +disappeared with the destruction of his gang, when here came a fresh +atrocity--an atrocity out-Heroding the others. It was too bad, and +yet, after all, in his heart Jackson could not help admiring the +daring of the man.</p> + +<p class="continue">"By Jove!" he said, "that fellow should be bottled and kept as a +curiosity. Had he lived a hundred years ago, he would have died a +prince."</p> + +<p class="continue">"He'll die very high up," grunted Phipson.</p> + +<p class="continue">"The inspector sahib has come on urgent business," announced an +orderly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Tell him to come in," said Phipson, and Serferez Ali entered the +room.</p> + +<p class="continue">He explained briefly that he had at last a clew to the hiding place of +the dacoits, and begged permission to start off at once.</p> + +<p class="continue">It is needless to say that this permission was readily granted, and +Phipson himself expressed his intention of accompanying the party. He +noticed, however, the shade of disappointment that passed over +Serferez Ali's face as he said he would come, and, being a generous +young fellow, guessed its meaning. It was as if the old man had said, +"Do not rob me of the honour," and the mute appeal won its way. "No, +on second thoughts, I don't think I shall come, Serferez."</p> + +<p class="continue">"May you end as a lord sahib!" said the inspector. "By sunset the +heads of the base born will be in your veranda."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Take a strong body of men with you, inspector," said Jackson, and +Serferez said, "Huzoor!" saluted, and went out. He passed down the +drive with rapid strides, and regained the police barracks with all +speed. Here he picked out half a dozen men, and in a few minutes they +were in a long snake boat rowing steadily and swiftly toward the great +silk-cotton tree.</p> + +<p class="continue">"One thousand rupees for Bah Hmoay dead or alive, and five hundred for +Moung Sen, my children," said Serferez from the tiller, "and I will +give up my share. You can all cut your names after this and go back to +the grants the Sirkar is giving on the Chenab without fear of that +jackal's spawn, Shankar the bunnia. Ahi! for the five rivers, but +Serferez must die here--die in the swamps of this ill-begotten land."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Aho!" grunted the bearded Sikhs, and the boat fairly hissed along the +water. It was a long row and a stiff row against the main stream, but +presently they entered the backwater, and the boat slid like a huge +saurian on the ooze. They passed deeper and deeper into the jungle, +which hung so thickly about the creek that the men had to stoop below +the gunwale to prevent the branches from stopping their progress and +the terrible thorns from doing them injury. Finally they could proceed +no farther; so tangled was the maze of forest, so thickly did it +overhang the water, that it seemed as if the creek ran into the bowels +of the earth with a sudden abruptness. Very softly did Serferez ground +the boat, and one by one they all stepped out. "Stay you here and look +after the boat," whispered Serferez to the youngest of the men. "And, +fool! don't sit in the boat, but hide <i>here</i>--<i>here</i> in the bushes, +and keep your eyes and ears open. Shoot the first Burman who comes +near it dead. Don't waste time in asking questions. Remember this, or +you will never see the white hills again, I swear by the Prophet's +head!" and he tapped his sword hilt significantly. After this no word +was spoken, but the five men with Serferez at their head made their +way in Indian file through the forest. Sometimes they were able to +walk, but most frequently they had to resort to the tedious process of +crawling through the jungle on all fours. They dared not use their +<i>dahs</i> to cut the underwood, for the slightest sound might alarm their +quarry, and many a detour had to be made to find a passage. Serferez +himself acted as guide, and he made no mistakes. Finally they came to +the little clearing, and halted on its borders. A little to the left +the huge silk-cotton tree reared its white trunk and spread out its +huge ghostly arms like a forest giant struck with white leprosy. It +was in full bloom, and the magnificent scarlet and orange of the +bombax flowers starred its foliage, and ever and anon dropped with +soft heaviness on the turf below. But it was not this, nor the +hummingbirds that dipped their long beaks into the red cups of the +flowers, that made the eyes of the men watching from the jungle +lighten and Serferez's lips to draw back with a tigerish snarl.</p> + +<p class="continue">There, under the tree, not forty yards away, seated, smoking +comfortably, were the two men whom they had sought for so long. Two of +the police put up their rifles, but at a glance from their chief put +them down again. "Alive," he whispered; "you two go round and then +rush them; they will come straight at us, and then----" The two men +sidled off like snakes noiselessly through the damp undergrowth. Moung +Sen now began to sing in a droning voice:</p> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">"Mah Se hath a dower of roses,</p> +<p class="t1">Mah Kit hath a dower of pelf;</p> +<p class="t0">And I sigh for the scent of the roses,</p> +<p class="t1">But die for the gleam of the pelf."</p> +</div> + +<p class="normal">"But die for the gleam of the pelf," echoed the priest sonorously.</p> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">"Mah Se hath the grace of an angel,</p> +<p class="t1">Mah Kit she is crooked and old."</p> +</div> + +<p class="continue">Crack! went the sharp report of a police carbine, and a bullet +whistled harmlessly over the singer's head.</p> + +<p class="continue">"May hell burn those fools!" shouted Serferez. "Come on!" and almost +before the words had left him he was on the dacoits. The Boh sprang +straight at him, and aimed a terrible cut at Serferez. He parried +this, but it shivered his sword to splinters, and would have killed +him on the spot but for the folds of his turban. It bore him on his +knees, however, and had Bah Hmoay been allowed a moment's more time +Serferez would have slept in paradise. But the opportunity was not to +be lost; without a second's hesitation the dacoit chief sprang off, +and, cutting down another man with a back-handed sweep of his long +dah, dashed into the jungle and was lost. Not so Moung Sen. The +minstrel was overpowered at the outset, and was now sitting like a +trussed fowl securely bound with the long coils of a couple of +turbans. Serferez had regained his feet, and shouted out, "Who fired +that shot?" One of the men explained that his rifle had gone off by +accident--caught in a twig.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You are a liar, Bullen, son of Bishen!" said the inspector; "and that +shot of yours has cost us a thousand rupees. Still, one remains in the +net.--Ho, Moung Sen! Red Diamond! Do you remember me? I have come to +pay back the debt I owe you."</p> + +<p class="continue">Moung Sen made no answer, but strained at the bandages that bound him +until the muscles of his arms swelled out like knotted ropes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"He will be very heavy to carry to the boat, will he not, my +children?" said Serferez. "And the law is uncertain--he may not hang."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And nine men from the Doab died that day at Yeo," said one.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We get no more for his head than for the rest of him," added another.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And he attempts to escape," said a third, pointing to the man, who +strained desperately to free himself.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">In the dusk of the evening seven men of the Sikh police rolled out +something from a cloth at the feet of Phipson.</p> + +<p class="continue">"May it please the Feeder of the Poor," said Serferez, "the base born +attempted to escape as the other did, and there was no way but this," +and he held the grinning head of Moung Sen out at arm's length before +him.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.13" href="#div1Ref_1.13">AN OVERREACH.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Saddle me straight the red roan mare,</p> +<p class="t2">She of the Waziri breed;</p> +<p class="t0">The wings of death are beating the air,</p> +<p class="t2">Hola! the Waziri steed!</p> +<p class="t0">The wings of death are fleet and strong,</p> +<p class="t0">But we win the race, though the race be long.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Lays of the Punjab</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">"Ruys, would you like to go home?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Home! This is my home, is it not?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"You know what I mean," said Habakkuk. "This is getting too much for +you," and he stopped in a hesitating sort of way. A sad little smile +lit up his wife's face--a face that had grown stronger and braver with +the soul struggle of the past year. It was changed, too; the old +brightness, the old vivacity had gone, but there was a serious light +in the eyes that told of battle fought and victory won. And Habakkuk +missed that old brightness and saw not the struggle. He was always +dull, even if he knew how to suffer and be strong. But he thought that +his wife was dying for freedom, and he vowed in his heart that, in so +far as he could give her freedom, she should be free. Home--yes, home +was the best place for her. He would never see it again, but she would +be uncaged. He was not rich in the world's goods, and what he had he +gave freely to the cause for which he laboured; but he held his hand +back now, and during the past year the cause had suffered in this +respect. But this little wrong was necessary to lighten a stricken +heart. And while he thus laboured his wife saw it all with a woman's +quickness, and inch by inch he was gaining ground, unknown at first to +herself and through all utterly unguessed by him. At last the summer +madness of the past drifted away, at last she began to realize, and +just as she had done so this blundering fool asked her to go. It was +too bad! After all, she had her woman's rights. Why did he not try to +win her back with soft words? A new softness, a new mistrust of +herself had come over her, and she could not speak. And then she +dissembled and evaded the question. "I am very well," she said; "there +is nothing the matter with me."</p> + +<p class="continue">Smalley made no answer, and his wife, rising, went to the door and +then stopped. For a moment the thought flashed upon her that she would +ask him to come with her as far as the schoolhouse of Dagon. But he +saw nothing in her hesitation. Finally she left him and went to her +daily duties; but as she walked down the grassy lane that led to the +school she thought to herself that if he had made any advance, ever so +little a one, that she would have spoken. After all, this was part of +her punishment, and she should bear it, her thoughts ran on.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Alms, in the name of the Buddh!" An old man, shaking with palsy, held +out a gourd to her, and Ruys gave to him and walked on. The beggar +picked out the coin from the calabash and poised it lightly on his +finger. The palsy had all gone now, and his hand was as firm as a +rock.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Three times," he muttered to himself--"three times has my hand been +crossed with silver to-day. By God! I have him now. Thanks to the +chattering tongue of that servant girl, I know her secret and his. I +will strike <i>there</i>--<i>there!</i>"--and he pointed to the retreating +figure--"and this will make him live with a heart wound. For a whole +year have I waited and worked and planned, and now the time has come. +Oh, that this were the day! But I will not disregard a single omen. +Thrice crossed with silver, therefore the third day from this. +Courage, Bah Hmoay!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Once more palsy stricken, his feeble steps tottered along the lane and +led him toward the pagoda. There at the feet of one of the two great +griffins that guarded the gate he crouched, swinging himself backward +and forward, and ever and anon calling out, "Alms, in the name of the +Buddh!" So he sat until about the hour of sunset, when the womanfolk +of the place gathered to the temple, and then he saw one whose stately +step and carriage were unmistakable. It was Ma Mie, and as she passed +by he called out her name softly, and she turned with a start. At a +glance she recognised him. "<i>You</i> here!" she said with a little gasp +that choked the word "devil!" which she hissed under the breath.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, but not alone. Where can we speak?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Come to my house; my mother is there, and there is no harm in +listening to the advice of a holy bonze."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ever ready with your tongue as usual," said the dacoit as he rose, +flung his saffron robe loosely around him and followed her with feeble +steps.</p> + +<p class="continue">And as she led him toward the house Ma Mie was thirsting for revenge. +Here, here was the man who had led her into disaster, and he, above +all others, with a price on his head, was walking beside her, going to +her own house. The old fox was noosed at last, and it was with a +beating heart that she led him into her house, where her mother, old, +wrinkled, and hideous beyond measure, mumbled out a greeting.</p> + +<p class="continue">"See, mother, this is a friend, a holy man, whom I have brought to +rest here a while. I knew him in the old days, and he has something to +say to me."</p> + +<p class="continue">The hag chuckled out: "He is too old for a lover; let him speak, I +will not be in hearing," and she went out of the door and sat hard by +on a rude seat at the foot of a large palm tree.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Now, what is it you want here?" said Ma Mie; "you with a price on +your head!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"You, at any rate, will not give me away."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And why not?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"First, because your brother is one of us, and lies sick in a place I +know of; if I am lost, so is he--I have but to speak a word; and, +secondly, because you want revenge, and I offer it to you."</p> + +<p class="continue">Ma Mie dropped her eyes for a moment to hide the fierce light that +came into them, and pretended to adjust the rich folds of her +<i>tamein</i>.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," she said slowly, "I want revenge," and she looked at Bah Hmoay +straight in the face.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Then listen; I want your help. I am not alone, as I said. Away in +the swamp lie twenty good men who would raze this place to the ground +if anything were to happen to me. I, too, want revenge, and upon +Jackson--he who ruined your husband, he who has hunted me until I live +a beast of the field. I could kill him at any time, but that is not +enough. I want him to live with a wound on his heart from which he +will never recover. I will kill him afterward if it suits me, and +now--stoop--see here," and the dacoit rapidly whispered to Ma Mie +words that made her start back and say, "No! no!" "But I say +yes--think of it--it is a vengeance worthy of a Burman. We will sack +the place on the third night from this, and but one shall be spared. I +shall take her to my swamp, and she shall live as my slave; but these +white women are delicate, and I do not want her to die <i>yet</i>. I want +your help, therefore--a woman needs a woman. Soh! You understand? You +can name your price."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Vengeance has no price," said Ma Mie, "and I agree."</p> + +<p class="continue">"So be it," said the dacoit. "Then you will be ready?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," she replied; "and now go."</p> + +<p class="continue">"My blessing," and the dacoit rose and tottered out of the room.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ho, mother!" he said as he passed the old Mah Kit, "the night air is +chilly for old bones; you had better go in."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Old bones," the hag mumbled--"old bones, but eyes young yet, young +yet. There is devilment abroad. What is it, daughter?" she asked as +she entered the room.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It would have been death, mother, had he stayed another five minutes. +I would have put my dagger in his heart. But let me be; I will tell +you all. I must think."</p> + +<p class="continue">And she sat moodily slowly drawing the point of her stiletto in little +crosses on the wood flooring. An hour or two passed in this way, and +then Ma Mie looked up.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mother," she said, "I am going on a journey. I shall be back on the +third day from this. If <i>he</i> comes, make some excuse. Listen, it will +be worth a thousand to us."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Clever girl! clever girl!" said the hag; "leave it to Ma Kit. I know +now. Oh, yes, I know many things that nobody else knows. He! he! When +are you going, child?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Now," said Ma Mie. "The little steamer touches here at ten to-night, +and it now wants but a half hour to the time."</p> + +<p class="continue">Her packing arrangements were of the simplest character, and an hour +later she was leaning over the side of the small steamer that plied +between Dagon and Pazobin, with burning revenge in her heart and a +long cheroot in her mouth--bathos and tragedy hand in hand. The +morning brought her to Pazobin, and she went straight to Jackson's +house. To her dismay, she found he was not there--he had gone to the +district the night before, and Phipson with him. Then she bethought +her of the native deputy magistrate; but he was a Burman, and she +doubted him. Finally she thought of old Serferez Ali, and, seeking him +out, poured the information into the old man's ears. It was not the +reward she wanted, it was revenge; but not revenge upon Jackson, but +upon the fiend who had tempted and was now tempting again to drag her +to the lowest deep. "Is all this true, girl?" said the inspector, and +Ma Mie merely looked at him in reply. He was satisfied. "Go back at +once," he said; "the dispatch boat leaves this afternoon; you will be +there by the early morning; and stay--not a word of this to a soul. +You have money?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Ma Mie laughed. "Yes," she said. "And see, I will add five hundred +rupees to the government reward if you have him this time." She turned +and was gone.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Light of my eyes! thou art gone," said Serferez to himself. "Fool +that I was not to recognise her! But, Allah! this is no time for +words. Bullen! Bullen! thief from the Boab, saddle me the roan +mare--and listen, on your head! Bear this telegram, and let it be +despatched at once. I want the police steamer at Myo to-night; and +you, sergeant, be ready with twenty picked men at the quay to-morrow +morning at seven. Soh! Is the mare ready? On your heads, see that my +orders are carried out to the letter." He swung himself into the +saddle, and five minutes later was Debte riding at a breakneck pace to +Jackson's camp.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.14" href="#div1Ref_1.14">PALLIDA MORS.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Ah! woe is me! They brought him home,</p> +<p class="t2">My winsome knight of Dee:</p> +<p class="t0">On lances four my knight they bore,</p> +<p class="t2">Who died for love and me.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Old Ballad</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">Three men ride through the shivering moonlight--ride with teeth set +hard and eyes that looked straight before them. Neck and neck they +race across the open, and then the man on the left mutters a curse as +they come to a stretch of rice fields. The long rice stalks seem +planted in plate glass, but it is only water. Under the water lies +three feet of mud, and beyond, like a huge dismasted hulk, rises the +solid outline of the forest. The fields are divided by narrow +embankments, and, as it is impossible to gallop through the quagmire, +they resign themselves to circumstances, and pick their way slowly +in Indian file across the narrow ridges that separate the sloppy +water-logged fields. Yet they speak no word. After a time, short in +itself, but which seems endless to the leader, they reached the end of +the rice ground, and then the foremost horseman spoke.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good God! must we crawl through this as well?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"By your favour, sahib, the road is to the right. Let me lead."</p> + +<p class="continue">There is a scatter of dead leaves, and Serferez, galloping forward, +plunged into the dark archway of foliage. Through its deep gloom they +race, and the hoofs of the horses fall with a dead sound on the damp +bed of leaves below them.</p> + +<p class="continue">Shurr-r-r-sh! A sound of wild boar plunges into the thickets, with +much grunting and hubbub over the strange sight that flashes past +them. The old boar peers after the horsemen with his bloodshot eyes, +the white foam hissing round his tushes, then with a peculiar +long-drawn moan of anger he turns and shambles slowly after his tribe.</p> + +<p class="continue">Light at last!--the fires of a native hamlet and the indescribable +odours that always hang around it. They dash past. There is a yell of +rage from the napless yellow pariah dog, roused from his sleep in the +middle of the road. He was nearly killed, and he protests vigorously +against such reckless riding. A chorus of his fellows take up his +complaint, and the riders push on amid a storm of howls.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't think this beast will hold out," said Phipson suddenly. The +horse was almost staggering in its stride under him, and he knew by +the ominous way in which the poor animal seized the bit between his +teeth at intervals and flung forward his head that it could not keep +up the pace for long.</p> + +<p class="continue">No one answered, for at that time the loud, deep whistle of a steamer +reached their ears, ringing through the woods with echo upon echo.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Allah ho Akbar! 'Tis the steamer!" shouted Serferez.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Thank God!" came in deeper tones from the very hearts of the two +Englishmen. The horses themselves seemed to know it. Brave hearts! +They had won a race for life, and ten minutes later kind hands were +rubbing them down on the deck of the little Beeloo, and the old +Panjabi was purring over the neck of his roan.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There is none like thee in the land, my pearl," he said softly as he +stroked her silver mane--"there is none like thee in the land. By the +Prophet's head, I swear that for this night's work I will never forget +thee--never!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"What's the time, Phipson?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Two thirty," said Phipson, holding his watch out to the broad +moonlight. "We reach Pazobin at seven to-morrow, pick up the men, and +go straight on."