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diff --git a/75727-h/75727-h.htm b/75727-h/75727-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a7e1e02 --- /dev/null +++ b/75727-h/75727-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6917 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Driven to bay, vol. 2 of 3 | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tiny {width: 5%; margin-left: 47.5%; margin-right: 47.5%; margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0;} +hr.tb {width: 25%; margin-left: 37.5%; margin-right: 37.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +img.drop-cap +{ + float: left; + margin: 0 0.5em 0 0; +} + +.x-ebookmaker-2 img.drop-cap +{ + display: none; +} + +span.drop-cap +{ + color: transparent; + visibility: hidden; + margin-left: -0.9em; +} + +span.drop-cap2 +{ + color: transparent; + visibility: hidden; + margin-left: -1.5em; +} + +.x-ebookmaker-2 span.drop-cap +{ + color: inherit; + visibility: visible; + margin-left: 0; +} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + +th {text-align: center;} +td {padding-left: 0.5em;} +.tdr {text-align: right;} +.tdc {text-align: center;} + +.pagenum { + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} + +.bbox {border: 2px solid; padding: 1em;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + +.ph1 {text-align: center; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;} +.ph2 {text-align: center; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;} + +div.titlepage {text-align: center; page-break-before: always; page-break-after: always;} +div.titlepage p {text-align: center; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.5; margin-top: 2em;} + +.xlarge {font-size: 150%;} +.large {font-size: 125%;} + +.x-ebookmaker .hide {display: none; visibility: hidden;} + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.poetry-container {display: flex; justify-content: center;} +.poetry-container {text-align: center;} +.poetry {text-align: left; margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 5%;} +.poetry .verse {text-indent: -2.5em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .first {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3em;} +.poetry .first2 {text-indent: -3em; padding-left: 3.2em;} + +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:smaller; + margin-left: 17.5%; + margin-right: 17.5%; + padding: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75727 ***</div> + +<div class="figcenter hide"><img src="images/coversmall.jpg" width="450" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph2">DRIVEN TO BAY.</p> + +<p class="ph1">VOL. II.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/title_page.jpg" alt="title page"></div> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="titlepage"> +<h1>DRIVEN TO BAY.</h1> + +<p><span class="xlarge"><i>A NOVEL.</i></span></p> + +<p>BY<br> +<span class="xlarge">FLORENCE MARRYAT,</span></p> + +<p>AUTHOR OF<br> + +‘LOVE’S CONFLICT,’ ‘MY OWN CHILD,’<br> +‘THE MASTER PASSION,’ ‘SPIDERS OF SOCIETY,’<br> +ETC., ETC.</p> + +<p><span class="large"><i>IN THREE VOLUMES.</i></span></p> + +<p><span class="large">VOL. II.</span></p> + +<p>LONDON:<br> +<span class="large">F. V. WHITE & CO.,</span><br> +31 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND, W.C.</p> + +<hr class="tiny"> +<p>1887.</p> + +<p>[<i>All Rights reserved.</i>]</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center">EDINBURGH<br> +COLSTON AND COMPANY<br> +PRINTERS</p> +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak"><i>CONTENTS.</i></h2> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents_line.jpg" alt=""></div> +<table> + +<tr><td class="tdr"><small>CHAP.</small></td><td class="tdr" colspan="2"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">I.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Maggie</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_1"> 1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">II.</td><td> <span class="smcap">In the Doldrums</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19"> 19</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">III.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Widow</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_35"> 35</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">On the Poop Deck</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_52"> 52</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">V.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Glass falls</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_69"> 69</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">To The Rescue</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_82"> 82</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Free</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_99"> 99</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">VIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Confidences</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_114"> 114</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">IX.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Whaler</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_131"> 131</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">X.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Danger</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_141"> 141</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XI.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Shipping Seas</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_161"> 161</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">A Game of Dominoes</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_177"> 177</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XIII.</td><td> <span class="smcap">In the Smoke-Room</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_192"> 192</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XIV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">Settled</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_209"> 209</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdr">XV.</td><td> <span class="smcap">The Letter</span>,</td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_224"> 224</a></td></tr> +</table> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="bbox"> +<p class="ph2">“SELECT” NOVELS.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>Crown 8vo, cloth, 3s. 6d. each.</i></p> + +<p class="center">AT ALL BOOKSELLERS AND BOOKSTALLS.</p> +<hr class="tiny"> + +<table> +<tr><th colspan="2">By FLORENCE MARRYAT.</th></tr> + + +<tr><td>THE HEIR-PRESUMPTIVE.</td><td> HER WORLD AGAINST A LIE.</td></tr> +<tr><td>THE HEART OF JANE WARNER.</td><td> PEERESS AND PLAYER.</td></tr> +<tr><td>UNDER THE LILIES & ROSES.</td><td> FACING THE FOOTLIGHTS.</td></tr> +<tr><td>MY OWN CHILD.</td><td> A BROKEN BLOSSOM.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">MY SISTER THE ACTRESS.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By ANNIE THOMAS (Mrs Pender Cudlip).</th></tr> + +<tr><td>HER SUCCESS.</td><td> JENIFER.</td></tr> +<tr><td>KATE VALLIANT.</td><td> ALLERTON TOWERS.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">FRIENDS AND LOVERS.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By LADY CONSTANCE HOWARD.</th></tr> + +<tr><td>MATED WITH A CLOWN.</td><td> MOLLIE DARLING.</td></tr> +<tr><td>ONLY A VILLAGE MAIDEN.</td><td> SWEETHEART AND WIFE.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By MRS HOUSTOUN, Author of “Recommended to Mercy.”</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">BARBARA’S WARNING.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By MRS ALEXANDER FRASER.</th></tr> + +<tr><td>THE MATCH OF THE SEASON.</td><td> A FATAL PASSION.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">A PROFESSIONAL BEAUTY.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By IZA DUFFUS HARDY.</th></tr> + +<tr><td>ONLY A LOVE STORY.</td><td> NOT EASILY JEALOUS.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">LOVE, HONOUR AND OBEY.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By JEAN MIDDLEMASS.</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">POISONED ARROWS.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By MRS H. LOVETT CAMERON.</th></tr> + +<tr><td>IN A GRASS COUNTRY.</td><td> A DEAD PAST.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">A NORTH COUNTRY MAID.</td></tr> + +<tr><th>By DORA RUSSELL.</th><th>By LADY VIOLET GREVILLE.</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc">OUT OF EDEN.</td><td class="center">KEITH’S WIFE.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By NELLIE FORTESCUE HARRISON, Author of “So Runs my Dream.”</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">FOR ONE MAN’S PLEASURE.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By EDMUND LEATHES.</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">THE ACTOR’S WIFE.</td></tr> + +<tr><th colspan="2">By HARRIETT JAY.</th></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdc" colspan="2">A MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE.</td></tr> +</table> +</div></div></div> + +<p class="center">COLSTON AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="ph2">DRIVEN TO BAY.</p> +</div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[1]</span> +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i001a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<p class="ph2">DRIVEN TO BAY.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents_line.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I.<br> + +<small>MAGGIE.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_a.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="A"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">A</span> LARGE passenger vessel like +the <i>Pandora</i>, that makes +voyages of two and three +months’ duration, without stopping on +the way, is a hotbed of flirtation. +When the first excitement of a ‘life on +the ocean wave’ has toned down, and +the novels are exhausted, and everybody +knows everybody, then scandal +and courtship become the order of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[2]</span> +the day. And what glorious opportunities +such a life presents for ripening +friendship into love. As in +a ballroom the young couples frequent +the conservatories, the stairs, the lobbies, +and hall, anywhere where they can talk +and listen unobserved, so on board-ship +they may be found sneaking about the +after-part of the poop, the cabin passages, +and the lounges in the saloon. +They make appointments on the side +of the quarter-deck in the dog-watch, +or the first night-watch, and there +remain gazing at the moon and the +stars, or in each other’s eyes, discussing +astronomy, or marine aquaria, or +the Lord knows what, until the young +lady is summarily ordered below. A +chaperon cannot possibly follow her +charge into every corner of a large ship, +for eighty consecutive days. She might +be able to keep a strict eye over her +in a ballroom, but it would be a herculean +task to accomplish the same feat at sea.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[3]</span> +And so a lengthened propinquity on +board-ship often brings about marriages +and scandals that never would have +taken place on shore. It is also a great +vehicle for gossip. What have the +passengers to whom no one makes love +to do but scandalise the rest. From the +Captain to the Jemmy Ducks, from the +noble lord who is travelling in the state-room +for his pleasure, to the humble +emigrant whose whole property consists +of the bundle he carries about with him, +all who are unwary enough to tell any +tales about themselves, or conspicuous +enough to have tales told of them, supply +food for discussion over the afternoon +cups of tea, and learn with astonishment +a few weeks after how much more their +companions know of their lives and +actions than they do themselves. The +<i>Pandora</i> had found the north-east trade +winds by this time, and making a south-westerly +course, was fast diminishing the +distance between her and the line.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[4]</span> +Though it was the autumn of the year, +it might well have been mistaken for +the spring, for the birds seemed to be +pairing in all directions. Mr Harland +and Miss Vansittart were seldom apart. +Captain Lovell was paying all the attention +in his power to Alice Leyton, whilst +Vernon Blythe was eating his heart +out for the love of Iris Hetherley, +and cursing his fate for being an officer +of the ship instead of a passenger. Mr +Fowler, the mysterious, flew like a +humming-bird from flower to flower, enlivening +the married ladies with morsels +of scandal, and complimenting the girls +on their beauty and their wit. Every one +liked him, but no one had succeeded +in discovering who he was, or what he +was doing on board the <i>Pandora</i>. He +had a wonderful knack of changing the +conversation directly it veered in his +own direction, which made it appear +impertinent to pursue a curiosity which +he so boldly evaded. In the second<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[5]</span> +cabin, Will Farrell had made himself a +general favourite, and more than one +lone she creature, unattached, tried hard +to induce him to take her in tow. But +though he was sociable with all, he was +only intimate with one, and that one was +Maggie Greet. He had formed quite an +attachment for this girl. Had he +possessed the means he would have transferred +her from the steerage to the second +cabin, but he promised himself to make +up for that, to her, by-and-by. Meanwhile +he spent every spare moment by +her side, and on deck they were always +together. But Maggie would not be +persuaded to go on deck until nightfall, +and then she wrapped herself up in what +appeared an absurd fashion, considering +the warmth of the weather.</p> + +<p>‘What are you afraid of?’ asked +Farrell of her one evening. ‘You couldn’t +catch cold if you tried, in these latitudes.’</p> + +<p>‘Toothache,’ replied Maggie mendaciously,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[6]</span> +‘I have it dreadful sometimes +at night.’</p> + +<p>‘That’s because you stop in the cabin +too much. You stew down there all day, +and then when you come on deck, you +feel the difference. You should stop in +the open air, like the others do, from +morning till night.’</p> + +<p>‘And what would my poor lady do all +by herself, whilst I was taking my +pleasure on deck?’</p> + +<p>‘I know you’re very good to Miss +Douglas, Maggie. It’s <i>that</i> that first +made me feel I should like to have you +for a friend. You’re a staunch one, +I’m sure. But why not persuade her to +come, too? She’ll kill herself if she +mopes in her berth all the voyage. +What’s the matter with her? Is she +sick?’</p> + +<p>‘No! she isn’t sick.’</p> + +<p>‘Why doesn’t she come on deck then?’</p> + +<p>‘That’s <i>her</i> business and not yours, +Mr Farrell.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[7]</span>‘True; but I should like to know a +little more about you both. Sometimes +you call Miss Douglas your “<i>lady</i>,” and +sometimes your “<i>friend</i>.” Now, I can +guess that you have lived together in +England as mistress and servant. But +why don’t you say so?’</p> + +<p>‘Have you got any more questions to +ask me, Mr Farrell?’ said Maggie coolly.</p> + +<p>They were sitting on the afterdeck +together, and it was nearly dark, except +for an oil lamp in the forecastle, +that threw an occasional light on the +girl’s face. Maggie was looking very +pretty and pleasant that evening. Her +dark eyes were bright and merry; her +curly hair was blowing about in the sea +breeze; over her head she had twisted +a shawl of scarlet and green. Her pertness +became her roguish face, and +Farrell gazed at her admiringly as he +answered,—</p> + +<p>‘You’ll provoke me to ask you something +that will make you angry, if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[8]</span> +you look at me in that fashion, +Maggie.’</p> + +<p>‘And what may that be?’</p> + +<p>‘A kiss?’</p> + +<p>‘Well, asking and having is two +different things, so I advise you to +spare your breath to cool your porridge.’</p> + +<p>‘Now, you wouldn’t be so unkind as +that, Maggie. But, seriously, can’t you +understand <i>why</i> I want to know more +about you. It isn’t idle curiosity. It’s +because—well, it’s because we seem to +be rowing pretty much in the same boat. +We’re going to a new country together, +where we’ve got no friends; so why +shouldn’t we be friends to each other?’</p> + +<p>‘We <i>are</i>, aren’t we? anyway, there’s +no need for <i>you</i> to be more friendly than +you are, and I don’t quite see how you +<i>could</i> be.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>I</i> do. I would like to be the closest +friend you had,—your friend for life, +Maggie. Do you understand me?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[9]</span>‘No,’ replied Maggie stoutly, ‘I +don’t.’</p> + +<p>‘Then I’ll make it plainer to you. +Will you marry me? I want a wife to +make a home for me in the new world, +and you suit me down to the ground. +If you’ll say the word, I’ll marry you as +soon as we touch land. Is it a bargain?’</p> + +<p>‘Lor’, Mr Farrell, are you poking fun +at me?’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed I am in earnest. I was never +more so in my life.’</p> + +<p>‘But you’re a gentleman born, and +I’m only a servant. It’s right you +should know the truth now.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I’m not a gentleman by birth, +Maggie, though I may look like one to +you. I was in the position of a gentleman +once, but I lost it through my own +folly, and I shall never regain it. I got +into sore trouble through the rascality of +another; and though I wasn’t really +guilty, appearances were against me, and +I had to give up my place, and take to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[10]</span> +earning my bread by the labour of my +hands. So you see we’re pretty equal; +and a girl that can cook my dinner, and +keep my house clean, is just the sort +of wife I shall want in my new +home.’</p> + +<p>‘What has become of the fellow as +got you into trouble?’ asked Maggie, +without noticing his last remark.</p> + +<p>‘Curse him!’ exclaimed Farrell vehemently. +‘Don’t talk of him, Maggie, or +I shall forget myself, and where we are. +For I’ll tell you a secret, my dear. He’s +on board this very ship!’</p> + +<p>‘Lor’! and does he know that you’re +here too?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes. I hadn’t met him for years until +I knocked up against him in the shipping-office. +He was taken aback at meeting +me, I can tell you, and hearing we were +to sail in the same vessel. He tried to +square me at first, and then he tried to +insult me. But I’ll have my revenge +on him yet. Wait till I meet him on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[11]</span> +the other side, and we’ll stand up, man +to man, till one of us drops—’</p> + +<p>‘Don’t talk in that way, Mr Farrell—<i>don’t</i>!’ +cried Maggie, as she seized his +clenched hand. ‘You make my blood +run cold. What good will it be to lose +your life for a man like that? It won’t +undo the wrong.’</p> + +<p>‘You’re right there, Maggie. But it +drives me mad to know <i>what he is</i>, and +then to see him carrying on as if he +was a lord, and owned the whole vessel. +And all the girls fawning on him, and +letting him do as he likes with them. +Lord, if they only knew his real character!’