</p> + +<p class="continue">Peregrine made no answer, but his white face as it shone out of the +moonlight almost scared Phipson, so fixed and rigid was its look.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I say, Jackson!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"What is it?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"That was a devil of a ride. Think I'll turn in and take a nap, and +you'd better do the same." This was the policeman's way of telling his +friend he looked worn to death.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, thanks, Phipson, I can't sleep; I must see this thing through."</p> + +<p class="continue">Phipson stretched himself out in a long cane chair and watched his +friend as he paced slowly up and down the small quarterdeck. "He must +be devilish keen," he murmured to himself, "or devilish hard hit."</p> + +<p class="continue">And then all the starlight seemed to dim, and he was asleep. In the +white mists of the morning they reached Pazobin, and, taking on board +their men, started on at once. Phipson had persuaded Peregrine to +rest. "Look here," he said, "this is all Tommy rot! You've got to +rest. Have some grub first, throw away that infernal cheroot, and go +and lie down. You've <i>fighting</i> to do this evening, and will want your +head and your nerves in first-rate order."</p> + +<p class="continue">There was no gainsaying this, and after lunch Jackson fell into a deep +sleep. He was aroused by a scrunching noise, and woke with a start.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"The matter is that it's half-past six, and that damned idiot of a +<i>serang</i> has stuck us fast into a sandbank, and we can only get off +with the next tide. There's only one thing to be done. Get the boats +from Thomadine village and row for it."</p> + +<p class="continue">Thomadine village was half a mile below, but a small boat had raced +them as far as the scene of the disaster. Matters were rapidly +explained to the occupants of the boat, the explanation was made clear +by the line of shining barrels that was pointed toward them, and they +pulled up alongside the Beeloo. Some of the crew were temporarily +transferred to the steamer, three or four policemen took their places, +and the long canoe danced back to the village. It was fully an hour +before it returned, bringing with it two other canoes, and, leaving +the police tug with strict orders to come on with the next tide, +Jackson and his men embarked in the boats, and, hugging the bank, +rowed for their lives. It was no time for words, no time for anything +but to strain every muscle to reach their goal. Suddenly a broad sheet +of flame lit the sky, and the reports of half a dozen matchlocks rang +out in quick succession; then came the short, sharp crack of a +Winchester, then another and another.</p> + +<p class="continue">"By God, they've begun!" shouted Phipson. "Row on, you devils!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"There's a short cut by the creek, sahib!" called out Serferez, and +the snake head of the leading boat, steered by Jackson, turned +promptly round, and with a little white sparkle of foam fizzing over +her bows she shot into the creek, followed in quick succession by her +fellows.</p> + +<p class="continue">The sky was one sheet of light, for the village had been fired in +several places, and the houses blazed up like touchwood. Long forks of +flame from the mission school sprang up to the sky, and a dense cloud +of smoke rolled westward with the breeze. Still the Winchester kept +speaking, and every shot gave the rescue party hope, for they knew +that Smalley was selling his life dearly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We divide here into two parties," said Phipson as they landed. "You, +inspector, take six men with you, and make for the boats. We will +drive on to you. By God," he added, pulling his revolver out, "I +rather think we're only just in time!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Serferez needed no second bidding, but was already off, and Jackson +and his companion marched rapidly forward.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We'll give them a volley from here," said Phipson as they reached the +skirts of the clearing round the little mission school, about which +the firing was concentrated. "By Jove! they're going to batter down +the door. Steady, men! Fire!" The crackling of the volley was followed +by a cheer, and in a moment the police had rushed forward and were +engaged hand to hand with the dacoits. Some one sprang straight at +Jackson, but his hand seemed to lift itself up of its own accord, and +a second after a huddled mass lay before the smoking barrel of his +revolver. The issue was not one moment in doubt, and in a few seconds +the dacoits were heading straight for their boats. Here they were +intercepted by Serferez and his party, who gave them a warm reception. +Three or four of the dacoits, however, among whom was the Boh, secured +a boat and rowed off for their lives.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Follow them!" shouted Jackson, springing into the snake boat; "not a +man must escape!" Phipson and a few others took another boat, and +there was a hot pursuit. The dacoits realized, however, that it was no +use, and, evidently resolving to die fighting, ran their boat ashore +on a small island near the middle of the river and took to the +thickets, from which they began a smart fire.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Go behind, and take them on the rear," called out Jackson to his +companion. Almost as the words were spoken Phipson's boat turned to +the left and was round the head of the little island.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Sit down, sahib; don't stand up--we are quite close to them now," +said the <i>naick</i> of police, who was in Jackson's boat. Peregrine +laughed, and the next moment the <i>naick</i> uttered a cry of horror, for +a red tongue of flame shot out of the covert, and Jackson, flinging +his hands up, fell forward on his face with a gasping sob.</p> + +<p class="continue">With a yell of rage the police grounded their boat and rushed into the +jungle. There was but half an acre of ground, and Bullen, son of +Bishen, Sikh from the Doab, had gone Berseker.</p> + +<p class="continue">As the men landed the dacoits made for the opposite side of the little +island, but to their dismay found Phipson there. With a curse Bah +Hmoay darted back into the cover, followed in hot haste by Phipson. +And here in the uncertain light, where the jungle was so tangled that +there was barely room to use a sword, there was a short but desperate +fight. "Come on, Jackson, we have the lot here! Where on earth are +you?" shouted Phipson as his revolver barked out like a snapping pup, +and one of the dacoits fell dead, and another, staggering backward, +was finished by a policeman with his <i>dah</i>. "Where are you, Jackson?" +called out Phipson again.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Jackson is in hell--where you will follow him!" and the Boh sprang at +Phipson like a panther. A projecting branch saved him from the +downward sweep of the long <i>dah</i>, the revolver snapped out again, and +the next moment they had grappled each other by the throat.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I'm afraid it's no use, Bah Hmoay," said Phipson as he shook off his +assailant like a rat, and, throwing him heavily, placed the barrel of +his revolver against his temple.</p> + +<p class="continue">Click! click! The handcuffs were on him like a flash of lightning, and +the Boh was surrounded by a group of men.</p> + +<p class="continue">"This is Bah Hmoay himself," said one of the policemen as he held a +rudely improvised torch at the face of the captive.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There isn't another of them alive on the island," said Bishen. "Two +were killed by your honour, two I have accounted for, and this is the +last."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Where is the sahib?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"He awaits you in the boat," said Bishen, and a chill went through +Phipson's heart.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why--what is the matter? Speak, can't you?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"The doctor sahib will tell. Some one from the island fired, and the +sahib, he was standing, fell back in the boat; but the doctor sahib's +knowledge is great. He will live."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bah Hmoay was subjected to the indignity of being frog-marched to the +boat. He was flung in without much ceremony, and a loaded carbine held +at his head. When Phipson reached his friend he found him unconscious, +and sadly the two boats rowed back to the village. As they approached +Phipson saw by the still burning town the tall figure of Serferez Ali +talking to Smalley, and close by the white fluttering of a woman's +dress.</p> + +<p class="continue">"By God!" he groaned, "I don't think it was worth it, even for this. +Jackson, old man, can't you speak?"</p> + +<p class="continue">But there was no answer, and almost at this moment they reached the +landing place. A cheer went up from those on shore, and Smalley came +forward with outstretched hand. "I can't thank you enough. Come, let +my wife thank you, too. Where is Jackson?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Phipson shook hands with them both.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Where is Mr. Jackson?" asked Ruys.</p> + +<p class="continue">There was no help for it but to speak out at once before her. As the +words left Phipson's lips Smalley was beside the boat, and they +tenderly lifted out the wounded man and placed him on an improvised +couch of greatcoats. They stood round him in a sad group while Smalley +with gentle hands examined the wound, and the silence was only once +broken when a great sob burst from honest Serferez Ali, and the old +man turned away with his head hanging down. Ruys held a lantern for +her husband, and Phipson noticed that there was not a quiver in her +hand, although her lips were blue.</p> + +<p class="continue">After a time Smalley rose to his feet and shook his head. "He can not +even be moved from here," he whispered, "and all my appliances are +under that blazing roof. God works very hardly sometimes." The dying +man moaned feebly, and Ruys was on her knees beside him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What is it? Can't you speak? Oh, husband, can not you save him?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"God knows that I would!" said Habakkuk sadly, and then his wife bent +low to hide the tears that fell fast down her cheeks.</p> + +<p class="continue">That strange power of hearing, that supreme strength which comes to +persons at the last, came to Peregrine now.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Die!" he said; "who says I am going to die? I am young yet; my work +is not done. Mother," he cried, "I am coming!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Ruys bent down and kissed the hot forehead softly. There was a +shivering of the limbs, and the strong young spirit had passed.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_1.15" href="#div1Ref_1.15">THE PASSING OF THE WOON.</a></h3> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">Pick up the threads, the web is spun;</p> +<p class="t0">For weal or woe, the task is done.</p> + +<p class="right"><i>Maraffa</i>.</p> +</div> +<br> +<p class="normal">"Good-bye, Phipson. We can never forget what we owe you--you and the +poor boy who lies there. Come to us when you can. We will give you a +warm welcome. It's a big country, and there's room for a young man +with hands and feet. Good-bye again!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Habakkuk shook hands cordially with Phipson, and passed up the gangway +of the Woon to join his wife, who had already said farewell. The siren +whistle screamed shrilly, and with much laughter and good-humoured +hustling the crowd on board left the decks, the paddles drummed, and +the Woon sidled back from the quay, and then, turning gracefully +round, steamed down the river, followed by a multitude of boats whose +gaily dressed occupants formed bright groups of gorgeous colour on the +gleaming water. Phipson stood and watched, and answered the wave of +the white handkerchief from the stern; stood and watched until the +convoy of boats became but little black specks, and the Woon entered a +curve of golden water that reflected back the glories of the sunset +and was lost to view. In the fore part of the ship, beside his +belongings, sat Serferez Ali, who had cut his name, and was going back +to enjoy his well-earned pension in his home in the Salt Range of the +Punjab. He was rich with this and the rewards he had gained, and if at +times he had done things which our civilization does not approve of, +that did not the less make him a gallant old specimen of his class. +Occasionally he would rise, and, walking to the inclosed space +reserved for horses, caress the soft muzzle of his roan, a round, +black muzzle that thrust itself confidingly forward toward him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We are going back, Motee, my heart--going back out of this accursed +land of swamps. Didst thou think, thou of the Waziri, that I would +leave thee to die here? Nay, nay! We are going back to the land +where women bring forth men. But we saw the assassin hang before we +went--hang-like the dog he was; and Bullen, son of Bishen, thy old +comrade, brave, but a fool, is now inspector in <i>my</i> place. But +comfort thee, my pearl, we are going <i>home!</i>"</p> + +<p class="continue">The mare whinnied back to her master, and the old man sought his seat +again, keeping one eye on a heavy brass-bound box and the other on his +favourite.</p> + +<p class="continue">At intervals he watched the broad fan of the electric light throw its +white radiance across the river, and murmured to himself as he inhaled +the grateful fumes of the hubble-bubble:</p> + +<p class="continue">"Prophet of God! But these English are a wonderful race! Nevertheless, +except for their cursed engines, the <i>khalsa</i> would still have been. +<i>Ahi!</i> those were the battles of giants!"</p> + +<p class="continue">On the quarter deck Ruys, very pale and white, leaned back in a lounge +chair, and Habakkuk stood beside her with a new light in his eyes. +They watched the thin scimitar of the new moon gleam out of the sky, +and the gray mists creep up the river and enfold the dim and now +distant outlines of the forest. They were leaving the country, leaving +the East for good. One felt that to other and stronger hands must be +left the work so well begun by him; and as for the other, she had gone +through the furnace and had come out pure gold. From his post by the +man at the wheel Skipper Jack watched the pair. He was a man whom the +ordinary cares of the world troubled not, but on the present occasion +serious misfortune had assailed him, and he was out of temper. His +tobacco had run out, and he had sunk to the degradation of filling his +pipe with the half-burned stump of a cheroot. Skipper Jack stood, +therefore, hard by the man at the wheel, and, while his keen eyes +evermore watched the ship's course, his tongue murmured strange oaths +under his beard. But what was that, seen through the gloom, that +crinkled up the gnarled features of the skipper into a sour smile of +amusement? He saw it again, and in his astonishment almost dropped his +favourite clay.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Bust me foolish!" he muttered to himself. "Blowed if the parson ain't +a-spooning the missis! Gr-r-r! the old pipe is out!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1><a name="div1_2.00" href="#div1Ref_2.00">THE WIDOW LAMPORT</a></h1> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<div class="poem2"> +<p class="t0">But I laye a-wakynge, and loe! ye dawne was breakynge, +<p class="t0">And rarelye pyped a larke for ye promyse of ye daye: +<p class="t4" style="text-indent:-8pt">"Uppe and sette yr lance in reste! +<p class="t4">Uppe and followe on ye queste! +<p class="t4">Leave ye issue to bee guessed +<p class="t5">At ye endynge of ye waye "--</p> + +<p class="continue"><p class="t0">As I laye a-wakynge, 'twas soe she seemed to say-- +<p class="t2" style="text-indent:-8pt">"Whatte and if it alle bee feynynge? +<p class="t2">There be better thynges than gaynynge, +<p class="t2">Better pryzes than attaynynge." +<p class="t2">And 'twas truthe she seemed to saye. +<p class="t0">Whyles the dawne was breakynge, I rode upon my waye.</p> + +<p class="right">Q. (<i>Oxford Magazine</i>.)</p> +</div> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h1>THE WIDOW LAMPORT.</h1> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.01" href="#div1Ref_2.01">AT THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">When Mrs. Lamport, the pretty widow, was observed standing outside the +door of the Methodist meeting-house in Rigaum one Sabbath morning +after service, the congregation began to wonder and cast little +inquiring looks at each other.</p> + +<p class="continue">They were serious folk, and it was clear to them that the proper +course to pursue, after attending divine worship, was to make one's +way soberly home, looking neither to the right nor to the left, lest +the enemy of mankind should seize his opportunity to the ruin of a +soul. Her presence excited curiosity the more as none of the +worshippers had seen her in church that day. This absence disappointed +the womankind, who were wont to take surreptitious notes of Halsa +Lamport's dress, between their fingers, as they knelt apparently +absorbed in prayer. Mrs. Lamport stood on the steps of the chapel +entrance, leaning lightly on the end of her parasol, a neat figure +dressed in white, with a coquettish knot of red ribbons in her high +straw hat. The flash of these ribbons in the sunlight caught the eye +of Elder Bullin as he stepped forth, smug and clean shaven, his two +daughters following demurely in his footsteps. A scowl passed over the +old man's features, and he muttered something under his breath about +Rahab and the city wall. As the people filed out of church they stared +at Mrs. Lamport. Most of the young men lifted their hats, but the +greater portion of the women pursed up their lips and sniffed at the +figure before them. There were two crimson spots on the widow's cheeks +now; she had a temper, and it was evident that it was being put to +trial. She rattled the plated end of her parasol on the stone steps, +and made an impatient movement.</p> + +<p class="continue">Let it be at once understood that, as far as the good people of the +Rigaum tabernacle knew, there was no record against Mrs. Lamport, +except the fact that she was a pure European, and they, for the most +part, were of mixed descent. She had come suddenly into their midst +about a year ago, and all that they knew of her was that she boarded +with the Bunnys, and was supposed to be a distant connection of +theirs. Her living with the Bunnys ensured her toleration, for Mr. +Bunny was the registrar of a government office, and not a man to be +offended with impunity.</p> + +<p class="continue">Nevertheless the word was passed that friendly relations with the +pretty widow were not to be cultivated. It was not to be denied that +she was diligent in her attendance at chapel, that no word of hers had +given offence--yet the women took alarm, the husbands yielded to their +wives, and Mr. Bunny's influence alone preserved an armed neutrality.</p> + +<p class="continue">As Mr. Bunny and his wife came out of church they stopped and looked +inquiringly at the widow, for she had pleaded a headache as an excuse +for not attending service with them.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Come to meet us?" asked Mrs. Bunny with a smile.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No," was the reply; "I have come to meet Mr. Galbraith."</p> + +<p class="continue">Almost as the words were spoken the pastor appeared, and after a few +moments' conversation he and Mrs. Lamport moved off slowly together, +under the shadow of the palm trees, in the direction of Mr. Bunny's +house. Mrs. Bunny discreetly induced her husband to take a longer +road, and as for those of the congregation who overheard the words +spoken, they remained almost struck dumb with astonishment. Mr. +Sarkies, however, a semi-Armenian, and a member of the congregation, +who was himself looked upon with suspicion as not having yet found +Christ, made a little mistake at this moment.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well, I'm damned!" said he to himself as he struck his gray +pantaloons with a thin cane smartly and looked after the retreating +pair. Sarkies prided himself somewhat on being a lady-killer, and it +had been his intention, as soon as he had straightened his collar +sufficiently, to give the widow the pleasure of his company home.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was unfortunate for him, however, that the bad word caught Elder +Bullin's ear. The old man had stopped for a moment, much against his +will, to reply to a remark made by a friend. He was about to rebuke +the speaker for having his thoughts on earthly matters on the Lord's +Day when the oath, softly spoken though it was, reached him. He turned +sharply. "Young man," said he, "swear not at all. Behold!" he added, +pointing with his stick at the shrinking figure before him, "here is +one whose paths are in the Valley of Sin, and whose ways lead him to +hell fire."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, paw!" exclaimed his eldest daughter deprecatingly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I--I beg pardon, Mr. Bullin," stammered Sarkies; "it slipped out."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Never you come to my house again," continued the elder. "I will bring +your scandalous conduct before the next meeting."</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies tried vainly to smile and carry it off with a high hand, but +the elder's words attracted a crowd, and their united attention was +too much for him. He made an effort, however, to retreat with dignity.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I don't want--come to y'r'ouse," he said with a sickly smile as he +pushed his hat slightly on one side of his head and moved off with an +air of apparent unconcern.</p> + +<p class="continue">At this junction Miss Bullin burst into tears.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Shame! shame! Lizzie!" exclaimed her sister Laura; but Lizzie was not +to be appeased. She wore her heart upon her sleeve, after the manner +of some women.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, my Jimmy!" she cried, and the elder was moved to uncontrollable +wrath.</p> + +<p class="continue">"G'home at once," he shouted, "or I'll Jimmy you--Jimmy, indeed. +G'home, you----"</p> + +<p class="continue">He checked himself, and followed his trembling daughters to his +brownberry, for he was a "carriage man."</p> + +<p class="continue">This unexpected scene withdrew all attention from the widow and her +companion, and when, the principal actors in it had gone, all thought +of Halsa Lamport, for the present, vanished from the minds of the +church-goers, whose ways home were full of prophecies on the +consequences of Mr. Sarkies's folly.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.02" href="#div1Ref_2.02">A CUP OF TEA.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The Rigaum Methodist Tabernacle was in a suburb of Bombay called by +that name. It was a small oblong building, washed a pale blue, and +embedded in a nest of cocoa palms. To the right a Jain temple raised +its gold-tipped cupola, and the chimes of the bell which called +together the Christian worshippers of the chapel were often drowned in +the discordant shriek of the conch horn, the shrill blast of trumpets, +and the incessant beating of drums.</p> + +<p class="continue">This had resulted in a lawsuit, which ended in leaving the parties +much as they were before, except that it was a virtual triumph for the +heathen, and his uncanny rejoicings on the Sabbath became more +intolerable than ever.</p> + +<p class="continue">So strong indeed was the feeling on the point that Elder Bullin +concluded an extempore prayer one day with the words, "<i>And we pray +Thee, O Merciful Father! to teach us to forgive our enemies; but to +send down the lightning of thy wrath on the heathen, that they, the +revilers and mockers of thy worship, may burn in torment without +end--Amen</i>."</p> + +<p class="continue">With the exception of the pastor, John Galbraith, and Halsa Lamport, +the congregation consisted of Anglo-Indians and Eurasians of the +middle and lower classes, the hereditary office hands of the Indian +government. The church and the congregation were the remains of a wave +of religious enthusiasm that had passed over Bombay some years ago. +This originated with an American evangelist, who sought the East to +carry, as he said, "the glad tidings to the heathen white."</p> + +<p class="continue">The revivalist met for a time with a success beyond his hopes, and +established at least a dozen churches which were filled with devout +worshippers. When the "Bishop," as they loved to call him, left to +return home, matters were apparently on a firm basis; but in a few +years the zeal he inspired died away, and the light burned but in a +few places, one of which was in the chapel at Rigaum. Here, at any +rate, it seemed to burn almost as brightly as in the palmy days of the +Bishop, and there was no doubt that this was due to the pastor.</p> + +<p class="continue">By no means a learned man, yet with a sympathetic manner and a fund of +quiet humour that attracted all who came under its influence, +Galbraith was enabled to hold his flock together when their naturally +flighty nature and mutual jealousies would have driven them to +dissolve with curses.</p> + +<p class="continue">The pastor lived in a small house adjoining the church, from which it +was separated by a brick wall. A narrow gate allowed a passage from +the chapel enclosure to the "Manse," as it was called. In the little +plot of ground before the house Galbraith had tried to cultivate a +garden, but his efforts were not particularly successful. Nothing +would grow here except cocoa palms. There was an everlasting haze of +soft dust in the air. The people were accustomed to it, but on a +stranger the effect was suffocating. One felt choked in this spot +where no pure air ever penetrated the wall of palms. It was never +really cool, but a damp pall of dust hung over everything. On the +morning we speak of Galbraith rose at an early hour, and, sitting in +the small portico of his house, called for a cup of tea. After a +little time his Goanese servant appeared, bearing a tray in his hands, +on which was a tea-pot, a cup and saucer, with an electro-plated spoon +lying beside it; there was a toast also, set in a drunken fashion in a +rack.</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel's appearance was not attractive, as he shuffled along with his +burden, the ends of his toes stuck into a pair of slippers which +clicked under his feet. He placed the tea things down on the small +table beside Galbraith with a sulky slam that set the spoon twittering +in the saucer, and said--</p> + +<p class="continue">"Master's tea ready."</p> + +<p class="continue">The pastor poured himself out a cup, and looked for the milk and +sugar. There was none. "Boy," said he, "where is the milk and the +sugar?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yessar," and Manuel disappeared into the house. "It's very odd," +mused Galbraith; "Manuel has been with me nearly two years now, and he +persists in not bringing milk and sugar with my morning tea. I must +really speak to him--perhaps it is a judgment on me for employing a +follower of the Scarlet Woman." He stirred the tea he had poured out, +and tasted it, but set it down with a wry face. "The old Adam is still +strong within me," he said with a half-smile. "I can not bear tea +alone."</p> + +<p class="continue">In the meantime Manuel reached the back of the house and looked round +for the goat he had forgotten to milk. The goat was there, in the +veranda, and at sight of him she fled toward the temple, the Goanese +in hot pursuit.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Jesu Maria!" he exclaimed as he seized her at last. "But thou art +accursed among beasts--stand still, pig, and be milked."</p> + +<p class="continue">He squeezed a certain amount of milk into a jug, and, giving the goat +a parting kick, ran back into the house, the jug held at arm's-length +in front of him.</p> + +<p class="continue">On a sideboard was a small glass bowl, in which there were a few lumps +of sugar. Manuel transferred one to his mouth, and then taking up the +basin in his disengaged hand hastened into the portico. He placed the +milk and sugar on the table, and silently took up a position behind +his master's back.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Manuel," began Galbraith.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yessar."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why is it that I have always to ask you about the milk and sugar. +Negligent in these little matters, I fear that you neglect also your +higher duties."</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel ran his fingers uneasily through his oily locks, and burst out, +"Nosar--confess, sar--reglar."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Confess!" exclaimed Galbraith, roused at having his servant's +religious belief thrust before him; "confess to an idol."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Nosar--confess to Father St. Francis."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Pish!" and Galbraith helped himself to a fresh cup of tea, but said +no more.</p> + +<p class="continue">When he had finished, the Goanese removed the tea things, and the +pastor remained sitting in his easy-chair. He would have liked to +smoke; in fact, an almost intolerable longing seized him, but he +thrust it down.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I will not desecrate the Sabbath," he said. He would not even look at +his flowers; but after staring for a few minutes at the cheerless +walls of the meeting-house, rose and went in.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.03" href="#div1Ref_2.03">A BILLET-DOUX.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">As Galbraith went into the house he noticed the dreary aspect of the +rooms. He laid his hand for a moment on a small side-table, and when +he lifted his fingers off their impression was distinctly visible on +the dusty surface. A picture on the wall before him had slipped from +its moorings, and hung in a helpless sort of way from a brass-headed +nail. The pastor mounted a chair, and set the picture straight, wiping +the glass carefully with his pocket-handkerchief. As he stepped down +he called to mind a remark made by good-natured Mrs. Bunny.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You want a wife," she said to him one day, when he complained of some +domestic trouble, in which Manuel had played a principal part. Her +eyes rested, as she said this, on Halsa Lamport, who was standing in +the veranda attending to a canary. Galbraith followed the glance, and +although he smiled a little, and parried the speech, Mrs. Bunny's +words set him thinking seriously. And now the little episode of the +milk and sugar and the untidy room brought Mrs. Bunny's words back +again. It struck him that Mrs. Lamport was very kind and gracious to +him. The recollection of their last meeting, and the slight yet warm +pressure of her hand which had sent the blood dancing through his +veins, came vividly before him.</p> + +<p class="continue">He reached his dressing-room, and looked at the glass. The few gray +hairs were not unbecoming, and he was a well set up man--not bad +looking too, he thought, and then--he blushed like a girl at his own +folly, and proceeded to dress. Service was at eleven. It was now only +eight, so that Galbraith had three hours at his disposal. There was, +of course, a Sunday-school class, but this was under the special +care of Elder Bullin. It was on such mornings that the elder was in +his element. He insisted on a verbatim repetition by heart of a +chapter of the Bible by every member of his small class, and in case +of failure--three mistakes only were allowed--he painted in glowing +colours the horrors of eternal torment that awaited the culprit, when +his earthly life closed. He would go so far as to definitely state +that the shadowy wings of Death were at that moment hovering over the +class, and it often happened that a small member was so overcome with +terror that he had to retire bellowing lustily. Fortnightly the elder +gave the class an extempore lecture of vast length, and on the +following day his two daughters were required to write this out from +memory, a labour watered with their tears.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith completed his toilet, and went into his study to touch up +his sermon. The text he had chosen was, "And God hath both raised up +the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power." They were +strong, healthful words, but the pastor was not quite certain that he +realized their meaning. He was of those who judge of great things by +comparing them with little things. He had found that small vices were +extremely hard, sometimes impossible, to get rid of, notwithstanding +the most assiduous application to the Deity. He almost despaired at +times of one of the primal doctrines of his sect--the direct +intervention of Providence in the affairs of this world. He was by +turns full of certainty and full of doubt. He was willing to concede +that the all-seeing eye marked the sparrow falling, but for the life +of him he could not help asking himself why the sparrow was allowed to +come to disaster.</p> + +<p class="continue">His profession and education taught him that such a question was +almost a deadly sin, and then would come a long fight between the +man's religion and his reasoning powers.</p> + +<p class="continue">He ran his eyes over the text at the head of his sermon with a look of +doubt in them, and while doing so his hand unconsciously stole to the +corner of his table, where a brown cherry-wood pipe lay snugly on a +fur tobacco-bag. The touch of his fingers against the satin surface of +the wood aroused him in a moment to a sense of what he was about to +do. He looked at his outstretched hand, the pipe held between his +fingers, and then burst out laughing. A moment after his face became +grave. "The sparrow was not allowed to fall this time, at any rate," +he said, as he put down the pipe and lifted up a small Bible. He +turned to the chapter whence he had taken his text, and read it +attentively to the end. He went on to the next chapter. It was that in +which St. Paul lectures the Corinthians on their conjugal duties. John +Galbraith read this slowly, his eyebrows now and then contracting into +a slight frown. While he read the face of Halsa Lamport seemed to come +between him and the pages, and unseen lips to murmur her name in his +ears. There was no use in resisting any longer. In fact, he had never +made any resistance, but from the time of Mrs. Bunny's speech mentally +associated the widow in all his actions; perhaps, too, the defects in +his domestic arrangements had their effect, although he may not have +been conscious of the full extent of the power.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I'll risk it," he said, with sudden resolution, as he pulled a piece +of writing paper toward himself and seized a pen. But it was easier +said than done, and John ran through a good dozen sheets before he +decided on what to say. What he did say was this. He wrote to Halsa +Lamport asking for an interview that day as he had that to tell her +which was of the greatest importance to himself. The note was very +brief, and contained nothing more. He folded and addressed the letter +as Manuel came in to announce breakfast. Manuel had smartened himself +up. He had on a clean white linen jacket. His hair was more +resplendent than ever.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith felt that breakfast was out of the question. He was +feverishly eager now for the time to come when he should see Halsa, +and hear from her "ay" or "nay."</p> + +<p class="continue">"I don't think I'll have any breakfast to-day; and look here, Manuel, +take this note to Mr. Bunny's house, and give it to Mrs. Lamport. +Bring the answer back before I go to church."</p> + +<p class="continue">Now the Bunnys lived some little distance away from the Manse, and +Manuel was not fond of walking. He tried to put off the evil hour by +an affectation of concern. He took the note from Galbraith, and said--</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yessar--master not ill?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"No--no," replied Galbraith; "take the note at once, please."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Fry pomflit for breakfas, sar," said Manuel, "and prong curry--all +spile."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Never mind, Manuel--we'll have some another day. Take that letter +and--run."</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel did as he was bidden, and Galbraith watched him shuffling along +the road until he reached the corner where Pedro Pinto's liquor stall +stood. Manuel hesitated a moment here. A glass of toddy, a liquor made +out of the fermented sap of the palmyra, would be very grateful; +but--he glanced round only to find the pastor standing at the gate and +watching him. With a sigh the Goanese turned and went on; but, now +that he had passed the curve of the street, slackened his pace to a +leisurely walk. He remained away for more than an hour, during which +time Galbraith paced the little veranda impatiently, wondering whether +there would be any reply to his note. It was impossible to think of +anything else, and each moment seemed to him an age. At intervals he +walked to the gate, and looked down the road, but there was no sign of +Manuel. At last he saw him turn the corner; whereupon, filled with a +sudden terror, John hastily retreated into his study, and began to +turn over the leaves of his sermon. He tried to persuade himself that +he had retired because it was undignified to watch his servant in this +manner, but the thick beating of his heart told him he lied to +himself. At last there was a shuffle at the door, and Manuel, coming +in, stood before his master silently.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith looked at him. "Did you give the letter? Was there any +answer?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yessar." Manuel produced a little gray square envelope from his +breast pocket and handed it to Galbraith.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Very well," said the pastor as he stretched forth his hand to receive +the letter, "you can go now."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Master have tiffin?" inquired Manuel, but Galbraith peremptorily +ordered him out of the room. When he had gone John tore the note open. +It was written on that abominable pattern of paper which folds like an +envelope, and as a consequence, Galbraith in his excitement tore the +whole letter in two. With hands that trembled with eagerness he placed +the pieces together, and resting them on the table, read the reply--</p> + +<p class="continue">"<i>I will meet you after church, and we can walk home together</i>."</p> + +<p class="continue">There was no signature, but Galbraith knew the handwriting. He looked +furtively around, and then kissing the precious scraps of paper, +locked them carefully away.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.04" href="#div1Ref_2.04">YES.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">On leaving the church, Galbraith and his companion walked slowly down +the road. The street was hedged in between two low walls, gray with +age, and partly coated with a short, thick moss, whose original colour +was hidden by the dust lying heavy upon it. The tops of the walls were +covered with bits of broken glass, fragments of bottles stuck upright +into the masonry as a defence against trespassers.</p> + +<p class="continue">Behind these barriers, on either side, the date and cocoa palms grew +in thick profusion, hiding from view the dwelling-houses which lay +among them. At short intervals a disreputable-looking gate was passed, +the paint peeling off in patches from the wood-work. With the +exception of the one or two couples returning from service, and a few +native Christians at Pinto's liquor stall, lounging with the flies +among the long-necked glass bottles, there were no people in the +street. The middle of the road was six inches deep in fine dust, but +on the side where the pavement should have been, was a small pathway, +beaten hard, with just sufficient room for two, provided they walked +somewhat closely to each other. John went in the dust, leaving his +companion the whole of the sidewalk. His boots were covered with the +clinging gray powder, and a portion of it had sprinkled itself on his +clothes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It's very dusty there, Mr. Galbraith; don't you think you had better +come on to the sidewalk?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Thank you," said John humbly, as he joined the widow. As he came up, +the folds of her dress brushed against him, and her shoulder grazed +his. The touch sent a thrill through Galbraith's veins.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I--I beg pardon," said he nervously, "I am very awkward."</p> + +<p class="continue">The widow smiled slightly, and shot a glance at him from under her +dark eye-lashes. "I don't see that you have anything to beg pardon +for."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith was about to say that all life should be one appeal for +pardon, but he checked himself, and, glancing at the walls on either +side of them, remarked--</p> + +<p class="continue">"I wonder how many thousands of bottles were used to make that defence +work on the walls here!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"I really couldn't tell, Mr. Galbraith," replied the widow a little +sharply.</p> + +<p class="continue">John remained silent and abashed for a few moments, and at last she +spoke.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I got your letter, of course, this morning. What was it you were +going to tell me? Not about the glass bottles, I hope?" and she showed +an even row of pearly teeth between her red lips.</p> + +<p class="continue">A cold sweat burst out on Galbraith's forehead, and his tongue seemed +paralysed. "I--I," he stammered, and then he clutched at a straw. "But +what a number of people are on the road to-day."</p> + +<p class="continue">"There is the short cut, and I think we had better take that." The +widow lifted her skirts slightly, and daintily tripped across. John +caught a glimpse of an exquisite foot and ankle as he followed.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Lord," he cried in his heart, "deliver me from temptation!"</p> + +<p class="continue">Arrived at the opposite side of the road, Halsa turned to her +companion, and putting out her foot, looked ruefully at it.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I have made my boots so dusty--what a horrid road this is!"</p> + +<p class="continue">John glanced round him nervously, then he pulled out his handkerchief.</p> + +<p class="continue">"May I?" he asked in a hesitating manner as he waved the folds in the +air.</p> + +<p class="continue">"If you would be so kind;" and John, stooping down, brushed away the +dust from one dainty foot, and then the other. He could not help +lingering over the task.</p> + +<p class="continue">The widow, looking down on him, smiled to herself. "He's getting on," +she murmured, and then--</p> + +<p class="continue">"I think that will do--thank you so much. I'm afraid you have ruined +that handkerchief--I'm so sorry."</p> + +<p class="continue">John gave a last brush at the boot before him and rose. He was a +little red in the face, but--he was getting on.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I shall always keep this handkerchief sacredly, Mrs. Lamport," said +he, putting it into his pocket carefully.</p> + +<p class="continue">"How ridiculous!" And the widow gave a little toss to her head, her +colour rising slightly.</p> + +<p class="continue">They walked down the lane until they reached a small gateway. "This," +said Halsa as she passed through it, "takes us into the custard apple +garden, immediately behind the palm tree, and my favourite seat is +there--near the well."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith followed her under the shade of the palms to the orchard. +Their feet crackled over the dry leaves. A rough wooden seat was +placed near a banyan tree which spread its shade over the well. Behind +the seat was a thick lentena hedge in full bloom, and the butterflies +were playing in a small cloud over the blossoms. Close to them a few +mynas squabbled over some fallen fruit, and a gray squirrel scuttled +past their feet up the trunk of the banyan, and chattered shrilly at +them from its branches.</p> + +<p class="continue">The widow sank into the seat with a comfortable purr, and began +tracing imaginary diagrams with the end of her parasol among the +fallen leaves at her feet. Galbraith remained standing. "Won't you sit +down, Mr. Galbraith?" and Halsa pointed to the vacant space at her +side. "There's room for two."</p> + +<p class="continue">"It is not very warm to-day," he said, as he accepted the invitation.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No; I think it is quite cool. Look at the clouds. I shouldn't be +surprised if there was rain;" and the widow looked up at the fleecy +masses which had floated between the sunlight and the earth, hiding +the glare and cooling the day.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, I think we want some rain. This is about the time it usually +comes."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Does it?" Halsa turned her eyes straight upon Galbraith as she said +this and looked at him. They were very pretty eyes, very honest and +true.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith had thought over what he meant to say, but could remember +nothing. All at once a desperate courage seemed to possess him. +"Halsa," he said--his voice was very low and tender--"will you give me +this?" He took her hand as he spoke. It lay in his unresistingly. It +seemed to return his warm pressure.</p> + +<p class="continue">The widow's eyes were lowered now, and her cheeks like flame. "My +dear," he said, and Halsa, lifting up her face, answered, "I will."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith could hardly believe himself. He could almost hear the +beating of his own heart as he sat with Halsa Lamport's hand in his.</p> + +<p class="continue">After a while she drew her hand gently away. "Was it this that you +meant to tell me?" she asked, and John smiled back "Yes."</p> + +<p class="continue">There was another silence of a few minutes. Galbraith breathed a +silent prayer for the blessing which he believed had been vouchsafed +to him. "Lord," he murmured to himself, "I see thy work in this."