</p> + +<p>‘What is his name, Mr Farrell?’</p> + +<p>‘His right name is Horace Cain, but +he’s hiding himself under a false one.’</p> + +<p>‘And what did he do?’</p> + +<p>‘I can’t tell you that, Maggie, because +it might leak out, and it involves us +both. He’s been my ruin in the old +country, d—n him! I don’t want<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[12]</span> +him to spoil all my chances in the +new.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, then, I’d try and forget it, if +I was you, and never speak to him again. +That’s more sensible than thinking of +revenge.’</p> + +<p>‘I <i>will</i> try and forget it—more, I will +promise you never to mention it again—if +you will be my wife, Maggie.’</p> + +<p>Maggie shook her head.</p> + +<p>‘No, Mr Farrell—<i>that</i> I can’t never be.’</p> + +<p>‘But why? Don’t you like me?’</p> + +<p>She did not answer, and he took her hand.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t say <i>no</i> in such a hurry, my +dear girl. I’ll work for you as long as +I have a pair of hands, and I’ll make +you as happy as I can; and it’ll be much +more comfortable to come to a home of +your own than to serve in that of a +stranger. Just think, now. I really like +you very much—in fact, I love you, or +I wouldn’t propose such a thing. Am +I disagreeable to you, or can’t you love +me a little in return?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[13]</span>But all the answer Maggie gave was +conveyed by her throwing her shawl over +her face and bursting into a storm of +tears.</p> + +<p>‘Why! what is this? Have I said +anything to vex you? Oh, don’t, <i>don’t</i> +cry so!’ exclaimed Farrell anxiously.</p> + +<p>But Maggie sobbed on for a few +minutes without intermission. Then, +suddenly stopping, she uncovered her +face again, and turned to confront him.</p> + +<p>‘Look here, Mr Farrell,’ she said, +‘don’t you never talk to me about marriage +again. I ain’t a marrying woman. +I shall never marry you, nor no one. +Do you understand? I shall remain as +I am to the last day of my life.’</p> + +<p>‘But why? Are you married already?’</p> + +<p>The girl laughed harshly.</p> + +<p>‘No! I ain’t, nor likely to be. There’s +no other man in the way. You needn’t +fear that.’</p> + +<p>‘Then I shall go on asking you till +you say yes.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[14]</span>‘Mr Farrell! I tell you ’tain’t no use. +I ain’t fit to be your wife. I ain’t a good +girl. Now, you’ve got it, straight from +the shoulder, and I hope you like it.’</p> + +<p>For a moment Farrell was silent. It +wasn’t a pleasant piece of news to hear, +as he interpreted it. But he loved the +woman sincerely, and he wouldn’t give +her up just yet.</p> + +<p>‘No one is good. I daresay you’re +no worse than others,’ he answered presently.</p> + +<p>‘Yes I am,’ said Maggie, ‘I’m downright +bad.’</p> + +<p>‘What do you call “downright bad?”’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know why I should tell you,’ +whimpered Maggie, wiping away a fresh +relay of tears; ‘but you’ve been very +kind and good to me and my dear mistress, +and I wouldn’t like you to think that +I’m ungrateful. And I’m sure you won’t +tell on me.’</p> + +<p>‘God forbid!’ exclaimed Farrell solemnly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[15]</span>‘Well, then, I had a misfortune, and +I went wrong,’ whispered Maggie, in a +very low voice.</p> + +<p>‘Poor child! Was it long ago?’</p> + +<p>‘Better than two years. I was only +seventeen.’</p> + +<p>‘And where’s the brute that wronged +you?’ exclaimed Farrell fiercely.</p> + +<p>‘Hush,’ cried Maggie, looking round +her nervously. ‘Don’t speak so loud. +It’s all over now. It <i>has</i> been ever +since. I thought him good and true at +that time, but when I found out what a +villain he was (and much worse to others +than he’d been to me), my love turned +to hate, and I could have killed him—except +for others.’</p> + +<p>‘And who are the others?’</p> + +<p>‘I can’t tell you. ’Tisn’t my secret. It’s +theirs. But you know all now. And that’s +the reason I can’t be your wife. You +wouldn’t have asked me if you’d known.’</p> + +<p>‘Does Miss Douglas know your secret, +Maggie?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[16]</span>‘No, no,’ cried the girl excitedly, ‘and +don’t you never hint it to her, or I’ll +kill you. Oh, my dear, sweet mistress! +I’ve tried sometimes to make her understand, +but I haven’t dared tell her the +truth. I should die if I saw her sweet +eyes look angry at me. Oh, promise +me, Mr Farrell, on your sacred honour, +that you’ll never let her guess I’ve been +so wicked. For I’m her only comfort. +There’s no one else to love and +care for her, and if she made me +leave her, she’d be all alone. And +she’s in such dreadful trouble you +can’t think. If it’s wrong to stay by +her—so pure and good as she is—I +can’t help it, for I’d lay down my life +for her sake.’</p> + +<p>She turned her face, all blurred and +swollen with her tears, towards him, as +she spoke, and he bent down and kissed +it tenderly.</p> + +<p>‘Poor child! I will carry your secret +for ever in the depths of my heart. And<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[17]</span> +now, answer my question—Will you be +my wife?’</p> + +<p>‘Lor’! Mr Farrell, you can’t have +listened to a word I said.’</p> + +<p>‘I heard you perfectly, and I understand +you have been wronged and betrayed by +a villain. So have I! and I am the worst +of the two. We have each yielded to +the temptation that assailed us. We are +equally guilty, and I believe equally penitent. +We have no right to reproach each +other. If your past is as entirely buried +as mine, Maggie, let us try to console +each other in the future.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, sir! you are too good to me! I +don’t deserve it. I didn’t think any honest +man would ever think of me now.’</p> + +<p>‘You must call me “<i>Will</i>,” Maggie.’</p> + +<p>‘When I’m accustomed to the idea a +bit, I may. But I can’t believe it’s +true.’</p> + +<p>‘It rests with you to make it so.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>To be your wife!</i>’ said Maggie +musingly—‘to be your lawful, married<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[18]</span> +wife, and have a home of my own in +New Zealand. Oh, Mr Farrell,’ she continued +suddenly, as the conviction burst +upon her, ‘I shall never <i>never</i> forget your +goodness to the last hour of my life, and +I’ll be as true as steel to you, if only in +gratitude for what you’ve said to-day.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i018.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[19]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II.<br> + +<small>IN THE DOLDRUMS.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_a.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="A"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">A</span>IDED by the steady trades, the +<i>Pandora</i> crept up to the line, +and in little more than a month +from her date of sailing she crossed that +invisible goal, and fell in with a dead +calm in the horse latitudes.</p> + +<p>It was a changeable day, but close and +sultry, and the heat between decks was +intolerable. The sun occasionally peeped +out from behind black clouds, and cast +his scorching rays upon the troubled +waters, which rose and fell in angry chops, +like the breast of an indignant woman.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[20]</span> +Everything was done to conciliate the +fickle wind, but without avail. It behaved +like a spoilt child, which is never happy +unless acting in a contrary direction to +what others desire. The yards were +squared in, as it hauled aft, but before +the ropes were coiled up the provoking +element was round on the other quarter, +and the shellbacks manned the forebrace. +Then it went right ahead, and the unfortunate +officer of the watch was compelled +to box his yard, and have the trouble of +getting the <i>Pandora</i> on her course again in +a dead calm. Heavy squalls came up from +all points of the compass, and while they +passed over the vessel sent her galloping +along at a splendid pace. But in half-an-hour +their force would expend itself; and +torrents of rain poured down and left the +ship again in the doldrums. The officers +were weary of slacking away braces and +countermanding orders; the sailors’ hard +hands, soaked with the rain, became sore +and chafed; and the passengers were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[21]</span> +grumbling and discontented, because they +were unable to remain on deck.</p> + +<p>The ‘boatswains,’ with their snowy +plumage and long spiked-tail feathers, +sailed overhead, uttering shrill cries to +their mates, but not attempting to pounce +down upon the flying fish which swam in +shoals close to the surface of the water, +and the ‘shipjacks’ and ‘bonitas’ rose +frequently into the air, and fell lazily back +upon the billows with an awkward splash. +Even the merry little ‘Mother Carey’s +chickens’ had ceased their continuous +flight, and come to an anchor in the wake +of the vessel, where they rode up and +down on the blue, mountainous waves.</p> + +<p>Yet the rain was refreshing. It was +not a cold pitiless storm, nor a searching +Scotch mist, but fell in a regular tropical +downpour—a drenching volume of warm +water, that splashed in huge drops upon +the decks, that ran down the masts and +rigging in a delightful shower-bath, that +washed the salt spray from the boats and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[22]</span> +spars, and made the ship clean and fresh. +Had these frequent squalls not mitigated +the fierceness of the sun’s rays, the decks +would have been unbearable, the sailors +would have been obliged to adopt shoe +leather, and the pitch would have boiled +out of the seams, and stuck to everything +with which it came in contact. But under +the influence of the rain the shellbacks +pattered about with bare feet, enjoying +the cool bath, and not even taking the +trouble to don their oilskins to protect +them from a wetting. Few people on +shore know the true character of our +English sailors—fewer still have ever +tried to find out what sort of animals they +are. There is a general opinion held by +the land-lubber that the sailor is a rollicking, +devil-me-care, blasphemous creature, +with a wife in every port,—a great capacity +for rum, and a tendency to sing, ‘Yeo +heave, oh’ upon every possible occasion. +But the real seaman is very different from +this. There is no such man as the brainless<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[23]</span> +fool who is depicted in drawing-room +songs and on the stage as constantly +‘hoisting up his slacks’ and ‘tipping his +flippers,’ and singing out ‘Hillee Haulee,’ +or some equally childish refrain.</p> + +<p>The British sailor is certainly partial to +rum, and he has every reason to be so. +When on a freezing night he is perched +for a couple of hours on the footrope of +a yard, trying to handle an obstinate topsail, +which has torn the nails from his +fingers, and caused him to tuck his chin +down to his breast to head against the +biting wind; when this uninviting task is +completed, a lot of strong rum goes down +like mother’s milk, warming the very +cockles of his heart, and giving him fresh +vigour and endurance to battle with the +storm.</p> + +<p>Then with regard to the fairer sex, +a sailor’s gallantry is a byword, and what +more natural than it should be so. It is +so seldom he can enjoy female society, +and after having been located for months<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[24]</span> +in a forecastle, and subjected to the rough +horse-play of his male companions, the +ways and words of women (even though +they may be the lowest of their sex) is +a welcome change, and acts on the susceptible +nature of Jack like a charm. He +adores woman collectively and individually. +At sea he sings her praises, and he boasts +of her virtues in every clime. He swears +eternal fidelity to her before he leaves +England, and breaks his promise at the +first port he touches at—still <i>woman</i>, as +a noun of multitude, is responsible for +it all. And when he returns home, he +is as enthusiastic over Poll as if he had +never forgotten her for a single minute. +His creed may be summed up in the refrain +of the ballad—</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first2">‘It don’t matter what you do,</div> +<div class="verse">So long as the heart’s true,</div> +<div class="verse">And his heart <i>is</i> true to Poll.’</div> +</div></div> + +<p>But the British seaman has sterling qualities +to counterbalance the frivolity of his +child-like nature. To stand by his shipmates<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[25]</span> +in times of trouble or sickness—to +evince a strong attachment to little children—to +be honest and above-board in +his dealings—to defend the weak and +punish the bully—to remember kind +actions and forget petty injustices, these +are some of the virtues which stand out +boldly in the characters of our sailors, and +more than counterbalance any little failings +of which they may be guilty. They are +rough and straightforward, preferring to +settle an argument by the use of their +fists, than by philosophical reasoning. +They are brave and fearless,—careless of +death, though they live under the daily +chance of becoming acquainted with Davy +Jones’ locker, and yet simple in their +faith as little children.</p> + +<p>The sailors before the mast of the +<i>Pandora</i> were sixteen in number—twelve +able-bodied seamen and four ordinaries, +who were all comfortably housed in the +forecastle, which was certified to accommodate +twenty-four hands. Their work<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[26]</span> +at times, when the ship required box-hauling +and tacking, was not light, as the +<i>Pandora</i> was heavily rigged, and only +carried part of her complement. They +were not all English, amongst them being +Swedes, Germans, and Spaniards, who +dressed in blue and red ‘jumpers,’ and +made a picturesque group when at work +together. There is always one officer +who is singled out as a favourite by the +seamen, and on the <i>Pandora</i> a unanimous +verdict was passed in favour of Vernon +Blythe. The chief mate was gruff and +tyrannical, and his orders were frequently +accompanied by unnecessary oaths, which +lowered him in their estimation. The +third officer was only a newly-fledged +mate, who had just hopped from the +midshipman’s berth, and, though holding +a certificate, was looked on by the sailors +as a mere boy, and treated consequently +with a respectful but patronising interest. +The ‘old man,’ as they designated their +skipper, was not disliked, though by no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[27]</span> +means a favourite. When at the wheel, +or in the captain’s quarters, he never +interfered with them, but his indefatigable +system of working up was not appreciated.</p> + +<p>For a whole fortnight the <i>Pandora</i> was +making but little headway in the doldrums, +and during that period the sailors +were continually working ship. The captain +raised the clews of his courses, and +lowered them again; ran up the headsails, +and then manned the downhauls; +set the spanker, and trailed it in again. +Everything was done by turn to work the +vessel out of those detestable latitudes, +and he did not spare his crew, which +aggravated them to such an extent, that +they growled from morning till night, and +rained imprecations on their commander’s +head, which, if put into effect, would +have enriched the coffers of his satanic +majesty.</p> + +<p>Early one morning a treacherous squall +burst upon the <i>Pandora</i>, which threw<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[28]</span> +her for a few seconds on her beam ends, +till she was righted by the cool pluck of +Mr Coffin, who ordered the halliards to +be let go; and perceiving the yards +would not come down, took charge of +the helm himself, and shivered the weather +leeches, which righted the ship, though +she sailed within an inch of being taken +flat aback, and losing her sticks. When +she was out of danger, Captain Robarts +considered it necessary to stay the vessel, +as she was many points out of her course, +and the order was given to ‘’bout ship.’ +The decks were now dry, and the breeze +fresh and invigorating. The passengers +had crowded on the knife-board to see +the <i>Pandora ‘turned round’</i>—an operation +which was new to them. The ropes were +cleared for running, and the hands stationed; +and when clean full ‘Sea-oh!’ +was passed to the chief mate, who, with +a few men, was standing by to ease off +the jib sheets on the topgallant forecastle. +When within a point and a half of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[29]</span> +wind, and the sails were hugging the +masts, the order was shouted to ‘crossjack +haul,’ and the hands of the main +fiferail gathered in the slack of the +braces, which whizzed and cracked through +the blocks at the opposite side, as the +heavy yards swung round.</p> + +<p>But when square the lower yard brought +up with a sudden jerk, and refused to be +pointed.</p> + +<p>‘What’s foul?’ roared Captain Robarts.</p> + +<p>‘There’s something in the starboard +crossjack braceblock, sir,’ replied the +third officer.</p> + +<p>‘Send a hand up to clear it, then,’ +bawled the irate skipper.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that the ship’s +washerwoman had taken advantage of +the recent rainy weather to collect a +quantity of fresh water, and that very +morning had hung her clean linen to +dry on a small line suspended over the +deck, between the main shrouds. The +velocity of the braces as they ran up aloft<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[30]</span> +made them twist and curl and assume +fantastic shapes, and as they careered in +close proximity to the wet clothing, a +mysterious garment was caught up, and +became jammed in the block. One of +the sailors ran up the ratlines, and clambered +into the top; and, by a strong pull +from below, the garment was disengaged. +The language of the officers was high +Dutch to the passengers assembled on +the poop, but from the visible excitement +of the captain, they guessed that something +must have gone wrong, and watched +the seaman curiously, as he hastened up +the rope ladder.</p> + +<p>‘What is it?’ shouted the skipper, as he +saw the block was cleared.</p> + +<p>The sailor in the maintop did not +answer, but glanced slyly down at his shipmates, +and then at the red flannel garment +he held in his hand; whilst the ladies and +gentlemen stood in a group together, and +looked on with breathless interest.</p> + +<p>‘It is something <i>red</i>!’ exclaimed Alice<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[31]</span> +Leyton, who was very close to Captain +Lovell. ‘What on earth can it be? Is it +a flag, Jack?’ she asked of Vernon, who +stood just below them.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know, Alice, but I don’t think +it is,’ replied Jack, who seemed unaccountably +amused.</p> + +<p>‘It is just the colour of baby’s new +pinafores. I shall be sorry if one of them +gets torn,’ said Mrs Leyton.</p> + +<p>‘What is it?’ repeated the captain, in +a louder voice. ‘D—n it! Hold it out, +man.’