</p> + +<p class="continue">"It's getting late," said Halsa suddenly. "They must be back from +church now, and will miss us." She rose and stood near Galbraith, her +dress touching him. John stood up meekly, and as he stood the widow +started back with a little cry, "Don't!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Don't--what?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"I--I thought----" She did not finish her sentence, for the next +moment Galbraith's arm was round her waist, and he drew her toward +him. Except his mother, he had never touched lip of woman. He kissed +her gently with the tenderest possible pressure, and then he kissed +her again and again, until at last Halsa drew herself from his arm.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There," she said, "I think that's enough for you to-day."</p> + +<p class="continue">John wondered to himself if he could ever have enough of the nectar he +had tasted.</p> + +<p class="continue">"We must really go in now," said Halsa decisively.</p> + +<p class="continue">"One kiss more," he pleaded. His arm was round her waist; her lips +were once more raised to his, when there was a crash in the lentena +hedge, a rush of scampering feet, and a shrill voice called out:</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh my! how nice! I'm going to tell mummy."</p> + +<p class="continue">The lovers shot back from each other, and the widow bit her lips with +anger.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It's that horrid little Eddy Bunny. He must have been watching us the +whole time. I should like to shake him," and she stamped her foot.</p> + +<p class="continue">John recovered himself. "Never mind, darling," he said. "Eddy will +only break the news for us."</p> + +<p class="continue">It was wonderful how easy it all seemed now.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.05" href="#div1Ref_2.05">MRS. BUNNY DOUBTS.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">On Sundays the carved blackwood furniture in the Bunny's drawing-room +emerged from its weekly suit of holland and shone resplendent in red +satin upholstery. Mr. Bunny had exchanged his boots for a pair of list +slippers, and was seated in a straight-backed chair, his spectacles +pushed on to his forehead. He was a little ill-tempered at having had +to take that long road home, and regretted that he had not taken out +his brownberry. It was just this point, however, that he was unwilling +to concede to Elder Bullin. In a recent argument Bunny maintained that +it was flying in the face of divine law to work a horse on a Sunday. +The elder held more practical opinions on the subject, and there had +almost been an open rupture. Since that time, however, Bunny walked to +church on the Sabbath, but was beginning to regret his line of action. +He was not a young man, and adipose tissue had increased with his +years. It irritated him to see the elder pass him with his pair of +katty-war horses. Bunny had only one. The irritation he felt, however, +was equalled by the sense of satisfaction that stole over the elder as +he passed his opponent engaged in carrying out his convictions. There +was a rustle, and Mrs. Bunny came into the room in her black silk +dress. She was nearly fifteen years younger than her husband, a +somewhat uncommon thing in the class of life to which they belonged, +where husband and wife are mostly of the same age, or very near it. +Her active habits had, moreover, prevented her from running into flesh +as most Eurasian women do. She came into the room briskly, stopped, +set some grass in a vase straight, and picking up The Evangelical +Record, the organ of the Methodist community, settled herself in a +chair opposite Bunny, after giving a satisfied glance round the room.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Halsa and Mr. Galbraith haven't come in yet?" said Bunny, a tone of +inquiry in his voice.</p> + +<p class="continue">"They'll be in just now," replied his wife, unfolding the sheets of +the paper and smiling to herself. She was a cunning little woman, and +had long read Galbraith's feelings in his eyes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Where's Eddy?" asked the father. Eddy was their only child, a boy +about twelve years of age. "I think I'll hear him his chapter," he +added.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes--where's the boy? Ed-dee!--Ed-dee!" and Mrs. Bunny cried aloud +for her offspring.</p> + +<p class="continue">There was a patter of footsteps in the hall, a rush up the passage, +and Eddy burst into the room.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, maw!" he exclaimed, "Mr. Galbraith is kissing Aunty Halsa in the +garden!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"What!" shouted Bunny, fairly jumping to his feet.</p> + +<p class="continue">Mrs. Bunny burst out laughing. "You old goose, wait till they come in, +and you'll hear more."</p> + +<p class="continue">"On the Lord's day, too!" said Bunny, holding up his hands. "And what +were you doing in the garden? Have you learned your chapter?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy shuffled from one leg to the other. "It was very long," he +protested with a whimper.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I'll long you--come with me," and Bunny took Eddy's right ear between +the thumb and forefinger of his left hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy set up a dolorous howling, and Mrs. Bunny interposed. "Remember +it's Sunday, Tom," she said.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh--here you are," she added, as Galbraith and Halsa came into the +room. Eddy seized his opportunity, and made a run for it.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith came forward at once, leading Halsa by the hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mr. Bunny," he said, "I have asked Halsa to be my wife, and she has +said----"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes--I knew she would," and Mrs. Bunny kissed Halsa, who blushed and +trembled very much.</p> + +<p class="continue">Mr. Bunny shook hands alternately with Halsa and Galbraith.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am very glad," he said. "I didn't think of this; but I am very +glad."</p> + +<p class="continue">After a while Galbraith left. It was agreed that the engagement should +be given out at the next meeting of the Council of the Tabernacle, +which was to be held in a few days.</p> + +<p class="continue">"But Eddy knows all about it," said Mrs. Bunny, and Halsa blushed +furiously, while Galbraith looked helplessly around.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I don't think Eddy will say much after I have spoken to him," said +Bunny; "and, Galbraith, don't forget that you dine here to-night."</p> + +<p class="continue">They all walked home after the evening service, and dined quietly and +happily together. When the time came for Galbraith to go, Halsa walked +with him to the gate. They lingered for a moment there together.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Good-night, John." She raised her face to his, and he kissed her +softly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You do not regret?" asked Galbraith, and for answer Halsa kissed him +of her own accord. He turned at last, and vanished into the gloom.</p> + +<p class="continue">That night when they retired to rest, and Bunny and his wife had read +a chapter of the big leather-covered Bible, which lay on a small table +in their bedroom, Mrs. Bunny turned to her husband.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Tom," she said, "what if all this should end badly? I am frightened +now."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Why should it end badly?" and Bunny wiped his spectacles carefully +and folded them into their case.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am afraid now--I don't know why. Why don't you tell me all about +Halsa? You never have."</p> + +<p class="continue">"There's not much to tell. You knew Stephen Lamport, my cousin, when +he married Halsa six years ago, and we went on board the Petrel and +met them. You know what a scoundrel Stephen was. He led her an awful +life for six years, and then deserted her before that last voyage of +his to the Mauritius, when the Mahi went down with all on board. +Lamport was a big blackguard, but he is dead now."</p> + +<p class="continue">"What if Stephen is not dead?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Not dead--that's nonsense. But it's half-past ten, and I'm going to +bed."</p> + +<p class="continue">Nevertheless Maggie Bunny lay awake late that night. What if Stephen +Lamport should not be dead? she kept ever thinking to herself.</p> + +<p class="continue">At last she stole out of bed and prayed in the dim light for Halsa and +Galbraith. When she rose she felt comforted and refreshed. She stole +back slowly; Bunny was asleep, and she looked at his face.</p> + +<p class="continue">"He is a good man," she murmured; "but----"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.06" href="#div1Ref_2.06">MASTER EDWARD BUNNY.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Mr. Sarkies lived with his widowed mother and an unmarried aunt, an +elderly spinster, in a small house behind that occupied by the Bunnys. +The family were of Armenian descent, although they were unwilling to +own the fact. Wherever they went, however, they bore the cachet of +their origin with them in their noses, the insignia of race bestowed +upon them by Providence. When the wave of religious enthusiasm swept +over Bombay it caught up among other flotsam the Sarkies family. The +head of the house died shortly after this event, making a most +edifying end. He left a little money, and his son was educated as well +as it was possible for a man of his class, and was now an assistant +accountant in the great firm of Apcoon Brothers, and in receipt of a +salary of about two hundred pounds a year. Of a light, volatile +character by nature, the strain of having to live under the restraints +of the sect to which he belonged was sometimes too much for Sarkies, +and he often broke out occasionally, as on the memorable Sunday when +the elder fell foul of him, with disastrous results to himself. He was +idolized by his mother and his aunt, and was a contributor to the +Poet's Corner of the Bombay Bouncer. He had been much touched by the +emotion displayed by Lizzie Bullin when the elder attacked him. He sat +up half the night pouring his feelings into verse. He rose early, and +copied the verses out neatly on a piece of bright pink Baskeville +paper, with a blue J. S. in rustic letters on the top. This he folded +carefully in an envelope, but did not address it. "Don't want rows," +he said emphatically to himself. His excitement was so great that he +contented himself with about one-third of his usual quantity of curry +for breakfast, and, entering his buggy, a legacy from his father, in +which an old flea-bitten Arab worked loyally, he drove toward his +place of business.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mind and come back earlee, Jimmee!" screamed his aunt after him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, auntee," and the buggy rattled out of the gate on to the road, a +cloud of dust rising behind it.</p> + +<p class="continue">He had not gone far when he saw Eddy Bunny before him, walking to +school, a satchel full of books swinging in his hand. A happy thought +struck Sarkies; Eddy Bunny attended the High School, where both boys +and girls were taught, in different classes, however. Now Sarkies knew +that a small sister of Lizzie's was also a pupil at the school. If he +could only induce Eddy to give the verses to Florry they would be sure +to reach safely. He pulled up, therefore.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Hallo, Eddy!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Hallo!" shouted back the boy, making a shambling sort of salute.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Want a lift?--drive you to school."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Orright," and Eddy climbed in.</p> + +<p class="continue">"When I grow up I'm going to get a buggy better than this."</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies felt a little nettled, but made no reply. He hit the horse +smartly, and the beast kicked up its heels, and then went on.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I say, give me the whip."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Here you are; and look here, Eddy, I want you to do something for +me."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Aw!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Do you know Florry Bullin?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"She's my sweetheart," replied Eddy; "I'm going to marry her when I +grow up."</p> + +<p class="continue">Better and better, thought Sarkies. "Well, look here, Eddy: Lizzie is +<i>my</i> sweetheart, and I want to marry her."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Then you are not going to marry Aunty Halsa? But she wouldn't marry +you; she is going to marry Mr. Galbraith."</p> + +<p class="continue">"What!" Sarkies pulled the reins in and stopped the horse.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes. What'er you stopping for?"--chick, slish--and Eddy used the +whip with all his little might.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Are you sure of this?" asked Sarkies, as they moved on.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes; paw said he'd lick me if I spoke about it."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well, look here, Eddy; I want you to give a letter I have to Lizzie; +give it to Florry, and tell her to give it. I will give you a ru--no, +eight annas, if you do this, and mind and keep quiet about it, or I'll +tell that you spoke about Aunty Halsa."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Give me the eight annas," said Eddy, stretching out his disengaged +hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">They had reached the school gate by this time.</p> + +<p class="continue">"All right; get down first."</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy descended, and held out a small paw, into which Sarkies dropped +the coin.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Quick!" said Eddy, "the bell is ringing. Give me the letter."</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies handed him the note. "Be careful," he said, and Eddy, nodding, +turned back in the direction of the school. He had not gone ten yards, +however, when he stopped suddenly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Mr. Sarkies!" he shouted.</p> + +<p class="continue">"What is it?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh! I heard paw tell maw that you are to be turned out of church--wot +fun!" He turned again and ran down the road toward the school.</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies was taken aback. He had no idea that the elder meant to carry +his threat out.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Damfool!" he burst out savagely and loudly, for there was no danger +of being overheard. Having relieved his feelings in this manner, he +urged the old Arab forward, and the buggy once more joggled down the +road.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was not until the half-hour's recess that Eddy obtained an +opportunity to deliver the note. He pulled out of his satchel, which +hung on a peg in the veranda of the school, a brown paper parcel +containing his lunch--egg sandwiches. Clutching this in one hand, he +made his way to the back garden of the school, and found Flora Bullin +there. It was their trysting place.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Have a sweet?" she asked, handing him a lozenge which had become +rather damp and limp in her hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Lozengers--eh!" said Eddy, and transferred the delicate morsel to his +mouth.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I say," he said, "that's nice." He took a huge bite out of one of his +egg sandwiches and began to speak again, with his mouth full.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I say, Florry, Jim Sarkies is sweet on Lizzie."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Lizzie is a horrid cat," replied Florry, as she soberly chose a sweet +for herself out of a glass bottle. "She pinched me--awfool, last +night, as I lay awake and listened. See there," and Florry bared a +small arm showing the blue marks of a finger and thumb.</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy examined it gravely. "How did you get caught?" he +inquired--"laff?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well, you are a muff. I never get caught that way."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, but you're a boy!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes; when I'm a man I'm going to marry you--do you hear that?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Florry nodded. "All right," she said. "What did Jimmee say about +Lizzie?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh! he gave me--a--hm--no--he gave me a letter for Lizzie, and I +promised to give it to you to give to her, y'know."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Where's the letter?--give it to me."</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy pulled out of his pocket the envelope, now soiled and grimy from +contact with a peg-top, a bit of native sweetmeat, and the leather +pouch of his catapult.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Here 'tis," he said; "you'll give it to Lizzie?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Florry took the letter carefully. "It's very dirty," she said, as she +slipped it into her pocket. There was a silence of about a minute, +during which time Eddy finished the remainder of his sandwiches.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well," he said, "I'm off to bowl a little; you girls are no +use--can't do anything."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Stop a minute, Eddy. Lizzie <i>is</i> a cat. She don't like you neither. +Wouldn't it be fun to give this letter to paw?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Urn," reflected Eddy, "Lizzie pinched you. I won't have anybody +pinching you, y'know. I'm going to marry you when I grow up. Serve +Jimmy Sarkies right, too," he added, suddenly brightening up--"awful +sneak. Yes, leave it on your paw's table, and say nothing. I'm off +now, only ten minutes left."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Look here, Eddy."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, bother! what's it now?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Only this. I might like to marry some one else, you know, when I grow +up. Ta--ta." She blew a kiss at him, and was gone.</p> + +<p class="continue">Eddy thrust his hands into his pockets and looked moodily after her. +Suddenly an idea seemed to strike him. "It's Billy Bunder," he said, +striking his clenched fist into his open palm--"only wait till I catch +him----"</p> + +<p class="continue">Clang, clang, went the school bell. The recess was over.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.07" href="#div1Ref_2.07">DUNGAREE'S BELT.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Digby Street, so named after a former governor of the presidency, is +not more than three miles from the tabernacle. Probably in no part of +the world does vice cover itself with so hideous a garb as here. An +atmosphere of evil hangs over the dingy houses, packed closely to each +other, whose inhabitants follow nameless occupations. When the night +comes the street lamps shine on strange scenes. In the day all is +silent as the grave. At the corner of the street is a small house. A +faded sign-board, with the words "Hotel Metropole" in yellow letters +on a blue field, explains its character. The landlord is a Parsee, +or fire-worshipper, who has added an English word to his Eastern +name, and is known to his customers, and to the police, as Kavasji +Pain-killer. Mine host stands at the open entrance to his house. A +misshapen figure, with dull eyes and bloated features, he reminds one +of the strange bird-eating spiders of the forests of the East and West +Indies.</p> + +<p class="continue">As this man gazes aimlessly down the road, he sees a few dim figures +flitting in front of him. They move on rapidly for a few yards and +stop. Suddenly there is a flash of light above them, and as each +street lamp is lit, a small halo is formed in the evil night haze now +beginning to envelop the street. It is not yet time, however, for the +inhabitants to awaken from their drunken slumbers. It is later on that +the lost legion rises.</p> + +<p class="continue">As the figures disappeared from view the landlord turned slowly and +moved into the bar-room, where there was a thick odour of stale liquor +and staler tobacco. The room was empty, save for the figure of a man +lying asleep at a small marble-topped table, his head resting on his +arms. From a smaller room beyond, the door of which was closed, came +the sound of voices, and now and then an oath, or a hoarse laugh. +Kavasji made a movement as if to approach the door, but changing his +mind passed behind the bar, and settling himself into a cane chair, +dozed off comfortably.</p> + +<p class="continue">In the meantime the conversation in the next room grew louder, and +apparently more mirthful. There were two men there, sitting at a +table, over which a well-thumbed pack of cards was scattered in some +confusion. The room was littered with the <i>débris</i> from empty pipes +and the remains of half-burnt matches. A reflecting lamp, glaring from +the wall, exactly opposite the door, threw out the figures in strong +relief.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And so, messmate, I scooped in the dust--every dollar of it."</p> + +<p class="continue">And the speaker, a tall, powerful man, whose shirt-sleeves, pulled up +to the elbow, showed the tattoo marks on his arms, brought his fists +on the table with a crash that made the glasses clink.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It was hellish cute," said his companion, as he leaned back and +laughed heartily, showing an even row of strong white teeth through +the masses of red hair with which the lower portion of his face was +covered. "I don't know a man, Dungaree," he added, "who could have +done it save yourself."</p> + +<p class="continue">The giant grinned in response to the compliment, and, pulling out a +jack-knife, began to pare some tobacco from a twist lying on the table +beside him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"That," said he, nodding his head at the knife as he finished the +operation, "was the tickler."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Rayther light for the work," said the red-haired man, as he picked +the knife up and poised it in his hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"There's the weight behind it," answered Dungaree Bill, puffing away +at his short pipe.</p> + +<p class="continue">"True, but I prefer a brace and bit. I did something like that myself, +'bout--let me see--six years ago, I think; but it don't matter. Whole +shipload went down. No time to lower boats, except captain's gig. +Lord, how I did laugh! You know the old trick--<i>sabe?</i>"</p> + +<p class="continue">"And blowed the oof after," laughed his companion.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Not much," was the reply. "Some shad-belly of a lawyer began to ask +questions--curse him!--and the work--well done, too--went for +nothing."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And you?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Went under."</p> + +<p class="continue">"And serve you right for a chowder-headed clam. I was wise enough to +take my share in advance--and stick to it, too." The giant tapped his +hand over his waist as he spoke, and reaching for the bottle began to +pour out another drink for himself.</p> + +<p class="continue">"God's curse," said he, "there's nothing in here."</p> + +<p class="continue">The red-haired man's small eyes were twinkling under the skull-cap +pulled well over his brows.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I'll play you for another," he said.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Done with you; but let us have the drink first."</p> + +<p class="continue">"All right; what shall it be?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Monkeys," replied Dungaree, "and let their tails be curled. After +this I'm off--we sail with the tide."</p> + +<p class="continue">The red-haired man rose from his chair, and, opening the door, passed +into the bar-room. A hanging lamp was burning in the centre, and +Kavasji slept peacefully. Walking with a slightly unsteady gait he +reached the bar, and, leaning with both hands on it, shouted out:</p> + +<p class="continue">"Two monkeys; and mind you, Kavasji, lift up your elbow."</p> + +<p class="continue">Kavasji scrambled from his chair, and, placing two tumblers on the +table, half filled them with rum. He then turned to a rack where there +were a number of bottles of aerated water. As his back was turned the +man at the bar pulled out a small phial containing a colourless +liquid, and emptied it into one of the tumblers. He had just time to +replace the phial in his pocket when Kavasji turned and filled the +glasses with what he called tonic water.</p> + +<p class="continue">"That'll do, sonny," said the red-haired man, placing some silver +coins with a smart click on the bar. "This settles the shot," and +seizing a glass in each hand he lurched forward to rejoin his friend. +Kavasji tested the coins carefully with his teeth and rang them on a +table. Then opening a drawer, he shut them up with sundry companions.</p> + +<p class="continue">The man sleeping at the table rose, and, after staring vacantly about +him for a moment, walked out slowly into the street. As his friend +entered the room Dungaree Bill took one of the "monkeys" from his +outstretched hand. They, clinked the glasses together above and below.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Here's luck," said Bill. The other nodded, and they drained the +glasses.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Tails curly enough?" asked the red-haired man.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I guess so," said Dungaree, wiping his mouth with the back of his +hairy hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And now," said he, "for the game."</p> + +<p class="continue">They arranged the cards; Dungaree cut, and the red-haired man dealt.</p> + +<p class="continue">After a few rounds the effect of the drug began to tell. The giant's +head sank upon his breast, and the little man's eyes twinkled with a +vicious glee.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Wake up, Dungaree," he said; "you're asleep, man."</p> + +<p class="continue">"By God," said the other, "you've----"</p> + +<p class="continue">His head dropped once more, and the long, powerful arms hung +listlessly by his side.</p> + +<p class="continue">The red-haired man had started from his seat at Dungaree's words, and +in his hand held an open knife, which he had drawn like lightning.</p> + +<p class="continue">He heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Dungaree's head sink back.</p> + +<p class="continue">Then rapidly approaching him, he rifled him with a practised hand. He +undid the canvas belt from his waist, and felt it heavy as he raised +it and transferred it to his own person.</p> + +<p class="continue">He then moved toward the door, but a sudden thought struck him, and he +returned. He took up Dungaree's knife from the table.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Might as well ease him of this," he said; "he will do somebody a hurt +when he awakens."</p> + +<p class="continue">Opening the door, he stepped into the barroom, and, reeling up to a +table near the door, called for another drink. Kavasji once more +turned his back, and with the noiseless rapidity of a cat the robber +vanished into the street, which was already beginning to awaken.</p> + +<p class="continue">He dashed down a small alley, and only stopped after he had run for +about half an hour. "I guess," said he, "Steve Lamport, you are born +again." Then turning down a broad street, he walked slowly forward in +the direction of the nearest railway station.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.08" href="#div1Ref_2.08">CAST OUT FROM THE FOLD.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">A council, of which Galbraith was <i>ex-officio</i> president, controlled +the affairs of the tabernacle, and adjudicated on all offences +committed by members of the congregation against the rules of the +body.</p> + +<p class="continue">As far as he was able the pastor tempered the decrees of the council +with mercy, and there was yet another thing which made this body weak +in comparison with similar institutions in the West. This was the +natural shallowness of the East Indian, and his inability to feel or +think deeply. In this manner the gloomy tenets of a religious sect, +which called themselves the elect of heaven, and condemned all others +to eternal torment, were softened.</p> + +<p class="continue">The instances were rare in which those terrible mental struggles so +often described in the annals of Methodism took place. At the same +time the belief in the direct interposition of the Creator in the +smallest matters was intensified almost beyond imagination, and +meanings were often assigned to the most ordinary actions of everyday +life which, if they were not sad, would be laughable to contemplate.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith was an unconscious doubter, and he was perhaps the only man +there whose faith, unknown to himself, was tottering on its +foundations. In a dim sort of way he was conscious that there was +something wrong with himself, and the impulse to throw off the chains +of the cheerless belief to which he was bound was at times almost +greater than he could endure. It was his hourly duty to exhort his +flock to find Christ. Many of them asserted that they had made the +discovery, and looked with complacent satisfaction on the certainty of +future salvation.</p> + +<p class="continue">But while John Galbraith was raising his voice and preaching to his +people, there was that within him that told him that he himself was +unable to find the haven of rest, and a longing for a warmer belief, +one full of love and charity, would come upon him.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">Elder Bullin, arrayed in a solemn suit of black, stood, hat in hand, +at his doorstep. His brownberry was ready, the lamps flashing brightly +in the darkness of the evening.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was the date of the monthly meeting of the tabernacle, and the +elder was determined to put Mr. Sarkies out of the fold, that "tainted +wether," whose further touch was contamination. His daughters stood +beside him to see him off, and the elder, rapping his stick on the +fibre matting, impressed upon the girls the necessity for holding +godly communion among themselves during his absence.</p> + +<p class="continue">His speech was interrupted by the fact that in slipping his hand into +his waistcoat pocket, he suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his +spectacles.</p> + +<p class="continue">Hastily stopping his discourse, he walked back to his room, and +found the brown leather case lying on a square envelope on his +writing-table. He picked up the case, and, pulling out the glasses, +fixed them carefully over his eyes. He then picked up the envelope. It +was not addressed, but carefully sealed. He rubbed it between his +finger and thumb. There was evidently something inside it. The bright +pink colour aroused his suspicions.</p> + +<p class="continue">"The livery of the scarlet woman," he said, as he tore it open. As he +read, the expression of his countenance changed from profound +astonishment to anger, and then to utter contempt.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Verses--poetry--Satan hath lain in wait for this unhappy young man, +and his portion shall be of the wrath to come--verses--and to +me--pah!"</p> + +<p class="continue">He recognised the writing and the monogram, and was self-complacent +enough to imagine that the verses were addressed to him.</p> + +<p class="continue">When he returned to the hall his daughters were still dutifully +waiting there. He said no word to them, however, but, entering his +carriage, closed the door after him with a bang, and was rapidly +driven off. The meeting was to be held in the church, and all the +members of the council were already expecting the elder. On his +arrival there was a solemn scene of handshaking all round, and then +the pastor opened the meeting with a short but fervent prayer. At the +conclusion of this, a decorous time was allowed for the members to +recover a sitting posture, and Mr. Bunny, rising, begged permission to +address the assembly. In a few words he explained that it was above +all things desirable that their pastor should be a married man, and +went on to say that the Lord had worked this out in his own manner, so +that the spirit had moved Galbraith to seek the hand of their beloved +sister, Halsa Lamport, in marriage, and that it was proposed to +celebrate the ceremony with all the speed consistent with good taste. +Mr. Bunny trusted that the assemblage would rejoice with their beloved +guide in his choice.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was scarcely possible to do otherwise than congratulate Galbraith, +and the council did so, but in a half-hearted fashion that showed they +doubted his wisdom. Elder Bullin alone raised his voice in protest. +"She walks forth decked in gay colours that are not of the Lord's," he +said, "and has not found the perfect peace. Far be it for me to +interfere in this matter, but my conscience"--here he smote his breast +with his hand--"tells me that it would have been wiser----" Mr. Bunny +started up, but Galbraith laid a restraining hand on his shoulder.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Gently, brother," he said; "let the elder say his say."</p> + +<p class="continue">But the murmur of discontent that arose told the elder he had gone far +enough. "I will say no more on this point," he said; "but as I am now +addressing the meeting, desire to bring to its notice the scandalous +conduct of our brother, James Sarkies, who, on the Sabbath before +last, profaned the Lord's day by cursing within the precincts of the +temple. Of what avail is it that such should be of our fold--better is +it that we cast out the offending member. Does not the Scripture say, +'If thine eye offend thee, cast it out'?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"The Scripture also says, 'Judge not, that ye be not judged,'" replied +Galbraith. Elder Bullin lifted his eyes in smug satisfaction to the +ceiling.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I," he said, somewhat irrelevantly, "am sure of my salvation; are you +of yours? Do you know where your footsteps lead you? Mine lead me to +the golden gates."</p> + +<p class="continue">At that moment the desire to say that he was walking blindly, and +needed light more than any there, swept over Galbraith. He controlled +himself with an effort, however, and sat still, leaning lightly on the +table with his elbow.</p> + +<p class="continue">"And furthermore," went on the elder, "the misguided youth has so far +lost his respect for age that he has addressed me for forgiveness in +poetry, and mocked me before my face." He laid the offending verses on +the table as he spoke. "This is his writing," he said; "those who wish +may read it."</p> + +<p class="continue">Mr. Bunny stretched forth his hand and handed the paper to the pastor. +Galbraith read it with an amusement he could not conceal.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I think, elder," he said, "this was not meant for you."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bullin fairly gurgled with rage. "I will read it aloud," he said, "and +let the council judge." The paper trembled in his hand as he spoke, +and it was with a voice quivering with anger that he read the +unfortunate Sarkies's production.</p> + +<p class="continue">Almost as the first verse was begun, however, a smile appeared on the +faces of the members in assembly, and as the elder went on they burst +out into uncontrollable mirth.</p> + +<p class="continue">Bullin dashed the paper on the table, and made as if he were about to +leave the meeting. "I will depart," said he; "the devil has possessed +you that you laugh at the mockery to my gray hairs."</p> + +<p class="continue">He had reached the door before restraining hands seized him, and he +was brought back with many apologies.</p> + +<p class="continue">Notwithstanding their amusement, the council were resolved to make an +example of Sarkies. Galbraith, however, made an effort in his defence. +He hoped, he said, to bring the erring youth back to better ways. But +notwithstanding all his persuasions, he was outvoted in this instance, +even Bunny taking the elder's side, and the expulsion of Sarkies was +decided on.</p> + +<p class="continue">Bullin was not inclined to let the grass grow under his feet. The +formal letter was then and there written, signed by all the members, +and handed to the clerk for despatch.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was now deemed advisable to bring the sitting to a close, and this +was done with the same formal ceremony of prayer which opened it.</p> + +<p class="continue">The members now dispersed, the elder showing his gratitude for Bunny's +support by insisting on driving him home.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.09" href="#div1Ref_2.09">AT THE DIVAN EXCHANGE.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">When the news that Sarkies was cast out of the bosom of the church +reached the family, there was at first consternation and despair. But +pride came to their rescue. "I don't care," said Jimmy; and the mother +and the aunt, tossing their heads, echoed his sentiments. Mrs. Sarkies +returned a small box full of woolwork, the shop of the Dorcas Society, +with a stinging note to Mrs. Bunny, in which she accused that innocent +woman of having conspired to bring about the annoyance to which they +were subjected. Mrs. Sarkies was convinced that it was solely through +Mrs. Bunny's desire to have charge of the work of the Dorcas Society +that all this had happened.</p> + +<p class="continue">The next Sunday the whole Sarkies family drove slowly past the +tabernacle in a hired phaeton just as the congregation were coming out +after service, and cut every member dead. It was glorious. They came +back to their midday meal feeling a calm satisfaction at having +revenged a great wrong.</p> + +<p class="continue">There was much discussion as to whether the family should join the +congregation of the established church, or take the bolder step of +going over to Rome--the latter for preference, as it would fairly +spite their enemies. The question, however, was for the present left +in abeyance, and until it was settled they decided not to go to any +church at all. Mr. Sarkies himself felt a load lifted from his mind at +this decision. He determined not to let his love affair rest, and, +notwithstanding every precaution, managed to obtain an interview with +Lizzie, by the simple process of clambering up the trunk of a cocoanut +palm which leaned against the high wall surrounding the elder's +garden. Mr. Sarkies climbed up sufficiently high to overlook the wall, +and Lizzie stood on the ground below him. The glass-covered wall was, +however, between them. The position was not dignified, nor was it +exactly comfortable, and Mr. Sarkies dreaded the general publicity of +the whole scene. Still, however, he came to a satisfactory +understanding with Lizzie. When she finally turned and vanished amid +the trees, her white dress flitting through the open spaces in a +ghostly manner, Sarkies came down with a sigh of relief, and, +arranging his somewhat disordered dress, walked slowly toward a +cab-stand. Hailing a buggy, and jingling some coin in his pocket, he +jumped in and drove rapidly toward the Fort. He had mentally +determined to celebrate his success by having an evening at the Divan +Exchange, a saloon kept by an enterprising American, who concocted +wondrous drinks, where the billiard-table was good, and the ice-creams +marvellous. There was quite a crowd of cabs collected at the door, and +the place was full when Sarkies entered it. Over the bar was a huge +transparency representing the face of a clock, with the legend "No +Tick Here" inscribed in large capitals on its face--a motto often full +of sore disappointment to the customers. Immediately below this stood +Colonel William P. Tamblyn, the proprietor, watching the practised +hand of his tapsters as they poured forth monkeys, dogs' noses, eye +openers, maiden's blushes, and other drinks whose name is legion. From +the rooms above came the click of billiard balls, and the monotonous +call of the marker--"Fiftee--fiftee-two--good game, sar!" Little +marble-topped tables were scattered about, and from a daïs in the +corner half a dozen musicians regaled the company with a choice +selection of airs, from the "Blue Danube" to "Yankee Doodle." The +music was almost drowned in the buzz of voices. All nationalities +except China were represented here. Colonel Tamblyn announced that he +drew the line there, and a flaring poster both outside and inside +announced that "Chinamen and Soldiers in uniform are not admitted."</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies obtained a suitable drink; he chose that pink compound of rum, +mint, crushed ice, and peach brandy which rejoices in the name of +maiden's blush, and bore it away with him to the billiard-room +upstairs. The tables were full, and Sarkies, making himself +comfortable on a bench, waited for his turn to come.</p> + +<p class="continue">Beside him sat a neat-looking man, clean-shaven, with red hair and +small black bead eyes. His blue coat with brass anchor buttons +explained his calling. His ducks were spotlessly white, and the +pipe-clay on his canvas shoes evidently just dry.</p> + +<p class="continue">"May I trouble you for a light?" said the man.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Certainly;" and Sarkies handed him a small plated box containing wax +vestas.</p> + +<p class="continue">The stranger lit a cheroot, and, returning the box, inquired, "Come +here often?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Ya'as--sometimes," and Sarkies took a pull at his drink.</p> + +<p class="continue">"This is about the first time I've been here; my ship has only just +come in. Pleasant place this." And the stranger watched the end of his +cheroot keenly to see that it was burning properly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Have a game after this?" asked Sarkies, and the stranger agreed.</p> + +<p class="continue">They were able to get a table, and a small bet was made on the game, +which Sarkies, much to his delight, won. The stranger paid up, and as +he did so he remarked:</p> + +<p class="continue">"You play a very good game--may I ask your name?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, Sarkies--I'm in Apcoon Brothers."</p> + +<p class="continue">"The great shipping agents--delighted to meet you--allow me to present +my card to you," and Mr. Sarkies's new acquaintance drew a card from a +new leather case and handed it to him.</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies regretted within himself that he had not brought a card-case +with him, and determined in future never to be without one. He bowed +politely over the outstretched hand of his companion, and took the +card between his fingers; as he glanced at it an expression of +surprise came over his face.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Captain S. Lamport, Merchant Marine," he said aloud. "This is +strange."</p> + +<p class="continue">A shadow passed over his companion's face.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I don't see anything strange in my name," he said a little sternly.</p> + +<p class="continue">Sarkies looked at him; there was an ugly scowl on his face, and the +Armenian felt a little alarmed. "Not that, captain," he said; "only I +know a person named Lamport--and she is--I mean she is a widow, and is +going to be married."</p> + +<p class="continue">The stranger's brow cleared. "Let us sit down for a bit," he said. "I +am much interested--and, sir, may I ask are you the happy man?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, no--the padre of our--I mean the Methodist church--a Mr. +Galbraith."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Um! I see," mused Captain Lamport; "lots of money--eh!"</p> + +<p class="continue">"I expect so." And then with a knowing smile Sarkies added, "The padre +has the church funds, y'know."</p> + +<p class="continue">"He! he!" laughed the captain, and poked Sarkies in the ribs; "sly +dog--you're a deep one, you are."</p> + +<p class="continue">Mr. Sarkies, much flattered by the compliment, proposed a drink, and +the captain assented. In answer to his host's request to "name the +poison," the captain suggested monkeys, and the monkeys were brought. +Then there was more billiards and more betting, then a little rest and +more monkeys, then monkeys, billiards, and betting combined, and +finally Mr. Sarkies knew no more.</p> + +<p class="continue">When he awoke again the stars were shining palely above him, and there +was a faint flush in the east. His hands were resting on something +damp on each side of him; he looked, and realized that he was on the +open plain in front of the Fort. Instinctively he felt for his watch +chain. It was gone. Mr. Sarkies rose to his feet, and the horizon swam +before him. He placed his hand to his burning head, and staggered +rather than walked toward the road. A late cab passed. Into this he +entered and drove home.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.10" href="#div1Ref_2.10">EXIT MANUEL.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">During the last few days there had been great changes in the interior +of the manse. The worn-out matting was renewed, and the squatter +spider expelled from the corner where he had long revelled in +security. The tumble-down sofa was condemned, and a comfortable lounge +took its place. Everywhere there was a look of freshness. All day long +there was the sound of hammering and cleaning up. Halsa and Mrs. Bunny +personally superintended the reformation. Galbraith was willing enough +to help, but he had no "hands," and was therefore relegated to his +study. But with Manuel it was different. For the first time in his +life Manuel realized what work was, and he was profoundly convinced +that he and true labour would never agree. It was not enough that he +had been called upon to clean and scrub, to hew wood and draw water, +but insult was added to injury by Mrs. Bunny inquiring into the +arrangements of the <i>menage</i>.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Two bags of sugar a month!" said that excellent woman, holding up her +hands in despair; "why, if it were all used, the man must be a +lollipop shop inside."