</p> + +<p>Without hesitation the sailor obeyed. +He held the mysterious obstacle out at +arm’s length, and the breeze, catching it +on the right quarter, unfurled it like a flag, +and it remained distended in the air for +the benefit of all beholders. It was made +of red flannel—it appeared to be divided +into two parts like twin bolster-covers on +one stalk—and it looked as if it would fit +Mrs Vansittart.</p> + +<p>The silence which followed its appearance<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[32]</span> +lasted for a minute only. Then the +ladies blushed crimson, and with subdued +exclamations of horror hid their faces +behind their fans or in the pages of their +novels. The gentlemen, with ill-concealed +smiles, turned away, lest their amusement +should confuse still further their fair companions; +and the boisterous sailors with +one accord burst into loud shouts of laughter, +which, for the moment, was beyond +the power of their officers to control.</p> + +<p>The grim and pious captain even was +moved by the liberal display of that +sacred, though unmentionable article of +female clothing, and was obliged to bite his +lip and stamp his feet lest his noisy crew +should take advantage of his loss of self-command. +Then assuming his usual dignified +manner, he bellowed out an order +in a deep, stern voice, that made every +sailor hasten to the forebraces, and for a +time forget the comical little adventure +which had upset the order and equanimity +of the <i>Pandora</i>.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[33]</span>Vernon Blythe walked away to the +lower deck with a broad smile upon his +face. He had laughed as heartily as the +rest, until a distressed look from Alice +Leyton had recalled him to a sense of +duty. But now, as he found himself alone, +the comical appearance of the red flannel +bolster cases, as they inflated in the +breeze, came back forcibly upon his mind, +and he laughed out loud. How closely +connected are joy and sorrow, comedy and +tragedy, in this world. Vernon was +striding along, with a beaming smile upon +his handsome features, and his eyes lit up +with merriment, when he came suddenly +upon <i>Iris Harland</i>. He had longed +and prayed to see her again; he had +tried every manœuvre he could think of +to come upon her unawares, but without +success, and he had almost begun to think +there was no chance for him. And yet +now, when he was least expecting it, +here she was in the second cabin, seated +at the end of the table, with her head<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[34]</span> +bent wearily upon her hand. In a moment +the light had faded from Jack’s face, +to give place to a look of anxious expectation. +But he did not hesitate. His +chance was come, and he would take it. +He walked straight up to her side.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i034.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[35]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i035a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III.<br> + +<small>THE WIDOW.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_m2.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="M"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap2">‘M</span>ISS HETHERLEY!’ he exclaimed, +in a voice that trembled +with nervousness and excitement. +‘Miss Hetherley, will you not +speak to me?’</p> + +<p>Iris was not unprepared for the meeting, +although a moment before she had +believed herself to be alone. She had +talked the matter over with Maggie, and +they had agreed that it was impossible +she could avoid him for the whole course +of the voyage, and that, sooner or later, +Vernon Blythe and she must speak to one<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[36]</span> +another again. Yet what to say to him, +or how to explain her presence on board +the <i>Pandora</i>, she knew not, and her first +refuge was in an attempt at denial.</p> + +<p>‘I am not Miss Hetherley,’ she answered, +in a low voice, and with her face +turned from him.</p> + +<p>‘Forgive me. I know you are married, +but I never heard the name of your husband. +How am I to address you?’</p> + +<p>‘You—you—are mistaken,’ repeated +Iris. ‘I am <i>Miss Douglas</i>.’</p> + +<p>Vernon looked down at her for a few +moments in silence, his young, lithe figure +drawn up to its full height, as he stood +beside her. She—still drooping over the +table, hid her burning face as best she +could from him.</p> + +<p>‘Iris,’ he said presently, ‘why do you +want to deceive me?’</p> + +<p>At that appeal—so tenderly spoken—she +broke down, and began to cry.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, don’t do <i>that</i>, for Heaven’s sake!’ +exclaimed Vernon. ‘If you wish to avoid<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[37]</span> +me—if my presence is obnoxious to you—say +so, and I will go away, and never +come near you again. But don’t cry. It +is more than I can stand. If you are +in trouble, let me help you. Am I not +your friend?’</p> + +<p>‘I have no friends,’ sobbed Iris.</p> + +<p>‘<i>No friends!</i>’ he echoed reproachfully. +‘Have you then quite forgotten Dunmow, +and the Bridge of Allan?’</p> + +<p>Forgotten them. How she wished that +she could forget them. As Vernon spoke, +a vision rose before her of the heather-covered +hills, the rippling burns, the blue, +misty sky of far-off Scotland, where she +had first met him, and, above them all, +the earnest, pleading, passionate young +face that had implored her to exchange +her heart for his. How often she had +thought of it since. How often had the +memory of his eyes, swimming in a mist +of unshed tears, come between her and +the disappointment of her married life. +How often, when the scales had fallen<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[38]</span> +from her own vision, and the man she +had believed to be a god had proved to +be the commonest of clay, had Iris Harland +not wished she had been a little less +hasty, and taken time to weigh the several +merits of the men who had asked to link +their lot with hers. And as Vernon’s soft +voice, sounding so different when he +spoke to her from what it did when he +spoke to others, fell on her ear, it brought +the past so vividly before her, she could +not stay her tears.</p> + +<p>‘Have you quite forgotten?’ he repeated. +‘When you crushed the best hope +of my life, Iris, you left me one consolation—you +promised to remain my friend. +But that promise is still unredeemed. I +heard that you were married, but nothing +more. I have never forgotten you, but I +had no hope we should meet again. Now +that it has happened so unexpectedly, I +find you alone—in trouble—and in a +position utterly unfitted for you. Won’t +you fulfil your old promise now? Won’t<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[39]</span> +you let me be your friend, and help you +as far as lies in my power? Where is +your husband?’</p> + +<p>‘I have no husband,’ she answered, +blushing furiously.</p> + +<p>‘No husband!’ cried Vernon. ‘Was it +a mistake then? Have you never been +married?’</p> + +<p>Iris nodded her head.</p> + +<p>‘And he is dead?’</p> + +<p>The girl started. She had never +thought of this solution to the difficulty. +Of course she would pass herself off as a +widow. Nothing could be easier. The +anxious expression in a great measure +left her face as it occurred to her. She +did not foresee the dilemma it might create +for them both.</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ she answered, almost eagerly, ‘he +is dead. I am alone.’</p> + +<p>‘And your father, is he gone too?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, thank God. I mean that it would +have broken his heart to see the trouble +I have gone through.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[40]</span>‘Then you have known trouble, poor +child, as well as I?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ she said, shivering; ‘plenty! +Please don’t speak of it.’</p> + +<p>‘And why are you going out to New +Zealand? Have you friends there? +What do you expect to do?’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know.’</p> + +<p>‘But, good heavens! you cannot land +in a strange country without a protector, +or a home to go to—without any plans, +or visible means of subsistence. Miss +Hetherley, forgive me, but—’</p> + +<p>‘Pray—<i>pray</i> don’t call me by that +name,’ she interposed fearfully. ‘You +don’t know—there might be people on +board—you never can tell.’</p> + +<p>‘Miss Douglas, then; but how can I +address you by a name that is not +yours? I shall be constantly forgetting. +Let me call you <i>Iris</i>. I would not be +presumptuous, but I have thought and +dreamt of you by that name ever since +we parted. May I call you so now?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[41]</span>‘As you will, Mr Blythe.’</p> + +<p>‘Then, Iris, tell me all your troubles.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I cannot!’ she said, shrinking +backward. ‘You do not know.’</p> + +<p>‘But I cannot help guessing. I guess, +from finding you here, that you are not +rich. I guess, from the few words +you have uttered, that you are lonely +and unhappy. I can see for myself that +you are ill. Iris! can I be your friend +and stand by in silence and make no +effort to help you? Let me speak to +you openly once more. It is five years +since we parted, but not a feeling of my +heart has changed since then. Cannot +you trust me to be true and faithful to +your interests now? I have had very +little consolation during those five years. +You denied me the greatest happiness +of my life, and I submitted to your decree. +But you can in a measure console me +now. Confide your troubles to me, and +let me help to bear them with you. +How long have you been a widow?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[42]</span>‘Oh, a long time! I never really had +a husband. I was widowed from the +commencement.’</p> + +<p>‘Poor child! I couldn’t have turned +out a worse “spec.” myself. And where +have you been living since?’</p> + +<p>‘In London!’</p> + +<p>‘Why did you leave it?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Mr Blythe, don’t ask me so +many questions! It is the fear of your +doing so that has made me avoid you +hitherto. If we are to be friends, learn +to spare me. I <i>cannot</i> speak of the +past.’</p> + +<p>‘Will you speak of the future, then?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes! when the time comes, perhaps. +But it is no use discussing it in the +present. It may never come to pass. +We may not reach land. I wish to +God I were not to do so! I would like +to throw myself overboard at once, and +make an end to all things.’</p> + +<p>Vernon Blythe looked very grave. +This expression of despair on the part<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[43]</span> +of the woman he would have died to +save, cut him to the quick. There sat +his ideal,—the creature who had spoiled +the best part of his life,—whom he had +dreamed of, longed for, and yearned +after for five long years out of five-and-twenty. +There she sat, side by side +with him again—free—friendless—almost, +as it were, at his mercy—and yet he +felt as far from her as ever. As those +last passionate words burst from Iris’s +lips, he rose to his feet.</p> + +<p>‘I am worrying you,’ he said gently; +‘I won’t stay here any longer. But whatever +may be your trouble, Iris, whether +it arises from loss, or poverty, or—or—anything +else—don’t be afraid to +ask my assistance or advice. Remember, +I am your friend: and I have +the best right of all men to be so, +because I—’</p> + +<p>But here he stopped short, fearful of +offending her, and the conscious blood +dyed his fair face crimson.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[44]</span>‘What were you going to say?’ demanded +Iris presently.</p> + +<p>‘What perhaps I had better leave unsaid. +But you are a woman, and do not need +words to make you understand. +You have but to think of the Bridge of +Allan, to know <i>why</i> I have good right to +be your friend.’</p> + +<p>‘You will not speak of me to—to any +one else on board?’ she said anxiously, +as she laid her hand upon his arm.</p> + +<p>Vernon looked down at the fair white +hand lying so lightly on the blue sleeve +of his uniform, and trembled with pleasurable +excitement. How he longed to +raise it to his lips. But he resisted the +temptation.</p> + +<p>‘Of course not. Do you think I go +about making my most sacred feelings +public property? Your name has never +passed my lips to a soul since the day +we parted.</p> + +<p>‘Did you care for me like <i>that</i>?’ said +Iris, opening her lovely hazel eyes.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[45]</span>‘I cared for you—<i>like my soul</i>!’ he +answered, in a low voice.</p> + +<p>There was silence between them for a +few minutes after that, and then he resumed, +in a lighter tone,—</p> + +<p>‘Why do you seclude yourself so much +in this dark cabin? No wonder you look +pale and drooping,—like a broken flower. +You should come more on deck. I have +looked for you again and again there in +vain. I thought you were determined +not to speak to me during the whole +voyage.’</p> + +<p>‘I am afraid—’ commenced Iris nervously.</p> + +<p>‘Afraid of what?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I don’t know. Some one on board +might recognise me—and I would rather +not. I don’t wish any one to know.’</p> + +<p>‘Have you seen the list of passengers?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes,’ she said, with a shudder.</p> + +<p>The young officer noticed the shudder.</p> + +<p>‘Well, then, come on the quarter-deck +at night, and no one will see you, especially<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[46]</span> +if you put on a veil. But do +come! You will be ill if you remain +here. And then when it is not my watch +I shall be able to sit by you and talk +to you and cheer you up. Will you +promise to come?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes. I will go with Maggie to-night, +if I am well enough.’</p> + +<p>‘And I will leave you now, because +you have had enough of me, and the +passengers are coming down to their +dinner.’</p> + +<p>He took her slender hand within his +own.</p> + +<p>‘God bless you, Iris! Remember, you +are not friendless any longer.’</p> + +<p>For the first time, then, she raised her +eyes and looked well at him. His were +regarding her steadfastly. Over his manly +features a great veil of tenderness seemed +to have drawn itself, and his sensitive +mouth was quivering with emotion. He +was looking at her as we gaze at a +wounded animal, or a dying infant, with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[47]</span> +infinite compassion, and a strong desire +to relieve and protect. And at that +moment, how Iris longed for his protection.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, you are <i>good</i>!’ she cried suddenly. +‘I am not afraid of you. I will +trust you, and some day I will tell you +<i>all</i>!’</p> + +<p>‘You have made me happier than I +can say,’ replied Vernon, as he laid a +reverent kiss upon her hand, and turned +away.</p> + +<p>As he found himself on deck again, +he could have sung aloud for joy. The +desire of his heart was accomplished! +He had found her again—she would +allow him to befriend her—above all, she +was <i>free</i>! This secret love of his life, +whom he had believed lost to him for +ever, was actually by his side, and at +liberty to be wooed, and perhaps won!</p> + +<p>His pulses galloped as he thought of +it. His brain whirled. He was capable +of committing any extravagance. His<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[48]</span> +mind ran riot, and sped away to the +time when he should again tell Iris that +he loved her, and hear her lips confess +that he had won her at last. Oh! if the +chance ever presented itself, he would +never, <i>never</i> let her go until she had +promised to reward his patient love by +becoming his wife.</p> + +<p>And just as he thought this, and sprang +up the companion, he came face to face +with Alice Leyton!</p> + +<p>‘Hullo, Jack!’ she exclaimed, ‘what +have you been doing to yourself? Your +face is as red as a turkey cock!’</p> + +<p>‘I think I might return the compliment,’ +he said, as he watched her blushing +cheeks. ‘But I can’t stay, Alice, I +have some duty to attend to.’</p> + +<p>‘You <i>must</i> stay!’ cried the young lady +imperiously. ‘I have something to say +to you. I’ve been making love to the +captain—<i>awful</i> love. Now, don’t get +jealous, Jack.’</p> + +<p>‘If I did <i>that</i> every time you flirted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[49]</span> +with another fellow, Alice, I might play +Blue Beard all day long,’ remarked her +lover.</p> + +<p>‘But this was absolutely necessary—I +was martyred in a good cause,’ resumed +Miss Leyton. ‘I wanted to get +his leave for us to have private theatricals +on board, and the dear old thing +has given it without a demur.’</p> + +<p>‘You <i>have</i> worked wonders then. +We have always considered the skipper +too pious to countenance any such +frivolity.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, he wasn’t too pious with me, +I can tell you; and he has promised to +come and see me act into the bargain.’</p> + +<p>‘So you are coming out as a leading +lady, eh, Alice?’</p> + +<p>‘Of course; you didn’t suppose I +should take all that trouble for somebody +else, did you? Miss Vere says she will +help us. I and Captain Lovell, and Miss +Vansittart and Mr Harland, will all take<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[50]</span> +a part. And <i>you</i> too. You will play my +lover, won’t you, Jack?’</p> + +<p>‘No, Alice, I think not, thank you. +You have so many lovers, real and +imaginary, that one more or less can +make no difference; and private theatricals +are not in my line.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, you disagreeable old thing! It’s +most horrid of you to leave me to be +made love to by a lot of strange gentlemen. +They’ll have to kiss me, remember, +if it’s in the piece.’</p> + +<p>‘You won’t let them, unless you like +it; I am sure of that,’ replied Jack, +swinging himself on to the poop, and +proceeding on his way.</p> + +<p>‘You’re a wretch!’ called out Alice +after him, but he only laughed in return; +yet his spirits had suddenly gone down +to zero. What had he been thinking of +and dreaming of when he encountered +her? What a fool he was to forget for +a moment that he was bound to Alice +Leyton, and could not in honour marry<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[51]</span> +any other woman. Of what folly had +he not been guilty? His heart sank +under the conviction, but he pulled himself +together like a man, and tried hard +to stamp down his disappointment. After +all, he could be Iris’s friend. She had +said so with her own sweet lips, and her +faithful friend he was determined to +prove, until death came to separate them.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i051.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[52]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i052a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV.<br> + +<small>ON THE POOP DECK.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_n.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="N"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">N</span>O one on board the <i>Pandora</i> was +a greater favourite than Alice +Leyton. She was pretty and +lively and clever, and she was reported +to be rich. On first starting, she had +confided the secret of her engagement +to Vernon Blythe to several of the lady +passengers, and, as is usual in such cases, +the news had leaked out, until it was the +property of the whole vessel. When she +found that it was so, Alice became shy +of its being alluded to, and on more than +one occasion had denied it point blank, +so that people did not really know what<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[53]</span> +to believe about it. And the girl had +not been in such good spirits lately. She +laughed and talked enough when on +deck or in the saloon, and she ‘chaffed’ +Jack Blythe so unmercifully whenever +they met, that he had become rather +weary of her presence. But when she +found herself alone or unobserved, Alice’s +face told a very different tale. Even the +baby, little Winnie, who shared her cabin, +had more than once been wakened from +sleep by her sister’s sobbing, and wondered +in her childish way if ‘Ally’s +pain was very bad,’ to make her ‘cry so +hard?’ Indeed Alice Leyton’s conduct at +this period resembled nothing so much +as an April day, with its alternate sun +and showers. Her tears might flow fast +at night, but she would appear on deck +next morning, radiant with smiles, and +her mother was the only person who +noticed that she looked a little care-worn, +and that the lines under her blue +eyes were a shade darker than was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[54]</span> +natural. Mrs Leyton noticed another +thing—that her daughter no longer made +the strenuous efforts she used to do to +secure a <i>tête-à-tête</i> with her lover, Jack +Blythe, but seemed quite contented with +the somewhat formal greetings they were +obliged to exchange in public, whilst she +spent hour after hour in the company of +Captain Lovell. But she did not mention +the subject to Alice. She preferred the +girl should settle her love affairs in her +own way. The truth is, Mrs Leyton +had never felt quite easy as to what her +husband would say when she told him +she had allowed their eldest daughter to +consider herself engaged to be married +before consulting him. She was a great +invalid herself. She had come to England +before Winnie’s birth to secure better +medical advice than she was able to get +in New Zealand, and it had not been +considered safe for her to return home +until now. Alice had been, therefore, from +the age of fourteen to eighteen, under<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[55]</span> +her mother’s exclusive care, and Mrs +Leyton often wished she had not allowed +her to drift into this quasi-engagement +with Vernon Blythe. Her husband was +a wealthy man, the owner of a large +sheep-run on the Hurannie, and was +likely to expect his daughters to contract +marriages in accordance with the settlements +he was able to make upon them. +Mrs Leyton felt sure that of the two +suitors for Alice’s hand, her husband +would prefer Captain Lovell, who had +retired from the service, and was going out +to settle in New Zealand, and so she +determined to let matters take their course. +She liked and admired Vernon Blythe, +but he had no money beyond his pay, +and nothing but his good looks and +gentlemanly manners to recommend him +for a husband. Alice, on the other +hand, was in a very unhappy frame of +mind. She wished her mother would +broach the subject, and ask for her confidence, +or that Jack would grow jealous<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[56]</span> +of her flirtation with Lovell, and so +bring about an explanation, but neither +of them made any sign. She felt guiltily +happy in the presence of the fascinating +captain, and basely false and fickle with +regard to Jack; and if he held her to her +engagement, she felt that she must marry +him, and so she was miserable all round. +For she knew now that she had never +really loved Vernon Blythe. It was a +folly—an infatuation. He was so handsome, +so graceful,—so courteous in his +manners towards her, and all the sex. +But he had never looked at her as +Captain Lovell looked. She had never +heard his voice tremble while he addressed +her, nor lowered to such a whisper that +no one but herself could understand +what he said. Jack was the first man +who had ever made her heart beat a +little quicker. He had always been +lively and <i>debonnair</i> with her, and paid +her compliments and brought her such +trifles as his slender purse could afford,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[57]</span> +and she had mistaken her girlish pleasure +over a sentimental friendship as an +indication of the master passion.</p> + +<p>But poor Alice knew the difference now, +and the knowledge made her miserable, +as it does most of us.</p> + +<p>The <i>Pandora</i>, with the aid of the trades, +was still forging ahead, but day by day +as she approached the Antarctic latitudes, +it was growing colder, and the Southern +Cross was plainly visible at night. Yet +the hours passed but slowly, and had it +not been for the anticipated private theatricals, +the passengers would have had +but little to talk about.</p> + +<p>They were all assembled one morning +on the poop. Alice and Captain Lovell +were standing close together, talking to +Miss Vere about their proposed amusement, +and the conversation naturally led +on to the subject of her profession.</p> + +<p>‘By Jove! deucedly jolly, Miss Vere, +you know, to be on the stage; isn’t it now, +eh?’ lisped Harold Greenwood, who was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[58]</span> +once more in the full glory of pink ties +and white waistcoats, and had his glass +well screwed into his eye.</p> + +<p>‘Have you tried it, Mr Greenwood?’</p> + +<p>‘Well, not exactly, you know. But I +might have, if I had chosen. I was offered +a large salary once—a <i>tremendous</i> salary, +I was told it was—to appear as “Romeo.” +The manager said I was just the face and +figure for “Romeo,” you know. “Oh +that I wath a glove upon that cheek,” +and all that sort of thing, eh? I’d like +doosidly to play “Romeo” to your +“Juliet,” Miss Vere, do you know? You +<i>have</i> played “Juliet,” haven’t you, eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Sometimes,’ replied the actress quietly.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I am <i>sure</i> you have. You’d be +an ideal Juliet, you know. I fancy I can +hear you saying to me, “Oh, Womeo, +Womeo! wherefore art thou, Womeo?”’ +exclaimed Mr Greenwood, lisping rather +worse than usual, in his excitement. But +he was quite offended when every one +joined in a loud laugh.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[59]</span>‘Oh, you must excuse us, really, Mr +Greenwood!’ exclaimed Miss Vere, wiping +her eyes, ‘but you <i>are</i> so funny. I should +like to play “Juliet” with you excessively. +I assure you I should.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>Do</i>, then,’ cried Harold Greenwood, +taking it all in earnest; ‘let us have +“Romeo and Juliet” instead of this stupid +comedy, and I shall have the bliss (if for +only one night) of pwetending you are +mine, don’t you know?’</p> + +<p>‘I am afraid it would take too much of +our time,’ replied Miss Vere, with mock +seriousness. ‘You do not know the many +years of hard study that I was obliged to +go through, before I dared attempt the +part of Juliet.’</p> + +<p>‘But I thought you had only been for +a few years on the stage,’ remarked Captain +Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no! indeed you are mistaken. +For the last five years I have been on +the London boards, but I struggled for +thirteen years in the provinces before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[60]</span> +I could command an appearance in +town.’</p> + +<p>‘Do you mean to say you have been +eighteen years on the stage, Miss Vere?’ +said Alice incredulously. ‘You must have +appeared when you were very young.’</p> + +<p>‘I was ten years old when I made my +<i>débût</i>. My father was an actor at the +Grecian Theatre, and as soon as I was +old enough to speak my lines correctly, +he procured me my first engagement in +the pantomime of “Goody Two Shoes.”’</p> + +<p>‘By Jove! I should like to play in a +pantomime, Miss Vere, don’t you know?’ +drawled Harold Greenwood; ‘it must be +very jolly to make-believe to be a cat, or +a dog, eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Or a monkey, Mr Greenwood. No, +I don’t think you would care about it. +You would soon want to cancel your engagement. +It is all noise and nonsense +and make-up.’</p> + +<p>‘Mr Greenwood is so clever, I don’t +think he would have much trouble to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[61]</span> +make-up—as a monkey,’ remarked Captain +Lovell dryly.</p> + +<p>Miss Vere frowned, and bit her lip.</p> + +<p>‘A pantomime is all very nice from the +front,’ she continued; ‘but when you are +obliged to listen to the same music night +after night, to hear the same lines spoken, +the same “gags” used, you soon get sick +and tired of it all. However, I owe so +much to my burlesque training, that I +never regret I went through it.’</p> + +<p>‘But how could it do <i>you</i> any good?’ +demanded Alice Leyton.</p> + +<p>‘It taught me to use my arms and legs, +my dear, and cured me of many bad habits, +such as not being able to stand still, or +to speak distinctly. There are very few +of our best-known artists who have not +played in pantomime or burlesque, and some +of our leading ladies have commenced their +career in the ballet.’</p> + +<p>‘But there are many actresses who play +leading parts all at once, don’t you know,’ +said Harold Greenwood. ‘I know a young<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[62]</span> +lady who acted “Juliet” on her first +appearance, at a <i>matinée</i>. What do you +say to that, Miss Vere, eh?’</p> + +<p>‘I say she may have <i>attempted</i> the +part, but I am quite sure she never +<i>acted</i> it as it should be done. “Juliet” +is at once the most beautiful and most +difficult of Shakespeare’s creations, and +in the hands of a novice it becomes a +burlesque.’</p> + +<p>‘But she had heaps of bouquets, you +know,’ argued Mr Greenwood: ‘the stage +was quite covered with them.’</p> + +<p>‘Flowers do not denote a success now-a-days,’ +replied Miss Vere, ‘and to an +amateur they become a very empty compliment. +If your lady friend wished to +gratify her vanity, and prove how well she +looked in antique dresses, she might have +found a less ridiculous and expensive way +of doing it. You may think I am a little +hard, perhaps,’ she added, ‘but I confess +I <i>am</i> severe on those amateurs, who have +done so much towards lowering the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[63]</span> +<i>prestige</i> of one of the most noble professions +in the world.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Miss Vere, you make us feel so +small!’ cried Alice. ‘I shall never dare +attempt the part of “Julia,” after what you +have said.’</p> + +<p>‘My dear girl, what nonsense! My +remarks were never meant to apply to +our projected amusement. You will certainly +take “Julia,” and make a very +charming “Julia” into the bargain; and I +am sure Captain Lovell will make a +“Faulkner” to match.</p> + +<p>The captain bowed.</p> + +<p>‘If I could only have been the lover of +“Lydia Languish,”’ he said.</p> + +<p>‘Go along, you humbug!’ cried the +actress merrily; ‘you know that “Faulkner” +will become twice as natural an +impersonation in your hands. Indeed, +I think you will have to moderate your +dramatic ardour a little, or we shall have a +certain young gentleman in uniform interrupting +the rehearsals—eh, Miss Leyton?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[64]</span>‘I don’t know what you’re alluding to,’ +said Alice, with a vivid blush.</p> + +<p>‘It must be something to do with the +temperature of these latitudes,’ observed +Miss Vere meaningly, ‘but I observe that +the further south we go, the harder Miss Leyton +finds it to understand any of my hints.’</p> + +<p>‘Now you are growing abusive, so I +shall run away,’ replied Alice merrily, as +she turned to the after-part of the vessel.</p> + +<p>Captain Lovell raised his hat to Miss +Vere, and followed her.</p> + +<p>‘Oh! are <i>you</i> here?’ she said, with +well-affected surprise, as having ensconced +herself by the wheel-house, she found the +captain seated by her side.</p> + +<p>‘Yes! Am I intruding?’ demanded +Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no! of course not; besides, the +wheel-house does not belong to me. Only +I wish—’ said the girl, looking down—‘I +<i>do</i> wish people wouldn’t be disagreeable, +and talk so.’</p> + +<p>‘I wouldn’t mind their talking, if it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[65]</span> +wasn’t true,’ remarked Lovell; ‘but I cannot +help understanding Miss Vere’s allusions, +and I suppose they mean that you’re +engaged to be married to Mr Blythe. Is +that the case, Miss Leyton?’</p> + +<p>‘Well, not exactly.’</p> + +<p>‘Is it only her nonsense?’</p> + +<p>‘Not exactly,’ she repeated, growing +more confused.</p> + +<p>‘Do tell me the truth, then! You don’t +know how much it means to me.’</p> + +<p>‘We—that is, Mr Blythe and I—have +talked of such a thing, but mother doesn’t +think that father will ever give his consent +to it.’</p> + +<p>‘And do you wish him to do so, Miss +Leyton? Does your happiness depend on +it?’</p> + +<p>‘I am not quite sure.’</p> + +<p>‘But if you cared for Blythe, you <i>would</i> +be quite sure. You could have no doubt +upon the subject.’</p> + +<p>‘He is fond of me,’ said Alice.</p> + +<p>‘There is nothing wonderful in that.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[66]</span> +Plenty of people must be fond of you. +The question is, <i>Are you fond of him?</i>’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think you should ask me such a +question, Captain Lovell.’</p> + +<p>‘Forgive me if I have said too much. +I would not offend you for the world. +But—but—I am very unhappy about +it!’</p> + +<p>‘So am I,’ whispered Alice.</p> + +<p>‘If that is the case,’ exclaimed the captain, +seizing her hand, ‘come to some +understanding about it at once! Speak to +Mrs Leyton and Mr Blythe on the subject, +and let me know the worst. For this suspense +is intolerable, Alice: it is killing +me by inches.’</p> + +<p>‘Hush!’ said Alice quickly, withdrawing +her hand; ‘be quiet, for goodness’ sake, +Captain Lovell. Here is Jack.’</p> + +<p>And indeed at that very moment Vernon +Blythe appeared round the wheel-house, +whistling as he went. He smiled pleasantly +as he came in sight of Alice, and +took no notice whatever of her crimson<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[67]</span> +face and flurried manner. He nodded to +Captain Lovell, who was confusedly striking +a fusee on the heel of his boot, in +order to light a cigar, and remarking, +‘Lucky fellow, to be able to smoke when +you choose. I wish my time had come,’ +turned away as light-heartedly as if it +had been some other man’s betrothed +whom he had detected in a flirtation behind +the wheel-house.</p> + +<p>‘Did he see us, do you think?’ asked +Alice fearfully of her companion, as Jack +disappeared.</p> + +<p>‘Well, I really think he must have <i>seen</i> +us,’ replied the captain deliberately, ‘for +we are both full size, you know! But he +appeared very pleasant about it.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, dear!’ exclaimed Alice, ‘I hope +he did <i>not</i> see us.’</p> + +<p>‘You are afraid of him, then?’ remarked +Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘No, not afraid, only—he would think +so badly of me.’</p> + +<p>‘And you wish him to think well of you.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[68]</span>‘Oh, I don’t know <i>what</i> I wish,’ cried +the girl, in a voice that was very suspicious +of tears.</p> + +<p>The passengers had retreated below. +There was no one but themselves on deck, +except, indeed, Mr Coffin, whose back +was turned to them, and the man at the +wheel, who was shut up in his box, and +could only look straight before him.</p> + +<p>‘Shall I tell you what <i>I</i> wish,’ whispered +Captain Lovell, as his arm stole round her +waist; ‘<i>I</i> have no doubt upon the matter, +Alice.’</p> + +<p>‘No! no! I cannot hear—I do not want +to hear!’ exclaimed the girl nervously, +as she jumped up from her seat and ran +down to the saloon, leaving the captain to +finish the flirtation by himself.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i068.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[69]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i069a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER V.<br> + +<small>THE GLASS FALLS.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_t.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="T"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">T</span>HREE days after the events related +in the last chapter, the +trade winds, which had escorted +the <i>Pandora</i> so well on her passage, died +away, and left the vessel in a dead calm, +till a snorting southerly breeze came over +the ocean, and sent her careering along +at her best pace.</p> + +<p>The wind which rattled through the +rigging was cold and chilly, and made +the ladies unpack their furs, and huddle +round the stove. Few patronised the +deck—the air was too keen and searching.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[70]</span> +It was a marvellous change from the sultry +weather of the week before, when Alice +Leyton had sat with Captain Lovell under +the wheel-house, and most of the passengers +felt it acutely.</p> + +<p>A huge purple bank, lined with silver, +had risen upon the beam, and the sun +assumed a watery and unnatural appearance.</p> + +<p>Mr Coffin, indifferent to everything but +the welfare of the vessel, kept a look-out +upon the poop, anxiously watching at +intervals the ominous-looking cloud, which +was gradually growing larger. With his +cap drawn down closely over his eyes, +his thick, bull-dog neck encircled by a +red worsted muffler, a big quid stuck in +his cheeks, and his rough, broad hands +embedded in his trousers pockets, he was +the model of a British seaman.</p> + +<p>But he was by no means morose or +ill-tempered. Exceedingly shy and reserved, +from ignorance of the ways and +manners of society, he seldom commenced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[71]</span> +a conversation, but if any of the passengers +were bold enough to speak to him, they +found him unpolished, but kindly in disposition. +Under his weather-beaten exterior +he hid a warm, good heart, for Mr +Coffin had a soul of honour, and a mean +or cowardly action would have been utterly +beneath him.</p> + +<p>‘Good-morning; nice day this, isn’t it?’ +remarked Godfrey Harland.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, sir,’ replied the chief officer; ‘but +I am afraid we are going to have a blow. +I don’t like the looks of it.’</p> + +<p>‘It looks dirty to windward, I must +say. Do you think there is mischief in +that bank?’</p> + +<p>‘I am sure there is,’ said Coffin; ‘we +shall have to shorten down before daybreak, +but it won’t be much. The glass +is falling, too, sir, and perhaps you know +the old saying,—’</p> + +<div class="poetry-container"> +<div class="poetry"> +<div class="first"> +“When the glass falls low, prepare for a blow,</div> +<div class="verse">When the glass rises high, let all your kites fly.”