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Who keeps the keys?" asked Halsa. She was halfway up a ladder, a +small hammer in her hand. Manuel stood at the foot of the ladder +holding it firmly with one hand, so that it should not slip, while +with the other he held out at arm's length a plate full of tin tacks. +The position was strained and unpleasant. "Who keeps the keys? Oh!" +she shrieked, "how sharp those nails are!" and she drew back her +fingers smartly and began to examine their tips. To one of them a tack +was clinging. Halsa hastily descended, and Mrs. Bunny removed the +offending tack. It left a small blue mark on the finger tip. In the +meanwhile Manuel remained silent. He had no intention of replying to +the question, and his yellow eyes glistened with pleasure at the +little accident, which had apparently called away attention from an +embarrassing inquiry. But Manuel was mistaken, for when Halsa had +examined the mark for a moment, and was satisfied that it was only a +prick, she returned again to the charge and repeated her question.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I keep keys," replied Manuel sulkily.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I told you so, Halsa," said Mrs. Bunny, waving a damp duster in the +air. Mrs. Bunny had not mentioned the fact, but it was a little +weakness of hers to refer to former prophecies after a thing had +happened.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Never mind," Halsa said, "you couldn't expect John to look after +these things." There was a sense of proprietorship in her tone that +was delightful to Galbraith, who had come in to see how things were +going on, and had been an unobserved witness of the scene. Halsa was +looking very pretty. Her arms were bare up to the elbows, and there +was a bright flush on her cheeks. The brown hair, usually neatly +braided, had become a little disarranged, and curled in an unruly +manner over her forehead. Mrs. Bunny suddenly remembered that there +was something to do in the study, and Manuel, ever watchful for an +opportunity to escape, laid down the plate of tacks and vanished +noiselessly. Galbraith glanced round him, and then his arm stole +forth. Halsa avoided the caress by stepping back, and asked him how he +thought the room looked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I never thought it could look so well," he replied, and he spoke +truly. The magic of feminine hands had changed the cheerless-looking +room into a bright, cosy chamber. It was not that the things were +valuable; fifty pounds might have covered the cost of everything, +except the American harmonium, which stood where the fireplace ought +to have been. All the effect lay in the nameless power of arrangement +which only a woman possesses--a touch here--a touch there--and the +thing is done.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I am glad you like it," said Halsa, as she stepped nearer to +Galbraith. "See how I've hurt my finger;" and she held the wounded +member up for inspection.</p> + +<p class="continue">John took the small hand in his, and looked at the blue mark on her +finger tip. It was hardly perceptible. The shadow of a smile flickered +across his face as he kissed the little fingers tenderly, and then, +drawing Halsa closer to him, kissed her once more on the lips--she +nothing resisting now.</p> + +<p class="continue">Mrs. Bunny's discreet cough in the next room warned them of her +impending return, and when the good lady came in Halsa had once more +mounted the ladder. When she had finished her work she came down, and +they all took a final survey of their labour, and were pleased by it. +Then Manuel was recalled from the back of the house, where he was +employed in solacing his feelings with a native cigarette, and cursing +his existence in the <i>patois</i> of Goa.</p> + +<p class="continue">A few orders were given to him with regard to clearing up some +<i>débris</i>, and then the party, including Galbraith, went into the hall, +where the ladies put on their hats, and, escorted by the pastor, +returned home. The whole home party of the Bunnys, except Eddy, were +to dine at the manse that night with Galbraith, and he was nervously +anxious about the success of the entertainment.</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel watched them as they went down the road. He shook his fist +after the retreating figures.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, yes!" he said, "Manuel this and Manuel that--Manuel light +fire--light lamps--clean house--make fuss-class dinner--Sancta Maria! +what Manuel not do!--Iyoo!" He crossed himself fervently, and went +on--"Missus come--missus want keep keys--Manuel not a dog--Jesu!" he +exclaimed, "there is that accursed goat among the new flowers." He +hastened out of the door, drove the milch goat to the back of the +house, and fastened her up securely.</p> + +<p class="continue">Then, coming back, he conscientiously carried out the final +instructions given him--picking up the litter of cotton and tags of +hangings which lay on the floor, and when this was over made his way +to the kitchen, where he exercised all his skill in superintending the +preparation of a "fuss-class dinner."</p> + +<p class="continue">Two things were a matter of regret to him: one that he was not +sufficiently skilled to write out a <i>menu</i> card, but this he hoped to +arrange with the assistance of Pedro Pinto's son, who attended the +school attached to the monastery of St. Vincent de Paul; the other was +that there were to be no wines, for both host and guests were +teetotallers, and the drinking of wine or spirits in any form, unless +medicinally prescribed, was regarded as a deadly sin.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith came out of his study a little before dinner-time to see how +things were. Manuel was not there, and it seemed as if some unseen +hand had set the table, had arranged that oddly pretty pattern of +leaves on the snowy table-cloth, and placed that bouquet of fresh +fuchsias beside the plate where Halsa was to sit.</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith himself looked years younger. He glanced about him with a +satisfied air, and then going back into his study, waited impatiently +for the sound of wheels to tell him that his guests had come. Punctual +to the moment Mr. Bunny's brownberry came up. Galbraith stepped up to +the door of the carriage, and helped out Mrs. Bunny and Halsa, the +latter giving his hand a little squeeze. Mr. Bunny emerged last of +all, a pile of wraps on his arm, and, after directing the coachman to +return at precisely ten o'clock, followed his wife and Halsa Lamport +into the house. They all assembled in the cosy little parlour, and in +a few minutes Manuel came in. He whispered something to Galbraith, and +then slipped out again. He had conveyed thus mysteriously the +announcement that dinner was ready. They all went in without any +ceremony; the ladies first, the men behind. Grace was, of course, +said, but Galbraith took care that it should not be unnecessarily +long. The dinner was excellent, and full justice was done to the meal. +Manuel attempted to make up for the want of a written <i>menu</i>, that +picaroon boy of Pinto's not having come to write it as arranged, by +calling out the names of the dishes.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Krab cutlit, sar," he said, as he thrust the delicacy before Mr. +Bunny. "Prong curry, madam--berry good," and he held the dish for Mrs. +Bunny. Galbraith, however, interfered, much to Manuel's +disappointment. He made up, however, for this by the air with which he +filled the tumblers with water--the grand butler serving Louis +Quatorze could not have done it with a better manner. At last it was +all over; Mr. Bunny ate his last walnut, and washed it with a better +manner. At last it was all and played patience; then there was a +little talking, and precisely at ten the carriage came. Mr. Bunny +could not be induced to stay a moment later. There was much +hand-shaking, and a kiss for Halsa, soberly given in the Bunnys' +presence by Galbraith, and received by the widow with becoming +modesty. When they had gone Galbraith lit a pipe, and, opening an old +volume of Ingram, set himself out for an hour's read. He was +interrupted by a cough, and, looking up, saw Manuel in front of him.</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel shifted a clean white napkin from one hand to another, and +asked, "Dinner good, sar----yyerything praper?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes, indeed, Manuel; I am very much pleased with you."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Thank you, sar," and Manuel bowed; "but, sar, I come for leave."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Leave, Manuel?--do you mean to say you want to go?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yessar--missus come, and yverything spile--missus keep keys--missus +take account--missus measure out sugar--tea--work too much. My mother +also dead in Goa, and I want leave."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith looked at him. "But I will increase your pay."</p> + +<p class="continue">"No, sar; all pay same like to Manuel when in service, but when missus +come--I no stay. My mother berry ill."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith smiled. "I thought your mother was dead," he said; "but it +does not matter, you can go."</p> + +<p class="continue">Manuel bowed again, and retired.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.11" href="#div1Ref_2.11">THE HAPPY PAIR.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">The combined news that Sarkies was expelled from the fold and that +their pastor was, almost at once, to marry the pretty widow, became +the property of the congregation the day after the meeting. In family +conclaves Sarkies was regarded as doomed to eternal perdition, and +heads were gravely shaken over Galbraith's choice. Still, he commanded +their respect, and his influence was strong--so strong that Elder +Bullin found he was unable to get supporters to move a resolution +condemning the pastor's choice, and calling upon him to give up the +care of his flock. Mr. Bullin urged that this was vitally necessary +for the well-being of the community, but the severity of his action +against Sarkies frightened some, Mr. Bunny's influence prevailed over +others, and the general liking for Galbraith was so great that his +flock began in a few days to extend a portion of their regard for him +to his intended wife. The elder therefore failed, but his voice did +not remain unheard both in public and in private. This, however, +unconsciously helped to assist Galbraith's cause, as the elder was +more feared than loved, and the people he was dealing with wanted real +courage of purpose. Even if their objections had taken head, the +agitation would have been confined to private whisperings and perhaps +a solemnly worded letter to the Bombay Bouncer.</p> + +<p class="continue">At length the day came for the marriage, and the ceremony was +performed in the tabernacle by the pastor of another congregation, an +out-station resident, who came in specially for the purpose. The elder +refused to attend, and forbade his daughters going; but this was a +sight not to be missed, and both Lizzie and Laura were there. It is +some consolation to know that their father did not discover this. With +the exception of Mr. Bullin, however, every member of the congregation +was present. Even Mr. Sarkies waited patiently at the chapel entrance, +and as he stood he saw a neatly-dressed man step out of a hired buggy +and pass into the church. When the bride came Sarkies slipped into the +church unobserved and witnessed the whole ceremony. He was able also +to recognise in the neatly-dressed man the affable stranger of the +Divan Exchange. The bride, however, claimed his attention, and his +friend was forgotten as he looked at her. Very pretty looked Halsa in +her dark-gray dress, with hat to match, and when the words were spoken +which made her John Galbraith's wife, the whole party adjourned to Mr. +Bunny's, all but Sarkies the outcast and the neat-looking stranger, +who passed him unobserved, and, getting into his buggy, drove away +rapidly. At Mr. Bunny's all was very gay. As a special occasion +glasses of ginger wine were served round with the cake, and the +bride's health drunk amid much applause. With hearts warmed by the +cordial, these emotional people felt that Halsa Galbraith was now one +of them, and they one and all shook hands with her heartily. As the +time approached for the happy couple to depart on their short +honeymoon, order was called, and the guests, having arranged +themselves soberly, listened to an exhortation from the Rev. Samuel +Boase, the clergyman who officiated at the marriage. The worthy man +discoursed at some length on the holiness of the institution, and it +was only the sound of carriage wheels, as they grated away from the +portico, that aroused him to the fact that the newly-wedded pair had +slipped away unobserved. Hastily concluding his speech, the reverend +gentleman included his amen in a rush for the bag of rice, and, +seizing a handful, attempted to pursue the carriage, followed by all +the guests. They were too late, however, and all came in hot, +breathless, and a little disappointed. Eddy Bunny alone was satisfied. +Armed with an old shoe, he had concealed himself in the shrubbery, and +as the carriage drove by he aimed this at Galbraith with a precision +acquired by long practice with the catapult. It was some little time +before the victim recovered from the shock, and when he did the +carriage was well on its way toward the railway station.</p> + +<p class="continue">The honeymoon lasted barely a fortnight, for two reasons, one being +that the Rev. Samuel Boase was unable to take Galbraith's work for +more than that period, and the other the important factor of expense. +Back they came, then, from a short trip to the hills near Bombay. It +was the first real holiday Galbraith had ever enjoyed. The long day's +dream under the trees, the gathering of ferns in some secluded glen, +the rest, and, above all, the dear companionship he had, combined to +make it very sweet. Galbraith told his wife of the mental struggle he +was perpetually undergoing, and received much help from her clear +common sense and healthful sympathy. She in her turn gave him no +half-confidence, but told him honestly the story of her life. She +touched as lightly as possible on her former husband's ill-treatment +of her, on his cruelty and neglect, for the man was dead. She told him +how, two years back, the Mahi sailed from Cochin for the Mauritius, +and from that time was heard of no more, until a solitary survivor +came back with a dreadful tale of the sea. He told how the ship had +been scuttled, how all the boats were rendered useless except one, +into which the captain and two others escaped. Clinging to a spar +himself, he had seen a great green wave swamp the boat, and then for +him came three days of hideous agony, and at last rescue. Of the death +of her husband no doubt ever crossed Halsa's mind. She had seen the +newspaper reports of the inquiry into the disaster, and had +interviewed the rescued man. She opened a school at Cochin, and was +enabled to keep her head above water with this, and with the proceeds +of flower-painting, in which she had some proficiency. Then came a +fortunate legacy of some four hundred pounds, and she consulted Mr. +Bunny, a cousin of her husband, on business matters connected with +this. The Bunnys had repeatedly asked her before to make her home with +them, and they renewed this invitation now in so kind a manner that +Halsa accepted. It was an invitation to stay until she could obtain +some suitable employment; but a year passed--"And you found the +employment," said Galbraith; "you have to take care of me now." And +Halsa smiled at him from under her dark eye-lashes in reply.</p> + +<p class="continue">Back they came, then, and even Elder Bullin was there to receive them. +"Let bygones be bygones, elder," said the pastor, as he shook the +stiff fingers the old man held out. Bullin mumbled something which no +one heard, but all believed that a reconciliation had taken place.</p> + +<p class="continue">Halsa entered heartily into her husband's work. She discarded the high +straw hats, the red ribbons, and fluttering white raiment, and the +only trace of her former somewhat coquettish taste in dress was now in +the exceeding neatness of her sober-coloured garments. She was quick +and clever at figures, and Galbraith willingly relinquished to her the +charge of keeping the accounts of the tabernacle funds. She wore the +key of the cash-box in a chain suspended round her neck; and at the +monthly audit Elder Bullin confessed that never had the cash-book been +so neat or so well kept.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I do believe the old man is getting fond of me," said Halsa, as she +stood by her husband and watched the elder as he slowly walked up the +garden toward the gate, his big umbrella spread over him. And +Galbraith, being in love, did what was expected of him.</p> + +<p class="continue">Now all this time a nameless horror was approaching nearer and nearer.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.12" href="#div1Ref_2.12">THE DEVIL AT WORK.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">A dull, miserable evening, gray clouds, drizzling rain, and a damp +heat. The loud blast of the conch horn from the Jain temple echoed in +the heavy air. The sound made the window panes in the study of the +manse rattle, and roused Halsa from her book. John had gone that day +some miles away to attend a meeting of pastors, and was not to be home +until late. His wife dined alone, and sat up in the study waiting for +him. As the prolonged notes of the horn reached her, Halsa put down +her book and held her hands to her ears. When the sound died away she +felt that, for the present, further reading was impossible, and +glanced at the clock which ticked in a dreary manner from the wall. +It was nearly nine. She rose from her seat, and, after pacing +the room for a few moments, stood before the window listening to the +soft patter of the rain. The sudden crunching of the gravel outside +under a firm tread roused her from the half-dreamy state into which +she had fallen. The footsteps were strangely familiar--yet not +Galbraith's--still, it could be no one else. In a moment she was in +the passage and at the front door. She opened this with a little cry +of welcome. "I am so glad you have come," and then she started back +with a faint shriek, for the man who stepped into the passage and +removed his dripping hat, diffusing a stale odour of damp clothes and +liquor as he came in, was not John Galbraith, but Stephen Lamport. +There was no mistaking him as he stood there, leaning somewhat +unsteadily on a stout cane, the light from a wall lamp shining full on +his face, the face she knew so well, and whose memory brought up days +of horror before her. There he was, his small beadlike eyes shining +brightly, and his red hair glistening.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well," he said shortly, "so you're glad to see me--sure there is no +mistake?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Halsa made no reply. She leaned against the wall, one hand held +tightly over her heart; her face was white as death, and her lips +moved tremulously as if trying to frame a sentence.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Well, Mrs. Lamport," continued her husband, "I happened to find +out that he"--he jerked his thumb over his shoulder, and Halsa +shuddered--"is on the preach, and I thought I should come and look you +up for old sake's sake, more especially as I have some business with +you, and I should like to settle this at once." He stretched out his +hand and touched her lightly on the shoulder. The touch seemed to +rouse her to fury. She sprang forward and seized the collar of his +coat with both hands.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," she said, "you have business with me. Well, then, come +here--quick!" She pushed rather than led him into the study, and, +closing the door, stood before him with clenched hands. "Now," she +said in a breath, "what do you want? I suppose that story of your +death was one of your trumped-up <i>lies?</i>"</p> + +<p class="continue">Lamport laughed a little. "One question at a time. The story was not a +trumped-up lie, though I suppose you are sorry it was not the truth. I +ought to have died, but I was spared for you, don't you see? I haven't +got time to waste telling you all about it; here I am, and what I want +is--money."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Of course," replied Halsa; "did you ever want anything else?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Not much, except to be even with you--and I have been even with you +and your psalm-singing parson. I found out some time ago that you were +here, and about to change your weeds, and I gave myself the pleasure +of attending your wedding as an uninvited guest."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, God, have you no mercy?" moaned his victim.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You'd better ask God to give you the dollars--you'll want them badly, +if I mistake not," said Lamport as he seated himself in a chair.</p> + +<p class="continue">"How much do you want?" asked Halsa in a faint voice. What she desired +was to gain a little time. All this had happened with such awful +suddenness. If she could persuade this man to go away with all she +had, even for a day, she could decide on some course of action. At +present, beyond the one idea of getting rid of Lamport, nothing else +crossed her mind.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Oh, a thousand will see me!" said Lamport. "I suppose you can give me +a hundred now--take it out of the poor-box--and the rest I must have +in three days, or I blow the whole gaff. I will tell you where to send +it."</p> + +<p class="continue">Halsa stood before him lacing and interlacing her fingers. While +Lamport was speaking she was thinking: money--there was no use in +giving this man money, even if she could lay her hands on the +impossible sum he named. She had never deceived John; she would not do +so now, come what may. She was a brave woman, and rose to her trouble.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Stephen Lamport," she said slowly, "listen to me: you shall not have +one penny from me--you can do your worst. God will help me."</p> + +<p class="continue">Lamport looked at her in amazement. "You damned fool!" he said; "do +you know what the consequences of this will be?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Go!" said his wife, pointing to the door; "I shall tell John +Galbraith all myself--he is a good man--he will know. Ah!" and she +sprang past Lamport, "John, you have come back--save me." She looked +at Galbraith's face, and the glance showed that he knew all. She slid +down and knelt at his feet. "Forgive me," she said; "God knows that I +was innocent."</p> + +<p class="continue">As Galbraith entered the room Lamport retreated toward the corner, +and, laying his hand on the back of the chair, waited for what he +fully expected would happen. He was no coward, and was quite prepared +for a physical struggle. Galbraith had heard all. In their excitement +neither Halsa nor Lamport were aware that he had been in the passage +almost as soon as they entered the study. The first few words that +reached him rooted him to the spot, and he heard everything that +followed. For the first time in his life he felt the wild beast within +him awake. His breath came thick and fast, and then through it all a +voice seemed to shout in his ears that he had no claim--that they who +were before him were husband and wife, and he the outsider. The man +lived a lifetime standing there. At last he could bear it no longer, +and stepped into' the room. Gently, very gently, he lifted the woman +whom he loved, and supported her with his arm.