</div> +</div></div> + +<p>But we shall be prepared. I have the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[72]</span> +hands up at the fore and main reefing +the tackles and spilling lines, and the +chain tacks and double sheets are on.’</p> + +<p>‘What are they doing to your main-topgallant +parcell?’ inquired Harland, +looking up aloft at the sailors at +work.</p> + +<p>‘Well, they are lacing on some new +leather parcelling,’ replied the mate +solemnly, stroking his chin. ‘The old +stuff don’t let the yard travel quick enough +for my liking. But, if I’m not very much +mistaken, this is not your first voyage, +sir,’ he continued, fixing his keen eyes +upon Harland’s face.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no,’ replied the other lightly; ‘I +have often been on the briny. I owned +a yacht in New York once—an eighty-tonner—and +all my nautical knowledge +was learned aboard her.’</p> + +<p>‘Was she square-rigged,’ asked Mr +Coffin indifferently.</p> + +<p>‘No; fore and aft. As nice a little +craft as ever you saw, and, by the holy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[73]</span> +poker, she could sail too. There were +few to beat her.’</p> + +<p>‘How do you come, then, to know +about main-topgallant parcells, if she wasn’t +square-rigged?’ demanded the chief officer, +looking full at him.</p> + +<p>Harland felt he was caught in his own +trap. He had foolishly acknowledged +that the only vessel he had sailed in was +a moderate-sized yacht, which could have +been stowed away, with twenty others, in +the <i>Pandora’s</i> hold, and that all his sea +knowledge was gained aboard of her. +How, then, could he possibly know the +names, and understand the use, of gear +which was never seen on such small craft?</p> + +<p>After spluttering out an unintelligible +excuse, he attempted to smooth the matter +over by inviting his companion to join +him in a glass of grog. But the old sea-dog +gruffly refused his offer, and turning +away, with a mysterious ‘Humph,’ sent a +long squirt of red tobacco juice straight +into the stern sheets of the lifeboat.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[74]</span> +When Harland noticed his altered manner, +he sidled away under the lee of the pilot-house, +whilst Mr Coffin, after scanning +the horizon and satisfying himself that +there was nothing in sight, leaned against +the taffrail, and thought to himself that—‘Mr +Harland was a darned sight too deep +for most people, but he had taken him +flat aback that time.’</p> + +<p>At mid-day the captain shot the sun—a +feat which Mr Horace Greenwood came +up on deck expressly to see, and was much +disappointed when Jack Blythe informed +him he was just a minute too late; and +by that time the wind had increased a +little, blowing from south-west to south-south-west +in sudden gusts, and the fore +and mizen royals, and the smaller stay +sails were made fast.</p> + +<p>Alice Leyton, in a dark brown travelling +ulster, and a felt hat trimmed with a +dainty tuft of feathers, which blew about +with the wind, and mingled with her sunny +curls, had left the close saloon for the open<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[75]</span> +air, and now stood leaning against the +wheel-house, holding on her hat with one +hand, whilst the breeze caught her skirts +and wound them tightly round her supple +figure.</p> + +<p>‘Why, Alice,’ exclaimed Jack, as he +came up to her, ‘what a brave girl you +are to venture on deck! But don’t be +blown away. We can’t spare you yet, you +know,’ and he passed his arm round her +waist to steady her as he spoke.</p> + +<p>Alice shrank palpably from his embrace.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t, Jack, please. I can stand very +well by myself, and some one may be +looking.’</p> + +<p>‘No one is looking, my dear, and if +they were, nothing could be more natural +than for me to proffer my assistance to a +young female in distress on such a windy +day.’</p> + +<p>‘I’m not in distress,’ replied Alice, half +ready to cry at the situation.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes, you are. You don’t know<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[76]</span> +what a south-wester is yet. Your petticoats +will be over your head in another +minute.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh,’ cried the girl involuntarily, as her +hand left her hat to travel down to her +skirts. ‘Jack, let me go back to the +saloon at once. I don’t want to stay here +any longer.’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed I won’t. I see you very +seldom now, and I mean to make the +most of the opportunity. How long is it +since you kissed me? At least three +weeks. Don’t you think if you brought +your face a little nearer this way, you +wouldn’t feel the wind so much? Your +cheeks are getting positively crimson +with it. You’d better take advantage +of my offer, and shelter under my lee.’</p> + +<p>‘No, no!’ exclaimed Alice, half in fun +and half in earnest, ‘I don’t want to kiss +you, Jack. I can manage much better by +myself.’</p> + +<p>‘Or with the help of Captain Lovell,’ he +answered. ‘Isn’t that true, Alice? It<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[77]</span> +isn’t the help that’s disagreeable to you, +it’s the helper.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Jack, how can you say such a +thing, when we’ve known each other for +so long?’</p> + +<p>‘Perhaps we’ve known each other <i>too</i> +long, and have come to know each other +too well, Alice. However, I won’t tease +you. I’ve often refused your kisses, so +it’s only fair you should have the option +of refusing mine now and then. And I +suppose you’re tired of them. It’s no +wonder.’</p> + +<p>Alice did not know what to say. She +longed to tell him the truth, but she dared +not. She was too fond of him to care to +see his bright face clouded by disappointment, +and yet she knew now that she +could never marry him. Oh dear, she +sighed to herself, what should she do?</p> + +<p>‘Jack,’ she commenced timidly, ‘I think +you’d soon be sick of me. I don’t think +I’m a very nice girl. In fact, I’m <i>sure</i> +I’m not. And I shall make a worse wife.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[78]</span> +I’ve almost made up my mind never to +marry at all.’</p> + +<p>Jack burst out laughing. He had +known it would come to this at last. He +had watched the confession drawing nearer +day by day. And he was not sorry for +it. Only he determined that Alice should +not have it all her own way. He must +have some fun out of her first.</p> + +<p>‘What are you talking about?’ he +replied, with affected earnestness. ‘You +are a great deal too modest, my darling. +You’ll make the very best and sweetest +wife in all the world. <i>I’m</i> the proper +judge of that. Besides, don’t forget that +you are pledged to me, and no power on +earth will make me release you from your +promise.’</p> + +<p>Alice sighed audibly, and looked over +the sea.</p> + +<p>‘But would it be right, Jack,’ she said +presently, ‘for me to marry, if I knew I +could not fulfil the duties of a wife?’</p> + +<p>‘Much you know about the duties of a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[79]</span> +wife!’ exclaimed Jack merrily. ‘You can +fulfil all <i>I</i> shall require from you: I’ll take +my oath of that.’</p> + +<p>‘Mother says,’ continued Alice solemnly, +‘that I am utterly unfit for any of the +graver requirements of life, and that when +my father sees how frivolous and pleasure-seeking +I am, he is sure to refuse his consent +to my leaving home.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! I can guess now what has +brought this serious fit upon you, Alice. +Your mother has been frightening you +with regard to what Mr Leyton may say +to our engagement. But don’t you be +afraid, dear. If he should make my +position an objection to our immediate +marriage, I’ll leave you in his care till +I shall have attained higher rank and +better pay. And, meanwhile, you can be +learning your duties as a wife,’ said Jack +slyly.</p> + +<p>‘How can I learn with no one to teach +me?’ replied Alice sharply. ‘Besides, +Jack, it may be years and years before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[80]</span> +you get promotion! Am I to be an old +maid all that time?’</p> + +<p>‘Why, I thought you were never +going to marry at all just now,’ said her +lover. ‘You are only just eighteen, +Alice. Surely a few years—say till +you’re five-and-twenty—would not be +too long to wait for such happiness as +ours will be? It isn’t as if you were going +to marry Captain Lovell, you know, or +some common-place fellow of that sort. +I will serve for you as Jacob did for +Rachel, and if I can wait seven years for +you, surely you will do no less for me, +eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no! of course not,’ replied the +girl, who had the greatest difficulty to +keep the tears back from her eyes. ‘But—but +I think I’d rather go down to the +saloon, Jack, this wind is so horribly +strong it makes my eyes water.’</p> + +<p>‘All right, if you wish it, but I must +tow you safely to the door,’ replied Jack, +as he took her across the deck and saw<span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[81]</span> +her disappear in the depths of the saloon +cabin, without speaking another word to +him.</p> + +<p>‘Poor little girl,’ he thought, as he +turned laughing away, ‘she’s terribly +puzzled to know what to say to me. She +would have liked to scratch out my eyes +for that remark about Lovell, only she +didn’t dare. Well, it’ll come out sooner +or later, but it’s not my business to help +her make the confession. If she gives +me up of her own free will, I shall thank +God. But if this is only a passing fancy +on her part or <i>his</i>, I must go through +with it.’ And Vernon Blythe sighed as +heavily at the prospect as Alice Leyton +had done, as he went to his work.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i081.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[82]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i082a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI.<br> + +<small>TO THE RESCUE.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_a.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="A"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">A</span>LICE flew into the saloon, with +her eyes brimful of tears, +and the first person she encountered +was Captain Lovell, who regarded +her with looks of the utmost +concern. He was a handsome man, in +the ordinary acceptation of the term, of +about thirty, the sort of man to catch the +fancy of a woman who loved her lover’s +face before his spirit, but there was no +soul in the expression of his face, and no +sentiment in his disposition. Any other<span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[83]</span> +girl would probably have done as well +for him as Alice Leyton, had he been +thrown in her society for several weeks +consecutively, but on the other hand Alice +would do as well for him as any other +woman, and was happily of a temperament +that would never arrive at a +knowledge of the truth. At present, she +thought Robert Lovell delightful. He +never corrected her, as Jack too often +did. He was never <i>distrait</i> when she +chattered to him, or wrapped in his own +thoughts. He never gazed dreamily at +the stars, or made remarks that were +utterly beyond her comprehension. And +so she quite imagined she was in love, +and so, perhaps, she was. As Captain +Lovell saw her tear-stained cheeks, he +begged her confidence.</p> + +<p>‘What is the matter, Miss Leyton? +Has any one dared to annoy you?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no! It is nothing. Only—only—Mr +Blythe teases me so. He says—’</p> + +<p>‘I can guess it all. You need go no<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[84]</span> +further. He presses you on the subject +of your engagement to him.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes. He says he will never release +me,’ replied Alice, checking a sob.</p> + +<p>‘Alice! we must put an end to this +at once. It is worrying you too much. +May I speak to your mother, dearest? +Have I your leave to say that we love +each other, and ask her to consent to +our marriage?’</p> + +<p>‘If—if—she won’t tell Jack,’ whispered +Alice fearfully. ‘I should be afraid +to be on the same ship with him, if he +knew.’</p> + +<p>‘My darling! Do you suppose you +are not safe with <i>me</i>?—that any one +would be permitted to hurt you, whilst +<i>I</i> am by your side? However, that is +a matter for after consideration. May +I go now and speak to your mother?’</p> + +<p>‘If you wish it,’ replied Alice, as she +ran away to the shelter of her own +cabin.</p> + +<p>The afternoon was far advanced, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[85]</span> +the wind had freshened into a loud, continuous +blast.</p> + +<p>In the saloon, the passengers of the +<i>Pandora</i>, now quite accustomed to her +varied pranks, were seated at the long +table, amusing themselves according to +their several tastes and proclivities. +Some were playing at cards, chess, or +dominoes; others were reading, or trying +to write letters; whilst a few of +the younger ones were gathered round +the piano to hear Miss Vere and Miss +Vansittart sing.</p> + +<p>All around them the waves tossed +and tumbled; the wind howled with a +dismal monotony, like a dog baying at +the moon; and the rain hissed and +spluttered on the deck, and against the +closed portholes. Now and then, far +above the confusion of the elements, +might be heard the scream of a seagull, +as, scared by the rapid approach of +the monstrous waves that threatened to +engulf it, it flew in terror from its watery<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[86]</span> +bed, to describe terrified circles in the +murky air. Falling glass, broken china, +and an occasional bump, as the vessel +gave a lurch, and some one who had +not quite acquired his sea-legs came +down in a sitting position, were the +order of the day, and those passengers +who had secured a comfortable seat felt +it was wiser not to leave it. Mrs Leyton, +a fair, soft-looking woman, was stretched +out at full length on one of the saloon +sofas, covered with wraps and shawls, +and with little Winnie (her baby) lying +fast asleep by her side, as Captain +Lovell made his way up to her.</p> + +<p>‘We are going to have a dreadful +night, Captain Lovell, I am afraid,’ she +said, as he paused beside her couch. +‘My poor baby is quite tired with +tumbling about, and has fallen asleep. +Do you know where my Alice is? She +said she was going on deck a little +while ago, but I’m sure it is not fit +weather for her to be out. She is such<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[87]</span> +a careless, thoughtless thing. Fancy! if +she were blown overboard!’</p> + +<p>‘Heaven forbid!’ cried Captain Lovell +suddenly. ‘But you may feel quite easy +about her. She has just gone to her +berth.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! I thought she would soon have +enough of it; but girls are so self-willed +now-a-days. It is a great responsibility +to have a grown-up daughter. I shall be +thankful when Mr Leyton can share it +with me. How terrible the wind sounds +as it moans through the shrouds!’ observed +Mrs Leyton, shuddering.</p> + +<p>‘I trust you are not frightened,’ said +Captain Lovell. ‘The sound is the worst +part about it.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes, I know there is no danger; +but we women are timid creatures, and +generally behave badly on such occasions.’</p> + +<p>‘I think Miss Leyton behaves beautifully. +Even in that sharp squall we had +the other day, her cheek never blanched, +nor did she lose her spirits.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[88]</span>‘Ah, Alice does not know what fear is. +I wish sometimes she had a more wholesome +dread of consequences. But she +has always had her own way with me, +and I am quite afraid when we get to +Dunedin that my husband will say I +have been too lenient.’</p> + +<p>‘May I enlist your sympathies on my +behalf before you meet Mr Leyton?’ said +the captain, taking a seat beside her. +‘It is of Alice—of Miss Leyton, I should +say—that I wished to speak to you, and +she has given me permission to do so. +We love each other, Mrs Leyton. Will +you plead our cause with your husband, +and gain his consent to our marriage?’</p> + +<p>Mrs Leyton sat up on the sofa in her +surprise, and little Winnie gave a fretful +cry at being disturbed.</p> + +<p>‘Alice has encouraged you to speak +to me, Captain Lovell? But she considers +herself engaged to be married to +Mr Vernon Blythe. It is not a match I +could ever approve of, because the young<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[89]</span> +man has no settled income, but they were +much thrown together at Southsea, and +settled the matter between themselves +without consulting me. I had no idea +that she had changed her mind. Are +you <i>quite</i> sure you are following her +wishes in joining her name to your +own?’</p> + +<p>‘I can only tell you that I asked her +permission to address you on this subject +ten minutes ago, and that she gave +it me most graciously. The fact is, Mrs +Leyton, Alice has often spoken to me of +her half-engagement to Mr Blythe with +deep regret. She declares nothing will +induce her to marry him, and that—God +bless her!—she has every intention of +marrying <i>me</i>, subject (of course) to the +consent of her parents.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I really can’t understand her, +and I must decline to have anything to +do with the matter,’ replied Mrs Leyton, +lying back again upon her pillows. ‘I +really don’t know what the girls are made<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[90]</span> +of now-a-days. The scenes Alice subjected +me to when she first fell in love +with young Blythe were beyond conception. +She was going to die, or go mad, +straight off, if she couldn’t be engaged +to him. And so, to quiet her, I gave a +sort of reluctant consent. But I confess +I hadn’t the least idea the young man +would come out in the same ship with +us. And now it seems she’s in love +with <i>you</i>. And what excuse does she +intend to offer Mr Blythe for her conduct?’</p> + +<p>‘I think Miss Leyton hopes that <i>you</i> +may be persuaded to manage so delicate +a matter for her, and let the young gentleman +know that she desires to be released +from her engagement to him,’ said Captain +Lovell sheepishly.</p> + +<p>‘I shall do no such thing, sir. Alice +must conduct her love affairs herself. +Such a task would be altogether too +much for my nerves; for though I do +not consider Vernon Blythe an eligible<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[91]</span> +suitor for my daughter, I like the young +fellow excessively. So if his affections +and his pride are to be wounded through +my daughter, she can do it herself. I +refuse to open my lips to him, and I +must say I think he has been treated +very badly.’</p> + +<p>‘My dear Mrs Leyton, do make some +allowance for Alice’s feelings. Our hearts +are not completely under our own control, +remember. Love is not to be coerced, +like any baser passion.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I hope you’ll bear that in +mind, Captain Lovell, if you should ever +be my daughter’s husband, and catch her +flirting with some other man. And don’t +make too sure she’ll stick to you. A girl +that changes once may change twice. +And I don’t know that Mr Leyton will +accept your offer for her more than the +other. He’s got no romance about him, +and looks high for his daughter.’</p> + +<p>‘He could not look <i>too</i> high for such +a pearl as Alice. I shall like him all the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[92]</span> +better for that,’ replied Captain Lovell. +‘But won’t you be persuaded to break the +news to Mr Blythe for us?’</p> + +<p>‘No! I absolutely refuse, and it’s no +use your asking me,’ returned Mrs Leyton, +who was really fond of Jack. ‘If Alice +wishes him to know she’s a jilt, she can +tell him so herself.’</p> + +<p>‘You are <i>too</i> hard upon her,’ murmured +the captain, as he withdrew from the +interview, feeling much less light hearted +than he had done at the commencement. +But before the next day was over both he +and Alice had experienced a shock which +made their own troubles sink into insignificance +beside it.</p> + +<p>After a tempestuous night, a long white +streak far away in the southward proclaimed +the break of dawn. The sky was +clear, and the stars flickered with waning +light in the spangled heavens. The gale, +which had blown with great fury during +the night, was abating with the coming of +day, and Blythe, who well knew that it<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[93]</span> +would die away as quickly as it had sprung +up, hoisted the topsails as soon as it +showed signs of dropping. The storm +clouds were dispersed by the sun, which +tinted the sky with orange and crimson +hues, and the moon, paling beneath the +stronger light, disappeared in solemn +stateliness behind her vast curtain of +cerulean drapery. The waves still leapt +and growled with impotent rage, but, +deserted by the wind and beaten down +with the rain, their energy was almost +expended.</p> + +<p>The <i>Pandora</i> laboured against the turbulent +sea, like a horse stumbling over a +freshly-ploughed field. At times she took +large spoonfuls over her forechains, greatly +to the annoyance of the black cook, who +had continually to clear his scupper holes +with a long caul, and to push away the +cinders which choked them up and prevented +the water from escaping. Now +and again the vessel dashed on to the top +of a swell, and the sea rushed from her in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[94]</span> +boiling surf; then she would rise over a +mountainous wave as if about to make +another desperate plunge, till her stern +went with a rude swash into the sea, +sending thousands of bubbling whirlpools +hissing in her wake, whilst the shore-folk +turned uneasily in their bunks, and +wished it were time to rise.</p> + +<p>At eight bells the main-topgallant sail +was sheeted home, and the outer jib run +up. After which the <i>Pandora</i> behaved in +a more graceful and lady-like manner, and +when the decks had been ‘squeegeed’ +down, all hands emerged from their close +quarters to enjoy the invigorating air, +which the ocean had rendered still more +grateful by a flavouring of brine.</p> + +<p>The day became warmer, the wind +hauled round to the northward and eastward, +and the sun, casting off his sickly +appearance, shone forth with a cheerful +warmth.</p> + +<p>Alice Leyton, under the escort of Captain +Lovell, walked the lee side of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[95]</span> +deck. They were discussing together the +details of Lovell’s interview with Mrs +Leyton the evening before, and the girl +looked both unhappy and dismayed, as she +heard the remarks her mother had made +upon her conduct.</p> + +<p>Mr Vansittart and Godfrey Harland, +who appeared by general consent to be +considered as <i>fiancé</i> to Grace Vansittart, +conversed at the foot of the mizenmast, +and a weather cloth was spread in the +lower rigging for the benefit of the +ladies, who took advantage of its shelter +for their camp-stools and wicker-chairs. +On the wheel-house benches were seated +two or three young officers, who were +holding an animated discussion on the +probable advent of a Conservative administration, +while Miss Vere and Mr +Fowler, with Harold Greenwood (who +had entirely succumbed to the charms +of the fair actress) close at hand, were +lounging on the skylight.</p> + +<p>Suddenly—in the midst of the buzz<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[96]</span> +of conversation and the sound of laughter—came +a low, piteous cry, that seemed +to rend the air, and spread from one end +of the ship to the other. Then a long, +deep nautical shout from the maintop +bawled out the terrifying words,—‘<i>Man +overboard!</i>’ In a moment, the whole +deck resembled a disturbed anthill, and +Mr Coffin ran aft to the wheel.</p> + +<p>‘Put your helm a-port, man!’ he cried, +seizing the spokes and putting them down; +and then in the same breath he shouted, +‘Cut away that life-buoy!’</p> + +<p>When the feeble cry was first heard, +Alice and Captain Lovell ran to the side +of the vessel, whence the sound of a sudden +splash had caught their ears. Peering +into the water, they saw nothing at first +but a small bundle of clothes, but in +another moment a velvet cloak and a +‘granny’ bonnet to match came plainly +in view—the cloak and the bonnet of +Winnie Leyton. Alice turned white and +sick with horror.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[97]</span>‘My God!’ she cried, ‘it is our baby! +She is drowning! She will die! Will +no one save her? Let me go,’ she continued, +struggling violently in the detaining +grasp of Captain Lovell, who feared +lest in her agony she should jump overboard +after her sister.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t be afraid, dearest,’ he urged. +‘It will be all right. See! they are +getting out a boat. They will pick her +up in a minute. Pray, <i>pray</i> don’t do +anything rash,’ he said, as he attempted +to lead her away.</p> + +<p>As she turned, she encountered Jack +Blythe, who was already stripped to his +shirt and trousers.</p> + +<p>‘Jack! save her!’ she screamed.</p> + +<p>‘Never fear, Alice! I will bring her +back to you,’ he answered. ‘D—n it, +man, stand on one side!’ he shouted to +Lovell, as he clutched him violently, and +threw him against the astonished bystanders.</p> + +<p>‘What the d—’ commenced Lovell,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[98]</span> +but in another second Jack Blythe, girding +up his muscular young figure for +the effort, had sprung over the side of +the <i>Pandora</i> to the rescue of Winifred +Leyton.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i098.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[99]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i001a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII.<br> + +<small>FREE.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_t.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="T"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">T</span>HE foreyard was pointed, and +the gear of the mainsail hauled +up, while Richard Sparkes, with +the aid of five hands, swung the lifeboat +into its davits. On the poop deck there +was terrible confusion. The married +ladies crowded round poor Mrs Leyton, +who was half swooning from her anxiety +and fear; Alice, refusing all assistance +from Captain Lovell or anybody else, +stood with clenched teeth and strained +eyeballs watching the two black specks +that bobbed up and down like corks upon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[100]</span> +the water; and the rest of the passengers +pressed against the taffrail, talking in +loud and excited tones to each other, +whilst they watched the fight for life or +death.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes the boat was pushed +off, and the sturdy sailors made the oars +bend beneath the weight of their arms. +Mr Sparkes held the tiller, and kept +cheering on the men, whilst he eagerly +watched the objects ahead of them.</p> + +<p>What a long, long time it seemed. +The boat did not appear to gain a dozen +yards, as it plunged and tossed against +the billows. But the seamen had muscles +that had been developed by climbing and +hauling. All their sinews were like springs +of steel. Each man, with one foot firmly +planted against the thwart in front of him, +lay back upon his oar, with a long, sweeping, +steady English stroke, till his head +was nearly parallel with his companion’s +knee—a stretch that would have made a +Dutchman look on with awe, mingled<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[101]</span> +with admiration, and a pull that sent the +boat’s stem through the rollers, cutting +them like a knife, and plumping her down +with a heavy bump on the other side. +Vernon Blythe and the child were now +fully a mile astern. He had managed to +grasp the life-buoy, which was a good +thing for both of them, for poor little +Winnie clung convulsively round his +throat, entirely impeding his swimming, +whilst she sobbed and gasped, as she +tried to recover her breath after the +nauseous doses of salt water she had +swallowed.</p> + +<p>She was a pretty little creature, and +just at that age when children become +quaint and interesting. Her brown hair—which +curled naturally, like that of her +elder sister—now hung in a wet clinging +mass about her face and shoulders. The +gay ‘granny’ bonnet was gone: it had +floated far away to leeward. The velvet +cloak still hung tightly about her, and +added considerably to her weight. Her<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[102]</span> +little fat and shapely legs, enveloped in +long Hessian boots, now shuddering and +almost stiff with cold, rested on Jack +Blythe’s hips. It was a hard struggle +for him to keep her above water, for +the terrified child nearly choked him, and +he was exhausted from swimming in the +boisterous, choppy sea, that kept on +breaking in a remorseless lather over his +head and face, and prevented him from +breathing freely.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t—cry—baby. There’s—a—boat—coming,’ +he gasped; but the little one +did not answer him, except by a heart-rending +sob, and a tighter pressure on +his throat.</p> + +<p>Swish—h—h went the lifeboat, as the +dripping oars were lifted, feathered, and +dipped again. The shellbacks, in regular +time, gave a muffled deep sigh, as they +are wont to do after the tremendous +exertion of a stiff pull. Click-clack went +the rollocks, as they shied and swerved +in their sockets—a long whirr-r—the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[103]</span> +order given ‘<i>Rowed all</i>’—a rumbling +noise, as the oars were shipped on the +thwarts, and the baby and her preserver +were lifted by strong arms from the embrace +of the treacherous ocean, and hauled +safely into the boat.</p> + +<p>‘Now, give way, lads, merrily,’ said +Sparkes, as Vernon Blythe seated himself +with the youngster on his knee, and the +wiry saltfish, with a cheer for the second +officer, set themselves with renewed vigour +to their task. They had warmed to their +work by this time. The perspiration +stood in large beads upon their foreheads, +and their blades went forward in clock-work +time. Little Winifred, with her +head resting upon Vernon’s breast, gave +vent to plaintive sobs, burying her face +in the wet folds of the young sailor’s +shirt, and at intervals peeping out as the +<i>Pandora</i> hove-to in the distance.</p> + +<p>‘Ship—wouldn’t—wait—for baby,’ she +said, whimpering, as she glanced up into +Jack’s face.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[104]</span>‘She will now,’ replied Vernon, smiling; +‘you went too fast for the poor ship, baby, +but she stopped as soon as ever she found +you had tumbled overboard. Poor mite,’ +he added kindly, as he kissed her scared +face; ‘it was a narrow shave for you.’</p> + +<p>‘Brother Jack found me,’ said Winnie, +with another little sob.</p> + +<p>Her sister had taught her to call him +‘<i>brother</i>’ long ago at Southsea, and as +Vernon heard her now, he smiled almost +sadly, to think how prematurely the appellation +had been applied.</p> + +<p>The passengers had crowded at the side +of the vessel to watch the issue of the +accident, and saw the drowning child and +Vernon lifted into the lifeboat with the +utmost satisfaction. Some of them were +cheering vociferously and waving their +pocket handkerchiefs to express their joy, +whilst others were shouting ‘<i>Bravo!</i>’ But +Vernon Blythe sat in the stern, heedless of +their congratulations. He was thinking of +Winnie’s narrow escape from a watery<span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[105]</span> +grave,—of Alice Leyton’s agonised expression +when she appealed to him to save her +sister, and he felt thankful that he had +been made the instrument of the little +one’s safety. It seemed as though he had +thereby paid part of the debt he owed to +Alice, and found it so difficult to discharge. +Each painful incident he had +just undergone passed in rapid confusion +through his mind. He recalled how Alice +had been talking by the fiferail with Captain +Lovell, when the cry of ‘<i>Man overboard!</i>’ +had been raised, and he had seen +the baby quickly floating astern,—how he +had knocked that gentleman into the arms +of the bystanders as he jumped to her +rescue,—then the leap from the half-round,—the +cold immersion,—the sight of +the majestic vessel as she sailed away from +them,—the piteous crying of little Winnie,—his +strenuous efforts to obtain the life-buoy, +with the child clinging to him for +dear life, and the horrible thought that +they would both be drowned clasped thus<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[106]</span> +together. Just as his thoughts had reached +their climax, they were disturbed. Bump +went the boat against the iron side, the +tackles were overhauled, and hooked on, +and three of the sailors, with the aid of +a line and the mainbrace, clambered on +to the deck. Hand-over-hand the slack +was hauled in, and the heads of the crew +appeared above the rail.</p> + +<p>Then the order was given to ‘Belay,’ +and Vernon Blythe, with the child still +clinging to him, stepped on board again. +The quarter-deck was crowded. Everybody +wished to congratulate him, and embrace +little Winnie; a dozen hands were stretched +out to grasp his own. But Jack had no +time to attend to anybody. He strode +past all the faces that beamed upon him, +until he had reached the side of Mrs +Leyton, and placed her child upon her lap.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Jack! my dear boy, how shall +we ever thank you?’ cried the poor +mother hysterically, as she clasped her +baby in her arms.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[107]</span>‘By saying nothing about it, Mrs +Leyton,’ he answered cheerily; ‘you know +I would have done as much for any one of +you, twice over.’</p> + +<p>‘My darling Winnie!’ exclaimed +Alice, as she smothered her little sister’s +face in kisses. ‘What should we have +done if we had lost you?’</p> + +<p>‘Brother Jack picked me out of the +water,’ said Winnie, who had begun to +realise she was safe, and might leave off +crying.</p> + +<p>At that name, Alice blushed scarlet.</p> + +<p>‘Give her to me, mother,’ she said +hurriedly; ‘I must change her clothes at +once.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, Miss Alice, and put her in a +hot bath, and then into bed until to-morrow +morning,’ interposed Dr Lennard, +‘or she will be ill.’</p> + +<p>‘I will, doctor; come, darling,’ continued +Alice, as she seized Winnie in her +arms, and without noticing Jack, or +giving him one word of thanks, passed<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[108]</span> +through the crowd into the cabin passage, +and out of sight. She was too conscience-stricken +to be able to trust herself to +thank him for his bravery. But Jack, +who had been looking forward to her +expressions of gratitude for the risk he +had run on her sister’s behalf, only +thought she under-rated it, and gazed +after her in disappointed silence.</p> + +<p>‘Come, Blythe! how do <i>you</i> feel?’ inquired +Dr Lennard, shaking him by the +arm; ‘you must not get sleepy, you know.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, I’m all right, doctor, thank you, +and none the worse for my swim, though +it was plaguey cold, I can tell you.’</p> + +<p>‘You must come with me and have a +pick-me-up,’ said the doctor.</p> + +<p>‘No, thanks, sir! don’t trouble about +me! A good stiff glass of grog and a +change of linen are all I want.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, go and strip off those wet togs +then, my boy, whilst I mix a steaming +jorum for you,’ replied Dr Lennard. +‘You’ve done a good day’s work, Blythe,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[109]</span> +and we mustn’t let you suffer for it. +Come along at once,’ and he pulled the +young officer away with him.</p> + +<p>When both Jack and the baby had disappeared, +and the passengers had discussed +the adventure in all its bearings, their excitement +toned down, and they returned +to their usual avocations, whilst the +<i>Pandora</i>, with her mainsail set, sailed on +at seven knots an hour.</p> + +<p>But in the afternoon, when little Winnie +was wrapt in peaceful slumber, and Jack +was on deck attending to his duty, Alice +Leyton came up to him, with flushed +cheeks and outstretched hands.</p> + +<p>‘Jack,’ she said (and her voice seemed +unaccountably tender to him, after the somewhat +frivolous manner in which she had +treated him of late), ‘we have so much to +thank you for, we don’t know how to do it. +I hope you did not think it unkind of me +not to come before, but mother has been +quite ill from the shock and the excitement, +and there has been no one to look<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[110]</span> +after baby but myself. It was so +courageous—so brave—so good of you +to peril your life for—for—’</p> + +<p>‘Pray don’t say another word about it, +Alice. It was only my duty, and there +was but little danger. Any man in my +position would have done the same.’</p> + +<p>‘But no man <i>did</i>,’ she answered quickly; +‘all the rest stood by like sheep. The +only one beside yourself who rendered +the least assistance was Mr Fowler, who +cut away the life-buoy, and threw it +overboard.’</p> + +<p>‘They were not in my position, Alice. +Think how long we have been friends. +Do you suppose I could have looked on +to see any one whom you care for drown? +I thought you had a better opinion of +me than that.’</p> + +<p>‘I think you are the best and the kindest +and the bravest friend I ever had,’ +replied Alice, with a sob in her throat; +‘and if I could only repay you—but that +is impossible—but if I could only show you<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[111]</span> +some kindness, in return for all you have +done for us to-day, I should be so happy.’</p> + +<p>‘You <i>can</i> repay me amply,’ said Jack, +‘and that is by being open with me, Alice. +I know that you have something on your +mind which you are unwilling to confide +to me. This is not as it should be. +Friends in our position should trust each +other <i>all in all or not at all</i>. If you +consider that you owe me any return +for your sister’s safety, give it me in your +confidence.