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I believe every word you have said; as for that man----" his voice +failed him. He stood before Lamport with an ashy face that quivered +with anguish.</p> + +<p class="continue">But Lamport was not going to give up the struggle. He had wandered +here in a half-drunken state, bent on extorting money; if this could +not be done he was in the humour for any mischief. He was almost +sobered by what had happened, and his malice was ready to suggest the +means of inflicting further misery. There seemed no chance of the +physical struggle he expected. Well, he could wound in other ways than +with the blade of Bill's knife, over the haft of which he had gently +slipped his hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Look here," he said; "that woman there is my wife--she dare not deny +it--I claim her."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith's hold tightened round Halsa's waist, but she drew herself +from him.</p> + +<p class="continue">"It is true; every word he has spoken is true; but he has forgotten +the whole story--the ill-treatment, the wilful desertion, the devilish +malignity of his last action. Oh, God is very merciful, is he not?" +she cried hysterically; "and yet you," and she pointed to Lamport, +"are my husband, and I suppose the law gives you the right to claim +me. I am ready to go."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith walked to the table and sank into a chair. He buried his +face in his arms, and sat there silently. While Halsa spoke there had +been a short but mighty struggle in his heart between the man and the +priest, and as her voice ceased the priest had triumphed. The woman +looked at him as he sat there, motionless and silent. "Come," she said +to Lamport, "let us go--but first this----" She suddenly knelt at +Galbraith's side, and, taking his hand in both of hers, kissed it +passionately, and then rising walked out of the room into the night, +her companion following closely behind.</p> + +<p class="continue">How long Galbraith stayed thus he never knew, but the gray light of +the morning was streaming into the room when he lifted his head and +looked around him. With a shudder he covered his face again with his +hands. A wild thought struck him that after all it might have been a +hideous dream, and he rose from his chair, but only to sink down again +in despair as the horrible reality of it all forced itself upon him. +He remembered it was Sunday, that in a few hours it would be time for +him to be in church. Of course this was impossible. He felt that he +could endure being in the house no longer, and, taking his soft felt +hat, walked out into the garden. Which way had she gone? A sob rose to +his throat as he thought of this--was he right? He began to doubt, and +then it struck him that he would see Bunny. He would tell Bunny all, +and act upon his advice; but as for the church, he felt he could never +enter one again. What had he done that this awful misfortune should +have come upon him? He bent his steps toward the road leading to +Bunny's house. Although the sun was barely up, he found the old man in +his garden, and he came forward cheerily to meet Galbraith. One look +at his face, however, told him that something dreadful had occurred.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Come into my office," he said, and led John to the back of the house.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.13" href="#div1Ref_2.13">HUSBAND AND WIFE.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">On leaving the house Halsa and her companion walked toward the gate. +She had snatched up a hat from the stand in the passage as she passed +through, but had not thought of taking a cloak, and even by the time +they reached the gate the steady drizzle had drenched her light dress. +She stopped here for a moment, and, turning, looked back at the house. +Through the mist of rain she saw the windows of the study and the lamp +burning brightly. Within the study was--as she thought of him, an +uncontrollable sob burst from her.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Are you going to stay here all night?" asked Lamport roughly.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Which way are we going?" she replied.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Any way I choose; go straight ahead. Keep alongside of me if you can; +if not, follow. I want to get out of the rain."</p> + +<p class="continue">And Lamport, plunging his hands deep into his pockets, stepped forward +at a pace so rapid that his wife was only barely able to keep up with +him. They spoke no word to each other, but at intervals Lamport swore +aloud to himself, and cursed Halsa. He was bitterly disappointed at +the failure of his plans; he was furious with Halsa for following him +as she had. He had not quite expected this. The drink was working in +his brain, rousing him to madness.</p> + +<p class="continue">Halsa felt that every step was taking her away from the best part of +her life, and yet with all the sorrow was mingled a proud sense of the +sacrifice she had made. Then a great doubt came upon her. Had she +acted rightly? Was this man--this fiend who had deliberately allowed +her to commit a crime--worth the sacrifice? No, a thousand times no. +She had it almost in her heart to turn back and throw herself at +Galbraith's feet, to be his slave, to be anything, rather than parted +from him. Then the horror and shame of it all made the hot blood rush +in madness to her face. And so, on they went through the dark street, +where lamps shone only at long intervals amid the ghostly gloom of the +cocoa palms, and the rain now pouring fast. Her clothes were drenched +through, and Halsa felt that her strength would not enable her to keep +up with her companion much longer. At last she could endure no more, +and slackened her pace. Lamport walked on for a little, and then, +apparently suddenly missing her from his side, turned sharply.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Did I not tell you to keep up with me?" he said.</p> + +<p class="continue">Halsa made no reply, but the strain was too great for her, and she +burst into a passion of tears. Lamport looked on her for a moment, and +then, raising his clenched fist, he struck her down.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Damn you!" he said, "you can die there if you like." He had longed +for this opportunity ever since they had left the house. He looked at +the motionless body before him. "I have a mind to finish the job," +said he aloud, and his knife seemed to slip into his fingers of its +own accord. He glanced round him for a moment, and as he did so he +heard the rumble of carriage wheels and saw the flash of lights as +they turned the corner of the dark street, not fifty yards ahead. +Quick as lightning Lamport dashed down a narrow side road between two +walls, and disappeared in the darkness. Almost as he did this the +carriage came up. The horses shied backward on their haunches, and +then stopped dead. There was the alarmed cry of feminine voices, and +an anxious inquiry made in deeper tones. The groom, descending from +the seat behind, went forward.</p> + +<p class="continue">"'Tis some one lying on the road dead or drunk, Padre."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Most likely the latter," was the reply as the Padre stepped out of +the carriage and went forward. "Here, Pedro, hand me that light. Good +God!" he exclaimed as he bent over the prostrate figure, "it is a +woman--a European, too; there has been some devil's work here. Hold +the light up, Pedro, while I lift her--thanks--Mother," said he to +another figure, that of a woman clad in a long dark gown, who had +followed him out of the carriage, "this is work for you; help me with +her to the carriage."</p> + +<p class="continue">He raised the body in his arms, and with the assistance of the nun and +two others, her companions, who had come out of the carriage, put +Halsa in.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Is she dead?" asked one, evidently a young woman from her voice.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No," said the nun whom the Padre had addressed as mother, "she +breathes yet. Pedro, drive on quickly."</p> + +<p class="continue">Pedro needed no further bidding; he waited but for a moment until the +Padre climbed on to the box seat beside him, and then urged the horses +on almost at a gallop through the endless avenues of palms. Finally +they stopped before a large gate, and after much shouting it was +opened, and the carriage drove in. They were met at the door by two +nuns, and with their assistance the unconscious body of Halsa was +carried in. The Padre examined the wound; there was a deep cut on the +forehead, but nothing else. "There is no necessity for a doctor," he +said, "but I shall tell D'Almeida to come to-morrow. This is a case +of----" He touched his hand to his heart, and, giving the nuns his +blessing, entered his carriage and drove off.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">Very tenderly the nuns cared for Halsa. She regained consciousness in +the morning, but when the white-haired Doctor D'Almeida came he +pronounced her in high fever. Then came a long illness, and after that +convalescence. When she was better at last, she called the superior, +Mother St. Catherine, to her side and told her her story. "And now," +she said with a faint voice, "I am better and must go." Then the good +nun spoke to her long and earnestly, and Father St. Francis came. He +bore her news that made her cheek flush and then grow pale. "Take time +to consider," said the priest as he left her. A week after Halsa saw +the lady superior once more. "I have considered," she said. The +superior looked into her eyes: "It is well," she said, as she stooped +and kissed her.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.14" href="#div1Ref_2.14">JOHN GALBRAITH GOES.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">About half an hour before the time fixed for morning service, Mr. +Bunny, his face very grave and set, stepped out of the portico of the +manse. He passed through the narrow wicket-gate and entered the church +enclosure. The Sunday-school class was over, and a few children were +loitering at the main entrance. Others were making their way home in +little groups, a feeling of relief in their hearts, and with the +consciousness of an unpleasant duty done. Bunny entered the tabernacle +by a side door. The clerk was already there, and with him the elder, +who had just dismissed his class. They were talking in low tones, and +looked up quickly as their ears caught the sound of Bunny's footsteps, +which rang with a harsh clang on the stone floor. A whisper had gone +forth from the servants' quarters at the manse that something terrible +had happened during the night. The attendant who cleaned the church, +and who during the service pulled the huge fans which swung in a +monotonous manner over the heads of the worshippers, echoed this +whisper to the clerk. It is the way news is carried in the East, and +it is very rapid. It is impossible to tell how, but the mysterious +thing called bazaar gossip travels from ear to ear, from mouth to +mouth, telling strange tales which afterward unfold themselves in the +press as news, or are discovered in a government resolution. And so +the clerk heard a story from the puller of fans, news of the last +night, thick with strange scandal, and he was dropping this into the +elder's attentive ears. They stopped their conversation as Bunny +approached, and somewhat awkwardly wished him good-morning. Bunny +merely nodded in reply, and, turning to the clerk, begged him to +excuse him as he had something of importance to tell the elder.</p> + +<p class="continue">"If it is about Mrs. Galbraith, sir," replied the clerk, "I have just +been telling the elder of it."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bunny looked at him sharply from under his gray eyebrows, and the +clerk, who was also his official subordinate, quailed under the +glance.</p> + +<p class="continue">"If so, you have been speaking of what you had no right to mention; +but, as you appear to know something, stay and hear what I have to +say, and you will hear what is the truth." Bunny then turned his back +upon the clerk, and in as short a manner as possible described what +had happened to the elder. He was no waster of words. He put what he +had to say clearly before his listener, but his voice shook as he went +on.</p> + +<p class="continue">The elder, for the first time in his life, showed that he was moved. +He had opposed Galbraith, quarrelled with him, and had spoken bitterly +against his wife. He had thought that if some terrible sorrow overtook +them it would be a righteous judgment, although he had never been able +to explain to himself why this judgment should fall on them. And now +that it had come, that it was staring him in all its hideous reality +in the face, the elder was stirred to the deepest pity and compassion. +"God help them!" he exclaimed, passing his handkerchief over his face +to hide his emotion--"God help them!" When he had said this he +remained silent, digging the end of his stout stick into a hassock +which lay near his feet. The clerk interrupted the silence.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Will there be service to-day?" he asked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Let everything go on as usual," replied the elder. "Mr. Bunny and +myself will settle this when the time comes--and now, Bunny, a word +with you."</p> + +<p class="continue">The clerk took the hint and stepped back, and the two men, whose +mutual jealousies had for some years past threatened to dissolve the +community, walked arm-in-arm down the aisle between the grim rows of +empty benches soon to be filled with Sabbath worshippers.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Will he go?" asked the elder.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," replied Bunny, "and at once. I have advised this course. In his +present state of mind there is nothing else for him to do."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Very well," replied Bullin; "we had better see him to-day; there are +a few things that must be done--we, as members of the council, can +arrange this."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bunny thanked him. "It is what I was going to propose myself," +he said; "we will see him after the congregation has been +dismissed--perhaps you had better do this--he wishes to go to-night."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bullin agreed. "I suppose," he asked, "you have no news of his +unfortunate wi----?" He stopped and looked somewhat awkwardly at +Bunny.</p> + +<p class="continue">"No," was the reply, "there has not been time; but I shall arrange +about that if it can be done. In the meantime Galbraith must go."</p> + +<p class="continue">As they spoke the church began to fill, and people entered in groups +of twos and threes, or singly. Some, on entering, flung themselves +devoutly on their knees and remained absorbed in prayer. Others made a +pretence of kneeling. A few, a very few, young men put their faces +into their hats, and probably examined the maker's name therein.</p> + +<p class="continue">The clerk, who also officiated at the American harmonium, played the +first bars of an old hymn; and, to the astonishment of the +worshippers, Elder Bullin rose from his seat, and, ascending the +pulpit, gave out the hymn to be sung. He led it off himself with a +fairly good voice, and was accompanied by the whole congregation. At +its conclusion, and when the long-drawn <i>Amen</i> died away with the +notes of the organ, the elder, in a few brief words, informed the +people that, owing to a domestic affliction, their beloved brother and +pastor was unable to attend that day, that the trouble was of so +serious a nature that it was impossible that the regular service +should be held that morning, and he begged that the congregation would +disperse after a short prayer and the singing of another hymn. The +prayer was then offered up by the elder, and the hymn sung. One by one +the people arose, after a little decorous silence, and it was not +until they had passed out into the church enclosure that the full tide +of their curiosity burst. Lizzie and Laura were besieged with +questions, but they knew nothing, and the dread of the elder's wrath +hurried them away. It became necessary for Mr. Bunny himself to go out +and beg the congregation to disperse. He informed them that Galbraith +was very ill, and that the kindest thing they could do was to go home. +This they did after some little time. After a last instruction to the +clerk to hold his tongue for the present, Bunny and the elder passed +through the wicket-gate, and, walking slowly up the gravel path, +entered the manse. The door of the study was slightly open, and Bunny +knocked; there was no answer, and both he and the elder stepped in. +Galbraith was there, sitting at his table, his white drawn face +showing all the signs of the terrible time he had passed through. +There was a hunted look in his eyes, which shifted their glance from +side to side. Bullin held out his hand without a word. Galbraith rose +and shook it silently, and then, turning, walked to the window.</p> + +<p class="continue">Bunny approached him and whispered in his ear, while the elder +employed himself in smoothing the nap of his hat with his coat-sleeve.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Very well," said Galbraith; "you are right--the sooner the better." +What was wanted were some papers relating to the church. Galbraith +opened a drawer of his writing-table. They were all there, tied in +neat piles, with labels showing what they were. He shuddered as he saw +the handwriting on these labels, and his hand shook like a leaf in the +wind as he picked out the bundles one by one and handed them to the +elder.</p> + +<p class="continue">At last the necessary business was concluded, and Bullin rose. He +attempted to speak, but was unable to do so; and gathering up the +papers in his hands, stood for a moment as if irresolute.</p> + +<p class="continue">"God help you!" he said suddenly, and turning went out of the room. +Bunny remained a few moments longer. "I will come back again," he +said, "in an hour. It is not good for you to be left alone." He shook +Galbraith by the hand, and followed the elder out.</p> + +<p class="continue">When they had gone, Galbraith rose and wandered round the house. +Breakfast was ready. He had not touched it, and at the sight of his +face the servant who was waiting stepped silently out of the room. The +act was in itself sympathetic, and touched Galbraith. He had packed a +bag with a few things, and it was lying half open on his bed. On the +wall was a photograph of Halsa. He took it down, and, placing it in +the bag, closed it and turned the key. He then went back into his room +and waited. He knew what Bunny's absence meant, and he was burning +with impatience for his return. On the table before him was a +manuscript of his sermons. He seized it with a laugh, and began to +turn over its pages. He had poured his heart into them. How had he not +laboured? His was the voice that breathed consolation into many a +stricken heart, and now that the time had come for him to need help, +there was none there to give it. The Book of Books--it was lying there +before him, leather bound, with gold-edged leaves--he knew it by +heart; there was nothing in that that could help a sorrow like his. +Bit by bit he tore the manuscript into shreds, and strewed it about +the floor; and when the last scrap of paper had fluttered on to the +carpet beside him, he felt that he had broken with the past forever. +Faith--had he not faith? But what faith could stand against the +cruelty of his trial? And then the remains of his religion burned up +within him, and he strove to pray, but the words he uttered with his +lips were unmeaning, and he rose from his knees in despair.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was somewhat late in the afternoon when Bunny returned. Galbraith +was ready for him as he came into the house.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Did you get a passage?" he asked.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes," said Bunny; "you sail with the tide to-night."</p> + +<p class="continue">They entered a hired conveyance, and Bunny gave directions to drive to +the quay. There was not much spoken as they drove through the streets. +At length they reached the quay, and Bunny would have entered the boat +with Galbraith, but he denied him. "No," he said, "let me go alone."</p> + +<p class="continue">Bunny regretfully agreed. "You will find a letter from me awaiting you +at the Cape," he said as Galbraith shook him warmly by the hand.</p> + +<p class="continue">"You will not fail to let me know if there is any news of her?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"No," replied Bunny, "I will not."</p> + +<p class="continue">Galbraith sprang into the boat, and Bunny watched it as it was rowed +toward the great ship lying in the harbour, the blue-peter flying at +her mast-head. Slowly the boat moved forward until it entered the +broad band-of dazzling light on the waters, where the sun's rays were +reflected back in a myriad of flashing colours. Shading his eyes with +his hands, Bunny watched the boat until it was absorbed into that +marvellous blaze of gold, and passed from his sight.</p> + +<p class="continue">At last he turned and drove back home. But from that day nothing was +heard of John Galbraith.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.15" href="#div1Ref_2.15">THE GLORY DEPARTS.