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Jack! how <i>shall</i> I tell you?’ +sobbed Alice. ‘You are so sweet and +good. I admire and I love you so much—and +yet—and yet—’</p> + +<p>‘Shall I try and help you, dear? When +baby found herself in my arms, she whimpered +“<i>Brother Jack picked me up!</i>” +I think <i>that</i> is the name you would like +to call me by, as well as baby. I think +you want me to be “<i>Brother Jack</i>” to +you.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Vernon! have you <i>guessed</i>?’ cried<span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[112]</span> +Alice, turning her crimson face away from +him.</p> + +<p>‘That you would be quite ready to +accept Lovell’s addresses were you only +freed from mine? Yes, Alice. I have +guessed as much as that. Am I right?’</p> + +<p>‘But won’t it—won’t it <i>hurt</i> you?’ she +whispered.</p> + +<p>‘Not very much. My vanity may +suffer a little, but that is wholesome +discipline. And I have feared, too, for +some time past, that we were not <i>quite</i> +suited to each other; so you see it will +be for the best after all. Only, Alice, +we must always be friends,’ he continued, +as he held out his hand.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes, Jack—<i>dear</i> Jack!’ she answered, +with her bright eyes swimming +in tears; ‘and sometimes I think—sometimes +I almost wish—’</p> + +<p>‘Think and wish nothing, Alice, except +what concerns yourself and Captain Lovell,’ +interposed Jack, who had a wholesome +horror of a sentimental scene in public,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[113]</span> +and was somewhat afraid also of what +she might be going to say. ‘He seems +a very good sort of fellow to me, and I +have no doubt he will make you happy. +And you may rely on my good wishes, +not only for the wedding, but all your +future life. And now, good-bye, dear, +for I have business below. Give my +love to your mother, and tell her how +thankful I am for baby’s safety, and how +glad that both your hearts are set at +rest.’</p> + +<p>He waved his hand gaily to her as +he disappeared, and Alice believed he +was merely acting a part to hide his +disappointment.</p> + +<p>But (had she known it) his heart was +far lighter than his action. A load had +been lifted off it. He felt—for the first +time—that he was free (in all honour) to +woo and win Iris Hetherley!</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i113.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[114]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII.<br> + +<small>CONFIDENCES.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_m.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="M"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">M</span>ANY landsmen may wonder why +vessels bound south go so far +to the westward, instead of +making a direct course through the tropics. +It is because the trades are so much +stronger on the other side that they adopt +the longer route, in order to make a quicker +passage.</p> + +<p>For the same reason, the <i>Pandora</i>, +after skirting the coast of Brazil, sailed +as far south as fifty-two degrees, that is, +six hundred miles to the south of the +Cape of Good Hope, where the westerly +breezes could be depended on.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[115]</span>As the ship drew nearer the Antarctic +regions, the weather became colder. The +‘boatswains’ and ‘boobies’ were left astern, +and black-speckled Cape pigeons and +snowy albatrosses were to be seen in +their stead. The lively skipjacks, bright-coloured +bonitas, and swift dolphins had +all disappeared, but monster whales, that +swam majestically after the vessel, denoting +their presence by squirting up +volumes of water through their blowholes, +and boisterous porpoises, that gambolled +under the boom, and indulged in +clumsy antics, supplied the deficiency. +The sky wore a leaden appearance. The +air was exhilarating, and the wind sharp +and keen. No one complained now of +the oppressive heat. The ladies packed +away their fans again, and came on deck +in their furs. The sailors no longer ran +about in white ducks and with bare feet, +but put on strong Cunarders, pilot trousers, +and sea-boots.</p> + +<p>And all hands hailed the change with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[116]</span> +gladness. The heat at times had made +the passengers both languid and discontented. +It was difficult to rest either by +day or night in the hot and stuffy saloon +or the close cabins. But now they felt +compelled to be on the move. The +stove was surrounded all day by a flock +of petticoats, and at night the dead lights +were firmly screwed up to prevent the +chilly air from penetrating the sleeping +berths. On one of these raw evenings +few ventured to show their faces on deck. +Some of the ladies were sitting with the +card-players in the smoking-room, a small +party was assembled in Vernon’s berth +speculating on <i>rouge-et-noir</i>, and two +women, seated in the second cabin, were +engaged in earnest conversation. They +were Maggie Greet and Iris Harland. +The servant was seated at her mistress’s +feet, with her hands firmly clasped on +Iris’s knees as she looked up into her +beautiful face and told her story. It had +taken Maggie a long time to summon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[117]</span> +up courage to confide the news of her +engagement to Will Farrell to her friend +and mistress. For some unaccountable +reason, the girl had felt strangely shy +about disclosing her good fortune, and +she might not have confessed it even +now, had not something occurred connected +with it, which she felt it incumbent +that Iris should know. But +she told the tale with such a burning +face, and so many interruptions, that her +hearer could only imagine she was too +happy to be coherent.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, my dear,’ Iris exclaimed, when +she had at last arrived at a knowledge +of the facts, ‘I <i>am</i> so glad! And you +have been engaged to Mr Farrell for +a whole fortnight, and never told +me of it? What a naughty girl! +Didn’t you know that I should be the +very first to congratulate you on your +good luck? For you <i>are</i> very lucky, +you know, Maggie. Fancy, finding a +husband before you even touch land!<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[118]</span> +And such a good one too! For I am +<i>sure</i> Mr Farrell will be good to you, my +dear! He has a true face, and you will +be a happy woman! I am very, <i>very</i> +glad.’</p> + +<p>And Iris stooped down, and kissed +Maggie’s forehead.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, don’t do that!’ cried the girl +hurriedly. ‘I ain’t worthy of it, mistress, +nor of nothing that’s happened to +me neither, and I’ve told Will as much. +Only he’s good enough to overlook all +my faults, and say he’ll take me as I +am. And you’ll come and live with us, +won’t you, my pretty? We’ll all go +straight up into the bush as soon as +ever we land, and there I’ll work to my +life’s end to try and make you comfortable +and happy.’</p> + +<p>‘My dear Maggie,’ remonstrated Iris, +‘you forget. Mr Harland is on board, +and I have taken this step to be with +him. It is an immense load off my mind +to think you are so happily provided for,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[119]</span> +for I have always been fearful lest he +should resent your having accompanied +me; but my place is by his side, and as +soon as ever we come in sight of land, +I shall walk boldly up to him and declare +myself. I hate the thought of it,’ +continued Iris, with the tears in her soft +eyes. ‘I despise him, and I fear +him. But it is his business to maintain +me, and my right to demand support +from him, and I mean to have +it.’</p> + +<p>‘But, mistress,’ said Maggie, in an +earnest tone, ‘you <i>mustn’t</i> go with him. +It isn’t safe. He is a <i>bad</i> man—ah, +much worse than you’ve ever thought of!—and +he’d kill you as soon as look at +you if you happened to be in his way. +Don’t think of it any more. He’s made +you miserable all along, and he’ll make +you miserable again. Come with Will +and me, and forget all about that brute. +And after a while, perhaps, you’ll meet +with some one as will make you <i>really</i><span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[120]</span> +happy, and then all the past will look +like a bad dream to you.’</p> + +<p>‘But, Maggie,’ replied Iris, with mild +astonishment, ‘you forget that I am <i>married</i> +to him. How can I get free, or +have the liberty to think of another man? +Whilst Mr Harland lives, I must bear my +burden as best I can.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know that,’ said Maggie oracularly. +‘He may free you himself, and +sooner than you think for, if you’ll only +leave him alone, and give him enough +rope to hang himself with.’</p> + +<p>‘Maggie! What <i>do</i> you mean? Have +you heard anything? You see I am +afraid even to talk with the other passengers, +for fear of my identity becoming +known!’</p> + +<p>‘You talk with Mr Blythe sometimes, +and I should think he was a very nice +young man to talk with, too,’ remarked +Maggie dryly.</p> + +<p>Iris blushed crimson.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes! he is very kind. I knew<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[121]</span> +him years ago in Scotland, Maggie. But, +of course, I never speak to him of Mr +Harland. Indeed, I was so afraid he +might find out something about us, that +I told him I was a widow, for which I +have often been sorry since. But do +tell me what you meant by saying +that.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I meant this, mistress. That +that villain (thinking he has got well rid +of you and me) is making up to another +woman.’</p> + +<p>‘What woman? Who told you so?’ +demanded Iris quickly.</p> + +<p>‘No one told me. I can see it for +myself, and all the ship knows it. +Though I keep my face well covered +when I go on deck, I don’t shut my +eyes, I can tell you; and there I see +him, day after day, and night after night, +by the side of the same young lady, +whispering in her ear, and goggling at +her with those great black eyes of his. +So I asked Will their names (just as if<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[122]</span> +it was for curiosity), and he said they +was a Mr Harland and a Miss Vansittart; +and she’s a great heiress, and they +are to be married as soon as they get +ashore. I said he looked a bad ’un, and +I wouldn’t trust him with the change for +a brass farthing; and then Will told me +something about him that—Well, he +bound me to secrecy, but all I can say, +my pretty, is that the brute’s in your +power whenever you choose to make use +of the knowledge.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>In my power</i>,’ repeated Iris dreamily.</p> + +<p>She had grown very pale, and clenched +her hand as Maggie spoke of her husband’s +threatened infidelity; for though +a woman may have learnt through much +tribulation to hate and despise a man, +she does not hear with equanimity that +he is about to insult and pass her over +for another. But as the girl declared +that Harland was ‘<i>in her power</i>,’ her +look of anger changed to one of determination.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[123]</span>‘Tell me directly,’ she cried, clutching +her arm. ‘How is he in my power? +What can I do to revenge myself on +him?’</p> + +<p>‘Why, mistress, you frighten me!’ exclaimed +Maggie. ‘I never saw you look +like that before. Why should you care +what such a black-hearted villain says or +does, except it be to set you free—’</p> + +<p>‘Free! Free! What would be the +good of freedom to me, Maggie? Do +you suppose I would ever take advantage +of it—to go in bondage to another +man? But Mr Harland shall not marry +this girl. He shall not aggrandise himself +at her expense and mine! He shall +not ruin another life, and make another +woman curse the day she ever met him! +No! not if I can prevent it! I have +suffered so deeply—I have wept so much +on account of him, that I feel as if I +could lay down my life to save a fellow-creature +from the same miserable fate! +He shall not marry Miss Vansittart,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[124]</span> +Maggie! He shall not even continue to +court her, if I can prevent it! But how—<i>how</i>?’</p> + +<p>She clasped her head with her hands, +and bowed herself over the table.</p> + +<p>‘Mistress, dear!’ cried Maggie. ‘My +pretty, don’t take on! Oh, the brute +ain’t worth a single tear! If you knew +as much as I do, you’d say so too!’</p> + +<p>‘I <i>do</i> say so, and I believe it. Maggie, +what shall I do?’</p> + +<p>‘Will you speak to Will, my dear? +Will you tell him you’re that man’s +wife, and ask his advice? He can give +it better than I. And he can tell you +something (that I daren’t) as will show +you that Mr Harland’s worse than you +ever thought him.’</p> + +<p>And here she whispered in her mistress’s +ear.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, how dreadful! How awful it all +is!’ moaned Iris. ‘What shall I do? +Who shall I go to?’</p> + +<p>‘Why not speak to Mr Blythe, mistress.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[125]</span> +He’s young, but he’s your friend; +and he’s got a head on his shoulders. +Tell it all to him.’</p> + +<p>‘No! no! I can’t!’ said her companion, +shaking her head.</p> + +<p>‘Well, it’s the truth,’ replied Maggie, +rising to her feet; ‘and, if I was you, +I’d just leave the brute alone till he’s +well in the net, and then come down +upon him for bigamy. Why, only think +of it! You’d be as free as air! And +if you stop him, you may be bound all +your life.’</p> + +<p>‘How can I take my happiness at the +expense of an innocent person, Maggie?’</p> + +<p>‘Do you mean Miss Vansittart? I +shouldn’t call <span class="allsmcap">HER</span> innocent! She’s just +as ready to have him as he is her; and +I bet she’s never took the trouble to +ask if he’s married or single. Just like +them women! Ready to jump down any +man’s throat,’ said Maggie, with as much +indignation as if she had not been a +woman herself. ‘Well, I’ll leave you<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[126]</span> +now, my pretty, and go on deck to have +a look after them two, and if I can find +out anything more about their doings, +I’ll come back and let you know.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, do go, dear Maggie. I shall be +better left alone to think out this new +dilemma by myself. Go to your Will, +and be as happy as you can; but don’t +tell him anything about me until we meet +again.’</p> + +<p>As soon as Maggie met Will Farrell, +he saluted her with a fresh story concerning +their mutual enemy. A rumour had +spread about the ship that Harland had +played with marked cards the night before, +when he had been particularly lucky at +Napoleon; and although there was no +verification of the report, it was generally +known, and every one was looking askance +at him in consequence. Mr Vansittart +was especially disturbed. He had +taken an unusual fancy for Godfrey Harland, +and, notwithstanding his wife’s objections +to the match, he had encouraged<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[127]</span> +his attentions to his daughter. Now he +heard with consternation that Mr Fowler +had accused Harland in the smoke-room, +of looking over his neighbour’s hand, with +the intent to defraud, and he wished +earnestly that he had been a little more +reticent in his manner towards him. The +accusation was a grave one, but it had +gone no farther at the time, although the +scene that ensued had been very noisy. +But it had not been withdrawn, and Mr +Fowler had refused to tender an apology, +so that the rest of the passengers were +beginning not to see Mr Harland when +he approached them.</p> + +<p>‘If he ever tries it on again, he’ll get +tarred and feathered,’ said Farrell, in conclusion.</p> + +<p>‘And serve him right, too,’ replied +Maggie imprudently. ‘I know <i>I’d</i> like +to have the handling of him—the black +villain!’</p> + +<p>‘Why, Maggie, what do <i>you</i> know +about him?’ said Farrell, with surprise.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[128]</span>‘Haven’t you told me he ruined your +life, Will, by palming off his own forgeries +upon you?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, so he did, and I’ll be even with +him for it yet. But you spoke as if you +had a private grudge against him.’</p> + +<p>‘And so I have,’ whispered the girl, +with a sob in her throat. ‘Put your head +closer, Will, and you shall know all. You +know I told you I was a bad girl, and +had been ruined by some one who was +worse than myself. Well, <i>that’s</i> the man. +Godfrey Harland is my seducer.’</p> + +<p>‘D—n him!’ hissed Farrell, between +his teeth; ‘it will be another nail in his +coffin when we settle our accounts. But +how did it happen, my girl? Where did +you meet him? Does your mistress +know?’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! no, no!’ cried Maggie, as she +grasped him convulsively; ‘and you must +<i>swear</i> never to tell her, Will. For I’ve +tried to make it up to her, indeed I have. +I knew I wasn’t fit to stay by her side,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[129]</span> +and that if she guessed how bad I was, +she’d have sent me away. But she wanted +my help and my protection: that was all +I stayed for. I couldn’t bear to leave +her in his clutches—so bad and cruel as +he is, and so I tried to forget it all, for +her sake. But I hate him all the worse +that he should have tempted me to injure +such a sweet, dear creature as she is, and +as pure as the stars that are shining over +us now.’</p> + +<p>‘But I don’t understand you, Maggie. +How can that blackguard’s behaviour to +you injure Miss Douglas? She doesn’t +know him, too, does she?’</p> + +<p>‘Why, she’s <i>his wife</i>! There, now, +I’ve let the cat out of the bag; but you’ll +keep it sacred, won’t you, Will, for my +sake, and the dear mistress, for she don’t +want it known just yet?’</p> + +<p>‘<i>His wife!</i>’ repeated Farrell. ‘Why, +I had no idea that he was married. Poor +lady! I <i>do</i> pity her. I’d pity a dog that +was in his power. But how, then, can<span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[130]</span> +he marry Miss Vansittart? What new +devilry is he up to? Maggie, you and I +must prevent this. We have him in our +power.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, yes; but we must do nothing +until we know it’s for the best. Don’t +you see, Will, that this is why the mistress +and I have been hiding all the voyage? +We’ve been afraid of <i>his</i> seeing us; and +except he holds his head too high for +the second cabin, he must have done so +before this.’</p> + +<p>‘He’s got another reason for not caring +for the company of the second cabin, +Maggie,’ said Farrell, laughing. ‘He +knows <i>I’m</i> there. I met him before we +came aboard, and warned him to keep +out of my way. But when we get on +shore, we’ll cry quits. Don’t be in a +hurry, girl. Bide your time, and you’ll +see the finest shindy that’s ever met your +eyes, as soon as we get on shore.’</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i130.