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">All attempts to secure a suitable successor to Galbraith failed. The +scandal caused by the disaster, which had befallen the pastor, his +mysterious disappearance, and that of Mrs. Lamport, deterred some; +others were unwilling to leave their present posts; and of the one or +two who would have taken charge of the flock, the sheep would have +none of them. The law-suit with the Jain temple had, moreover, so +impoverished the funds of the tabernacle that it was out of the +question to send over the seas for a new spiritual guide. In the +meantime the feelings of the community began to find vent in the +columns of the Bombay Bouncer. Attacks were made against both Bullin +and Bunny, and each attributed the attacks on themselves to the other. +Bullin, in his headstrong way, openly charged Bunny with the offence +of attacking him through the press. The latter denied it hotly, and +replied with a countercharge. The result was a division of the +community into two parties, and the beginning of the end as far as the +existence of the tabernacle was concerned. About this time Sarkies +begged for readmission into the fold. He was supported by Bunny; but +Bullin, regarding this as a personal affront, strained every nerve, +and secured at a general meeting a verdict confirming the former +sentence of excommunication. It was at this meeting that the elder, +amid much confusion, charged Bunny with having got Halsa Lamport out +of the way to avoid inquiry. It was with the greatest difficulty that +Bunny's friends prevented a physical struggle between the two leaders. +Bunny and his following, however, left the church, where the meeting +was held, leaving Bullin in possession of the field. It was thought at +first that the matter would have gone before the law-courts; but this +was somehow prevented, and the Bunny party, throwing off all +allegiance to their former church, sought food for the soul from the +Rev. Mr. MacGoggin, of the Free Kirk, and sat at his feet for +evermore. Bullin, now left with undisputed power, conducted the +services himself, and so great was his influence with the new council, +practically creatures of his own, that he absolutely prevented any +fresh nomination to the pastorship. In a brief period, however, his +intolerance and bigotry outraged his own followers. In a few weeks his +sermons, or rather lectures, were given to benches where the only +audience consisted of his unfortunate daughters. At this time, too, an +incident happened which fairly broke down the old man, and the +congregation, at a great general meeting, finally dissolved +themselves. The church was sold by auction. The worshippers scattered +themselves elsewhere, and the history of the tabernacle was ended. +Great was the rejoicing in the Jain temple. In honour of the occasion +the eremite Mahendra, the terrible Swami, whose history will some day +be written, swung himself for a whole afternoon by the simple process +of fixing two iron hooks under his shoulder-blades, gaining thereby +much credit and renown. An enterprising Parsee purchased the property. +He called the manse "The Retreat," and lived there himself. He +imported lime and orange trees in green tubs, and set them in rows +about the garden. He may be seen among his plants any morning, clad in +the whitest of coats and sheeniest of silken nether garments. Over the +main entrance of the whilom chapel swings his signboard. It informs +the public that Muncherjee Cheesecake is a general merchant. The +flaring poster of an American cigarette manufacturer is pasted on each +of the pillars of the gates. The cigarettes may be had from +Muncherjee. They are very good.</p> + +<p class="continue">What happened was this. Sarkies, smarting under the indignity of the +second expulsion from the church, held a family council with his +mother and aunt. It was about this time that an epidemic of going over +to Rome had set in, and the accounts of the perversion or conversion +of several very great people in the British Isles filled the +newspapers. Sarkies determined to be in the fashion, and in a few days +the whole family were received into the broad bosom of the eternal +church. They placed themselves under the guidance of an Irish priest, +and, after the first plunge was over, Sarkies began to consider the +confessional as a most excellent institution. <i>Presto!</i> a wave of the +hand, a benediction, and the sins of the past had joined the past. He +got it all out about Lizzie, and was confident that he could bring her +over to the church. The Rev. Father Faly was not unwilling to help +him. Life was very dull under the cocoa palms. He informed Sarkies +that the Roman Catholic ritual permitted a priest to unite a minor in +marriage without the guardian's consent, and watched Sarkies go away +with resolve on his face.</p> + +<p class="continue">Under ordinary circumstances nothing would have induced Lizzie to +listen to Sarkies's proposals of flight, but circumstances favoured +the Armenian. The girl had some spirit in her, and the eternal +bullying of the elder was beginning to tell. Besides, notwithstanding +the undignified, not to say uncomfortable, position from which Sarkies +was compelled to plead his cause, the young man had a somewhat silken +tongue, and then he had got to love Lizzie, and love always finds +words. So the old, old story was repeated; and Lizzie, flinging over a +few of her belongings in a bundle, was assisted by Sarkies over the +wall, and, entering the buggy, drove off with her lover. This was done +in the middle of the day. Sarkies knew that it was the occasion of the +great and final meeting at the chapel, and that the coast would be +clear. He did not reckon, however, on its being a half-holiday, and +that he should meet Master Edward Bunny on his way back from school. +The old Arab was urged to his fastest pace; but Eddy took in the +situation at a glance.</p> + +<p class="continue">"My!" he exclaimed, "there's Jimmie Sarkies bolting with +Lizzie--<i>youps!</i>"</p> + +<p class="continue">He had a shot at the buggy with his catapult; and it is worthy of +record that on this occasion he missed his mark, and found that in his +excitement he had used as a pellet his favourite marble, well known by +the title of "Aunty." This in itself was a terrible disaster, and Eddy +boiled with wrath. An opportunity for vengeance was at hand, however, +for he had hardly gone a quarter of a mile when he met the elder +returning home. The meeting had ended. The little community had ceased +to exist, and with it the best part of the old man's life. He was +walking under the shadow of the palms, his carriage following him +slowly. His heavy eyebrows were bent in a frown, and his lips were +twitching nervously.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Morning, Mr. Bullin!" exclaimed Eddy as he approached. The elder +looked at him without making any answer, and passed on. But Eddy was +not to be put off in this manner. He followed the old man, and, +catching him up, remarked, "You'll be sorry when you hear it. I fired +my catapult after them."</p> + +<p class="continue">"Go away, boy!" exclaimed Bullin.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Go away--oh, yes! I'm going--and so's Lizzie and Jim Sarkies. I saw +them going off in the bug--oh!--hoo!--boo--ooh!"</p> + +<p class="continue">It was too much for Bullin. He darted forward at Eddy's speech and +seized him by the arm. The next moment there was a cuffing and a +ringing of ears that Eddy remembers to this day, notwithstanding that +he is in a fair way to succeed to his father's appointment, and has a +small Eddy of his own. When he had finished with the boy and flung him +from him, the elder jumped into his carriage and bade the coachman +drive home. Laura's scared face as she met him at the door, confirmed +his worst fears.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Are they gone?" he asked. "Answer me, woman! Don't stand staring +there."</p> + +<p class="continue">Laura burst into tears, and the elder with a hissing cry of rage +re-entered his carriage and drove to the Sarkies's house. There was no +one there. A sudden thought struck him. "To the Catholic Church," he +shouted; and the coachman needed no bidding to drive fast. He arrived +in time to meet Faly stepping out of the door. "Where's my daughter?" +inquired Bullin, furiously shaking his fist in the priest's face.</p> + +<p class="continue">"I presume you are Mr. Bullin?" asked Faly in reply.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Yes--I'm Mr. Bullin; and I want to know what you've done with my +daughter--you and that blackguard Sarkies?"</p> + +<p class="continue">"Gently, sir," was the reply. "Your daughter, I believe, is now on the +way to the railway station with her husband. If I mistake not, her +mother-in-law and another relative accompany the bride on the +honeymoon trip. I presume even you will think that sufficient +punishment?"</p> + +<p class="continue">Bullin attempted to speak, but in vain. His face was purple with rage, +and his hands moved convulsively up and down.</p> + +<p class="continue">Faly was a little touched. "I don't think you need take on so, Mr. +Bullin," he said. "Mr. Sarkies will make a most excellent husband."</p> + +<p class="continue">But here the elder found tongue. "Damn you!" he shrieked with a +half-articulate voice, "I shall have the law on you and your brood of +snakes. May God's curse follow----"</p> + +<p class="continue">Faly laid his hand upon the old man's arm. "Halt, sir!" he said; "you +have said enough. Go to the law. If redress is your due, you will get +it there. Go to the law, I say; but also go from here. This is no +place for you."</p> + +<p class="continue">The elder stared at him for a moment, and then turning entered his +carriage, and bade the coachman drive home.</p> + +<p class="continue">A week later he flung a letter across the table to Laura. They were at +breakfast.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Send that woman her belongings," he said; "and mind you--forget from +this day that she was ever your sister."</p> + +<p class="continue">And Laura bowed her head meekly to hide the tears that filled her +eyes.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.16" href="#div1Ref_2.16">AN ACCOUNT BALANCED.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">When Lamport left Halsa unconscious on the roadside and escaped into +darkness, he ran on without stopping for nearly half an hour. At last +he pulled up, fairly exhausted, and leaned against the wall on the +roadside to rest and regain his breath. The run and the excitement had +sobered him, and as he rested he began to think over his next move. +Bill's knife was still in his hand. He closed the blade carefully.</p> + +<p class="continue">"If only they had been a minute later!" he said to himself as he put +it away.</p> + +<p class="continue">Yes, if only they had been a minute later Stephen Lamport would have +added another item to his long list of crimes. Not that the record +troubled him in any way. His only regret was that he had been foiled. +He had begun to hate his wife with the savage hatred that was born of +the knowledge that he had done her terrible wrong.</p> + +<p class="continue">After a while Lamport began to walk on again as fast as he was able to +escape the rain. It was now very late, almost in the small hours of +the morning, and a longing seized upon him for more drink. He had +reached Digby Street by this time, and, with that strange fatality +which seems to haunt criminals, the fatality which brings them back to +the scenes of former crime, he entered the Hotel Metropole. It was +still full, and Lamport's entrance excited no particular attention. In +the glare of the lamps, however, he was enabled to see that he was +splashed and covered with mud, and his clothes, where they were not +protected by his rough pea-jacket, were dripping wet. He glanced at +his face in the oval mirror which gleamed from the wall. It was +deathly pale, and he felt a cold shivering down his limbs. He moved +into the crowd at the bar, and called out for "three fingers hot." At +the sound of his voice Kavasji looked up at him. Lamport was, however, +certain that the shaving of his beard had so altered his appearance +that he was, comparatively speaking, unrecognisable; besides, as he +was spattered with mud, and with his cap pulled well over his brows, +he felt perfectly secure. He was mistaken, however. Kavasji was one of +those men who have a born genius for remembering faces, and he +recognised Lamport at once. He said no word at first, but silently +mixed his tumbler of liquor and handed it to him. Lamport stood a +little on one side at the end of the bar, and began to drink. When he +had finished he called for another tumbler, and as the Parsee handed +this to him he said in a low voice, "Bill is here; he is looking for +you." Lamport started at the warning, but said nothing. He drank his +second tumbler quietly, and, after paying his score, slipped out into +the street once more. Kavasji had not given this warning with any +friendly feeling toward Lamport, but simply for the reason that he +wished to get rid of him. It was perfectly true that Bill had been +there that evening. He might be back at any moment, and then, if there +was recognition, there would perhaps be murder. Kavasji had not +forgotten the scene when Bill woke from his drugged sleep and found +that he had missed his ship and had been robbed. In order that the +matter might be kept quiet, the Parsee had placed Dungaree in funds, +knowing that it would mostly come back to him over the counter, and +what little loss he might suffer would be well repaid by the absence +of a police visitation. Kavasji had suffered much from such inroads. +Bill had, however, shown no inclination to get another ship. As long +as Kavasji's advance lasted he determined to wait, in the hopes of +meeting Lamport, of recovering his lost property and of exacting +vengeance. He was perfectly convinced that it was Lamport who had +stolen the money. He had done similar things himself, and therefore +knew. Moreover, the thought that he, Dungaree Bill, the old and +hardened campaigner, should have been taken in in so transparent a +manner was gall and wormwood to him, and therefore he swore to himself +that he would have vengeance, even to the death of Lamport. So Bill +husbanded his resources and waited, and at last the time came when +Lamport was to reap what he had sown. This was Bill's last day. He was +unable to get any further funds from Kavasji, and had with regret in +his heart shipped on an American cargo-boat that was to sail the next +day. He had stipulated for a last day on shore, and, as he had asked +for no advance of pay, this was readily granted to him. Besides, he +was known to the master of the vessel as a good sailor, and one whom +he could rely on for good as well as evil. Lamport had hardly been +gone half an hour when Bill re-entered the bar and feverishly looked +round him. It was his last chance, and he had to go back to his ship. +There was a look of disappointment on his face as he saw that the man +he wanted was not there, and that after all he should miss him. A +light of eagerness came into his eyes as Kavasji beckoned to him, and +whispered a few words in his ear. "Where? Which way did he go?" said +Bill. Kavasji pointed to the street, and Bill, turning, rushed out of +the door. Once in the street, however, he looked blankly around. There +was no knowing what direction Lamport had taken, and with a curse on +his ill-luck Bill squared his broad shoulders and strode through the +mud toward the quay. He could have--in fact, to keep up the tradition +of his kind, he ought to have--hailed a cab and been driven toward the +harbour roaring a wild song. But Bill did not fancy this to-night. It +was enough for him that his prey had escaped for the present. If they +should meet! Dungaree swore under his bushy black beard that no mortal +should part them until he had exacted his tithe of vengeance to the +uttermost farthing.</p> + +<p class="continue">In the meantime what had become of Lamport? When he entered the street +again he found that it had practically given over raining, and the +moon was shining brightly behind the dark masses of clouds that glided +slowly after each other. Lamport looked up with an expression of +relief, and his first thoughts were to make his way back to his +lodgings as fast as possible, change his wet things, and sleep, if he +could, over the events of the past few hours. He changed his mind, +however, and, hailing a cab, told the man to drive him to the quay. +Why he did this it is impossible to explain. It was the working of +that fatality which was leading him to the reaping of the harvest. +Perhaps the knowledge that Dungaree was on his track induced him to do +this. He wanted to think. Perhaps an indefinite idea of escaping, the +forlorn hope of being able to get to sea somehow, moved him. And so he +went. When he reached the quay he dismissed his cab, and, walking to +the end of the pier, leaned over the chains and listened to the <i>lap</i>, +<i>lap</i>, <i>lap</i> of the waters against the stone walls. Under the lee of +the pier was a small fleet of boats securely fastened one to the +other, and heaving in unison with the motion of the sea. The myriad +stars of the street lamps twinkled behind him, and the signal lights +from the tall masts of the shipping in the harbour shone like beacons +overhead. A high wind had arisen, an augury of fair weather, and the +now rapidly moving clouds alternately obscured and unveiled the +moonlight. From the far distance came the dull boom of the breakers as +they beat against the head of the island, and occasionally there was a +jarring sound as the sides of the boats grated against each other. +Lamport, leaning over the chains of the pier, noticed not one of these +things. If he saw, or heard, they had no more effect on him than the +flickering of one's fingers before the eyes of a blind horse. Yet +Lamport unconsciously began to think of the past. Possibly the danger +he had escaped and the hour were not without their influence on him. +After all, he had nothing to fear, he repeated to himself. There was +not the remotest possibility of Bill meeting him. Anyway he would make +that possibility as small as it could be by shipping himself off this +very day. And while he was thinking Bill came up the pier, walking +rapidly with that rolling lurch peculiar to sailors. Lamport was +unconscious of this. He never heard the footfalls behind him, and, if +he did, paid no attention to them. When Bill was scarce ten yards off, +Lamport lighted a fusee and held it to his pipe. The sudden hiss of +the match and the flare of light stopped Dungaree at once, and, as the +blaze lit up Lamport's face, Bill saw from the gesture, the poise of +the head, the cunning glitter of the eye, that he had found his man. +He drew back for a moment, and waited till Lamport had lit his pipe +and flung the end of his fusee away. Bill felt the veins on his +forehead stand out like knotted ropes. For a moment he stood, his +sinewy hands working convulsively, and then, walking up to Lamport, he +gripped him on the shoulder and swung him round.</p> + +<p class="continue">There was no word spoken. Quick as thought Lamport's knife was in his +hand. It flashed a moment in the air, and Bill staggered back with an +oath. He had been only just in time to escape the stroke, which +nevertheless inflicted a slight flesh wound. The next moment the knife +was dashed from Lamport's hand, and Bill's fingers were round his +throat. He made an effort to struggle, he tried to shout, but, active +and powerful as he was, he was like a child in the hands of the giant.</p> + +<p class="continue">* * * * *</p> + +<p class="continue">It was ended very soon, that noiseless struggle, and Bill stood over +the dead man. He felt for his belt, and regained it with a feeling of +intense satisfaction. It was light, but the lost weight was balanced +now.</p> + +<p class="continue">Bill was not of those who hesitated at a critical moment. "Over he +goes," said he, and, lifting the body, he flung it over the chains, +where it fell with a plash into the water. "And now to follow suit." +He ran down the stone steps of the quay, and, carefully removing his +boots, held them together in his teeth. He then pulled off his coat, +and for the first time realized that he was wounded.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Better this way than any other," muttered he to himself as he made a +bold plunge and struck out for his ship.</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII.</h2> + +<h3><a name="div1_2.17" href="#div1Ref_2.17">FROM THE CHOIR OF THE HOLY INNOCENTS.</a></h3> +<br> + +<p class="normal">Some one has said that there is a consolation in being well dressed +that even religion can not afford. It was with the consciousness of +this feeling that Lizzie Sarkies knelt by her husband's side at +midnight mass in the Church of the Holy Innocents.</p> + +<p class="continue">It was New Year's Eve, and the young year was being welcomed in with +all the pomp and ceremony of the Roman Catholic ritual. The old year +was dying. It had covered its face with its mantle of broken hopes, of +resolves unkept, of withered lives. With the New Year would come fresh +hope and high resolve. The pages of the past were to be turned down, +the fair white sheets of a new record opened, the Most High would lend +an attentive ear to the voice of His people calling from the deep. The +church was full. Of those who were spared from the dangers of the past +some were here to thank the Godhead for his mercy, and to pray as +humble creatures should for the light that never comes. There were +others with dead hearts, hearts that had gotten the "dry-rot" into +them. These came because the others came, because their ears were +tickled by the music. Their lips murmured prayers that found no echoes +in their souls, and as they looked upon the Host they gave no thought +to the past. As for the future, with such as these the future has no +lesson to learn. Sufficient for them was it that they lived, and +sinned, and died.</p> + +<p class="continue">Lizzie, and many others beside her, occupied a place midway between +these two classes. They had not as yet chosen their seats finally. As +the solemn notes of the organ joined the silver voices of the choir +Lizzie felt the full magnetic power of the music, and prayed with her +heart of hearts. When from behind the high altar the low murmur +of the prayers trickled down the aisles and buzzed in her ears, +Lizzie's bright eyes wandered round the church up to the gallery, +where the choir of dark-robed nuns sat; away into the dim colonnades, +over the ghostly sea of heads; to the right, where close-cropped, +straight-backed, and stalwart of limb, were ranged a contingent of the +Royal Irish, then in garrison at Bombay; in front, where sat Madame +Eglantine, the celebrated <i>modiste</i>, with a creation of forget-me-nots +on her head. At all these Lizzie stared, and was comforted.</p> + +<p class="continue">How pleasant this was after the deadly monotony of the tabernacle! +Here all the rough edges were smoothed off, the corners rounded +neatly; there all was granite of the hardest.</p> + +<p class="continue">The banners swayed their silken folds. From her niche in the wall the +Blessed Virgin, done in wax, gazed down upon her with lustreless eyes. +The tinsel looked like gold. The incense breathed its subtle and +intoxicating perfume into her brain.</p> + +<p class="continue">And now the priests walked in solemn procession up the aisle, the +organ pealed forth, and the joyous voices of the choir joined in the +hymn of adoration.</p> + +<p class="continue">At a bound Lizzie's heart went back from earth to heaven. She thrilled +with a holy fervour as the music filled the church. Her eyes were full +of tears.</p> + +<p class="continue">Suddenly the voices of the choir died away. The priests had bowed +before the altar, and were praying in secret. The organ wailed +tremulously. Lizzie stood leaning on the seat in front of her, almost +breathless with excitement.</p> + +<p class="continue">All at once from the gallery a single voice took up the anthem--full, +clear, and sweet. It seemed as if it were the answer of heaven to the +prayers of the Faithful.</p> +<div class="poem3"> +<p class="t0">"<i>Christe cum sit hinc exire</i></p> +<p class="t0"><i>Du per matron me venire</i></p> +<p class="t2"><i>Ad palmam victoriæ</i>."</p> +</div> + +<p class="continue">Lizzie turned her eyes toward the spot whence the voice came. The +light shone full on the dark-robed figure, on the upturned face, thin +and pale, and on the sad gray eyes of the singer.</p> +<div class="poem3"> + +<p class="t2" style="text-indent:-8pt">"<i>Ad palmam victoriæ</i>." +</div> + +<p class="continue">As the words reached her, Lizzie felt the light of a sudden +recognition. She turned to her husband and pulled him by the +coat-sleeve.</p> + +<p class="continue">"Jim," she said, "look up! See who is singing!"</p> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<h3>THE END.</h3> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Galahad of the Creeks; The Widow +Lamport, by S. (Sidney) Levett-Yeats + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GALAHAD OF CREEKS; WIDOW LAMPORT *** + +***** This file should be named 38306-h.htm or 38306-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/3/0/38306/ + +Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by Google Books + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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