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[131]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i035a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX.<br> + +<small>THE WHALER.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_i.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="I"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">I</span>T was an intensely cold morning. +As the sun raised his golden +head of light above the horizon, +huge icebergs could be seen far away to +the southward, looking like monuments of +dazzling crystal; and a westerly wind, +combined with the smell of the bergs, was +sufficient to nip any prominent part of the +face left exposed to its freezing blast. On +board the <i>Pandora</i> not a sound was to be +heard, save the footsteps of Mr Coffin, as +he tramped steadily up and down the +deck, turning an occasional glance upon<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[132]</span> +the <i>Daisy</i>, a little barque of four hundred +tons, that was sailing alongside of them. +The <i>Daisy</i> was a whaler, built at Glasgow, +and hailing from Peterhead. Her commander, +Captain Rae, was a rough, +weather-beaten old son of Neptune—stern +on duty and fearless of danger; +but when on shore (which was seldom), +a favourite with women, and beloved of +little children. Everybody in Peterhead +knew Captain Rae, and accorded him +a hearty welcome whenever his barque +anchored in port. The men met him +with outstretched hands; the women +smiled upon him graciously; and the +children clung to his sleeves and coat +tails, like barnacles on a water-logged +plank.</p> + +<p>‘It won’t do to go any further down +south,’ he observed to his chief officer, +Mr Green, who had just emerged from +the booby hatch, after taking a cup of +steaming coffee, ‘because we shall be +falling in with too much ice, and I like<span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[133]</span> +to give them bergs a wide berth. Besides, +I’ve a notion we shall fall in with +some fish before long, if that darned +passenger packet to leeward don’t scare +’em away. Let her come to two points,’ +he called out to the man at the wheel. +‘Keep her due east.’</p> + +<p>And the sailor, having put his helm +down, the captain retired to the sanctity +of his cabin. The mate watched him +disappear, and then, unceremoniously +squirting a jet of tobacco juice on the +unholystoned deck, muttered something +about ‘the <i>Pandora’s</i> petticoats,’ and +commenced to take rapid strides along +the boards. Jabez Aminadab Green +was a down-easter—a tall, lanky fellow, +with long body and spindle-shank legs. +He was some years older than the +skipper—streaks of grey having already +shown themselves in his short grey +beard. His eyes were blue, like blue +glass beads, having no expression in +them. He had hollow cheeks, an<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[134]</span> +aquiline nose, and a wide mouth, which +was generally kept open to display an +irregular set of teeth, stained and decayed +by the constant use of tobacco.</p> + +<p>At four bells all hands on watch +aboard of both crafts turned to—the +sailors of the <i>Pandora</i> being employed +in scrubbing their decks for the reception +of the passengers, whilst the hardy +old whalers lazily crawled out of their +forecastle, and, after dashing a few +buckets of water over the captain’s +quarters, betook themselves to the +’tween decks, where they stretched +new lines, and vied with each other in +telling the ‘longest twister’ (that is, +in nautical parlance, the most improbable +untruth) they could possibly think of. +When the bells were struck to announce +breakfast aboard the <i>Daisy</i>, +their sound re-echoed on the <i>Pandora</i>, +and the seamen of the smaller craft +were surprised to see the poop deck +of their big neighbour crowded with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[135]</span> +bright dresses and brighter faces; +whilst the ladies of the <i>Pandora</i> wondered, +in their turn, at the appearance +of so large a crew on such a little +vessel, and their interest continued +throughout the day.</p> + +<p>‘<i>There she spouts!</i>’ sang out the +man on the look-out at the fore-topmast +head of the whaler, not half-an-hour +afterwards.</p> + +<p>‘Where away?’ bawled Mr Green.</p> + +<p>‘Two points on the starboard bow,’ +was the answer.</p> + +<p>‘Aye! aye!’ said the mate, catching +sight of the whale, as it rose close to +the <i>Pandora</i>.</p> + +<p>‘Are there many?’ hastily inquired +Captain Rae, who had deserted his +breakfast as soon as he heard the +welcome news.</p> + +<p>‘Wal, I guess so, sir,’ replied Mr +Green. ‘There are some in the wake +of that packet ahead theer; and I saw +one critter breach away here on the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[136]</span> +quarter. There he goes again!’ continued +the mate, pointing to a large +dark object which had leapt right out +of the water, and fallen in again with +a tremendous splash.</p> + +<p>When the intelligence reached the +saloon of the <i>Pandora</i> that a school +of whales was playing right under her +bow, the passengers, frantic with excitement, +left their breakfast to take +care of itself, and, gathering together +every spy-glass and binocular that could +be borrowed or stolen, rushed upon +deck, and remained there until the +play was over, and the curtain fell.</p> + +<p>The <i>Daisy’s</i> helm was put down, and +her foresail laid to the mast, and when her +clew garnets were chock-a-block, the boats +were quickly but cautiously lowered. The +chief officer, in charge of the first boat, was +stationed in the stern, grasping a long +sweep to steer her with. Six hands on the +thwarts manned the oars, and Christopher +Thommasen, a Norwegian harpooner, with<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[137]</span> +his deadly weapons, sat in the bow. With +long muffled strokes the rowers laid back +on their blades, and in a short space of +time reached the desired spot, not, however, +before they had ‘gallied’ (or alarmed) +one of the ‘bulls,’ who began to shoot his +spout of water to a great height. Some +of the ‘cows’ approached very close to +the boat—so close, indeed, that at times +she was in imminent danger of being +upset, and all hands expected to be +toppled into the water, and delivered over +to the mercy of Davy Jones.</p> + +<p>When the old Norwegian, Christopher +Thommasen, had selected his fish, and the +boat was pulled in its wake, the order was +given, ‘<i>Stand up and give it him!</i>’ and the +harpooner, poising his dart above his head, +and taking careful aim, let the shaft fly +with all his might, and it whizzed through +the air, embedding itself deeply in the +body of the whale.</p> + +<p>The wounded creature ‘bobtailed,’ lashing +the billows with its powerful tail, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[138]</span> +sending up quantities of white foam, which +fell in a heavy shower over the men, +drenching them to the skin.</p> + +<p>‘<i>Stern all!</i>’ shouted the mate, perceiving +their danger, and the frail craft was instantly +back-watered out of harm’s way. +Finding that this manœuvre did not dispose +of his assailants, nor relieve him of +the agonising harpoon (which he probably +mistook for the teeth of a swordfish), the +monster of the deep dived to an immense +depth, drawing out the line with amazing +velocity. This is the whale’s method of +freeing himself from his piscatorial enemies, +who, being unable (as he is) to +sustain the pressure of a deep ocean, are +compelled to let go of him.</p> + +<p>‘There goes flukes,’ shouted Thommasen, +as he saw the whale disappear, +and the men shipped their oars, and prepared +for an exciting chase. Away went +the ‘schoolmaster’ at his topmost speed, +rising at intervals to the surface to give +vent to a plaintive moan, and diving again<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[139]</span> +with breathless rapidity, as he towed his +persecutors through the water after him at +a considerable rate. Then more darts +were planted into the heaving flanks of +the labouring fish, who had commenced to +tremble violently. Red columns of blood +spurted from his wounds, and fell back +upon his aching sides, dyeing the water +around him crimson. Suddenly the +‘flurry’ (which is the whaling term for +the expiring struggles of the fish), and the +sharp, cracking noise which had sounded +from the blowholes, ceased, and the huge +brute turned upwards, and lay upon the +ocean dead. Then the carcase was slowly +towed past the passenger vessel, amidst +the cheers of the spectators, back to the +<i>Daisy</i>, who had got under weigh again, +and made fast to her side by chains. +Two men cut off the ‘blanket,’ or scarf-skin, +with their spades, whilst others +heaved away on the capstan, and turned +the body round.</p> + +<p>The head was taken aboard whole, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[140]</span> +then the operation of ‘flewsing,’ or cutting +away the blubber, was gone through. +When all the useful parts had been secured—the +head, which contains a large amount +of oil—the blubber—the bag, from which +the whalers extract ambergris, and the +teeth—the order was given to ‘<i>Haul in +chains</i>,’ and the huge white carcase floated +astern, and was immediately covered by +myriads of water-fowl, who quarrelled and +fought over their unexpected treat.</p> + +<p>The passengers of the <i>Pandora</i> witnessed +the chase and capture from the port +bow of their vessel, and many were their +ignorant conjectures as to the mode of +boiling down and preserving the dead fish, +and they watched the <i>Daisy</i> perseveringly +with their glasses until a large cloud of +black smoke, arising from her cauldrons, +announced that the blubber had been +finally disposed of; and the operation of +‘whaling’ was over.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i140.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[141]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i052a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X.<br> + +<small>DANGER.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_a.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="A"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">A</span>BOUT the same time a small +wreath of blue smoke was +observed issuing from one of +the starboard ports of the <i>Pandora’s</i> half-round, +and the alarmed steward rushed +upon the quarter-deck, with the terrible +news that the ship was on fire. Vernon +Blythe was the officer to receive it.</p> + +<p>‘Unbatten the main hatch,’ he shouted, +in a loud, clear collected voice to the +carpenter, ‘and pass out the kegs of +gunpowder. Now, lads!’ he continued, +addressing some of his watch, ‘screw on<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[142]</span> +your hose, and lead it through the skylight.’</p> + +<p>As the women became alive to the +possible danger of their position, they +made confusion worse confounded by +their screams.</p> + +<p>‘Jack,’ cried Alice Leyton, as she flew +to him for protection, ‘where shall we go? +What shall we do? We shall all be +burned to death.’</p> + +<p>‘Stay where you are, dear,’ he answered, +hastily but kindly, ‘and do nothing. It +will all be right in a few minutes. Where +is Lovell? Go and stay by him till I tell +you all is safe,’ and with a nod and a smile +he was off to the scene of action.</p> + +<p>Alice rushed to her mother, who was +half-fainting in a wicker chair, and flung +herself at her feet.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, he was too good for me. I was a +fool not to see it. If anything happens +to him, I shall never forgive myself,’ she +said incoherently, as she began to weep +with fear.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[143]</span>Mrs Vansittart was leaning on her +husband’s arm, pale with fright, as she +begged him to say if she had ever failed +in her duty to him during the last twenty +years; her daughter Grace was trying to +extract some consolation from Godfrey +Harland, who appeared to be more +alarmed than herself, and all the other +passengers were watching the threatened +danger with faces white with suspense +and fear. At the moment of the alarm, +Mr Coffin happened to be between his +blankets, snoring loudly, and Captain +Robarts was in a similar position in his +cabin, but both men were soon awakened +to a sense of what was going on in the +vessel.</p> + +<p>Jack Blythe, having given a few instructions +to the crew, rushed down the +narrow passage to the saloon, and having +ascertained from which berth the smoke +was issuing, he entered it without ceremony. +A small box lay upon the floor. +Placing his hand upon the cover, he lifted<span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[144]</span> +it up, but not before the iron bands surrounding +it had burned his palm, and as +soon as it was done, the cabin was illumined +by a sheet of flame. Tearing off +his coat, Jack threw it on the burning +mass, but was obliged immediately to retreat, +half blinded and suffocated by the +dense volumes of smoke his garment produced. +Pressing forward again with a +large glass decanter of water from the +saloon sideboard, he succeeded in extinguishing +the flames in the box, but not +before the bed-clothes were all on fire.</p> + +<p>By that time he was joined by some of +the others, amongst whom was Captain +Robarts with the hose, which Jack +snatched from him, and played upon the +burning articles, but the cabin was gutted +and the bulkhead charred before the fire +was out and the danger over.</p> + +<p>Jack’s hair was scorched by the flame, +and his eyes smarting and blackened by +the smoke, as he emerged from the saloon, +and drew in a deep breath of the fresh air.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[145]</span>‘Are you hurt, Mr Blythe?’ inquired +Captain Robarts, who was proud of his +smart young officer.</p> + +<p>‘Not a bit, sir. My hair won’t want +cutting again just yet,’ said Jack, passing +his hand over his singed locks; ‘and +the fire caught my ears a little. But +I’m all right, and the ship’s all right, +which is much more to the purpose.’</p> + +<p>‘Thanks to your promptitude and +courage, sir,’ replied the skipper.</p> + +<p>The compliment was formal, but Jack +coloured with pleasure to receive it, from +brow to chin.</p> + +<p>‘How did the fire originate? Where +did it come from? Who put it out? +What damage has it done?’ were the +queries put by the various passengers, +whose fears soon calmed down as they +were apprised of their safety. But no +one could answer them.</p> + +<p>‘Mr Greenwood, Captain Robarts desires +to see you in the saloon,’ said the +steward, when the bustle and confusion<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[146]</span> +were somewhat abated; and the young +gentleman followed him to the presence +of the master of the <i>Pandora</i>.</p> + +<p>The captain was seated at the table, +with his log-book before him.</p> + +<p>‘I have sent for you, Mr Greenwood,’ +he commenced, in a stern voice, ‘to ask +how this fire originated. The smoke +and the flames came from your cabin, +and I understand you were the last person +to leave it. How did it happen?’</p> + +<p>‘I’m sure I can’t tell you, sir,’ replied +young Greenwood, who was trembling +under the captain’s gaze.</p> + +<p>‘But no one has been in the berth +but yourself,’ rejoined Captain Robarts; +‘my steward is a witness to that.’</p> + +<p>‘But I don’t think it could have been +<i>me</i>, sir, don’t you know?’ spluttered the +youth, ‘because—’</p> + +<p>‘What were you doing there?’ thundered +the skipper; ‘come, sir, no nonsense +with me. The lives of the whole +ship’s company have been endangered,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[147]</span> +and I <i>will</i> find out the cause. What +did you come down for? Tell me at +once. As captain of this vessel, I have +a right to question you.’</p> + +<p>Harold Greenwood had heard of other +rights possessed by the captain of a +vessel, such as putting mutinous subjects +under arrest, and fearful of what the +consequences of telling an untruth might +be, he stammered out that he only came +down to fetch a cigarette.</p> + +<p>‘And where did you light your cigarette, +Mr Greenwood?’ continued the +captain relentlessly.</p> + +<p>‘In the berth,’ blurted out the young +man, ‘but I threw the match into the +basin, don’t you know? I am <i>sure</i> I did. +I always do; and that can’t do any harm, +eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Steward, go with Mr Greenwood, +and get the lucifer out of the basin,’ +said the skipper; and whilst Harold +tremblingly followed the servant, the +captain leaned his head upon his hand,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[148]</span> +and seemed lost in thought. The search +was unsuccessful. No trace of a burnt +lucifer could be found in the basin.</p> + +<p>‘But I’m <i>sure</i> I did,’ stammered +Greenwood.</p> + +<p>‘<i>I</i> will tell you what you did, Mr Greenwood,’ +interrupted the captain angrily. +‘You lighted your cigarette, and dropped +the still burning match into the box, and +set fire to my vessel. You are well aware +that smoking is prohibited in the saloon, +yet by your disobedience and carelessness +you have endangered the lives of my +passengers and crew. Had it not been +for the presence of mind of my second +officer, the whole ship would have been +blown out of the water.’</p> + +<p>‘I’m sure, sir, I’m very sorry, don’t you +know?’</p> + +<p>‘<i>Sorry</i>, sir! what use would your being +sorry have been when we were all dead +men? You’re a fool, sir, that’s what you +are—a d—d fool! You can leave me now. +I shall enter the facts as they occurred, into<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[149]</span> +my official log, and you will be charged +with the damages, and I only hope your +father may stop your allowance in consequence, +and leave you less money to waste +on cigarettes and matches, for the future. +I have nothing further to say to you, sir, +and you can go.’</p> + +<p>Harold Greenwood sneaked out of the +austere presence, looking very small and +pitiful, and found to his horror, on reaching +the deck, that the whole conversation +had been overheard by the inquisitive +passengers, who had listened attentively +to it through the skylight. And he had +the further mortification of hearing Jack +Blythe’s cool-headed pluck lauded on all +sides, by the same tongues that reproached +him for his stupidity and want of care.</p> + +<p>‘Allow me to congratulate you, Blythe,’ +said Captain Lovell, ‘you possess all the +attributes of a hero.’</p> + +<p>‘We owe you a vote of thanks,’ added +Mr Vansittart. ‘Had it not been for +your courage, sir, we might all have been<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[150]</span> +blown to smithereens by this time, and our +limbs scattered to the four quarters of the +globe.’</p> + +<p>‘But you’ve lost your coat, I hear,’ said +Miss Vere; ‘we must get you the very +best that’s made, by general subscription, +Mr Blythe.’</p> + +<p>‘And, oh, Jack, you’ve hurt your hand!’ +cried Alice Leyton plaintively, ‘and your +hair is burnt right off to the roots, in front. +Won’t you do anything for yourself, when +you have done so much for us?’</p> + +<p>‘Belay that, Alice,’ replied the young +sailor laughingly. ‘You know how I hate +fuss of all sort. And as for my hand, it +is only a little scorched, and will be all +right to-morrow. I’ve had it twice as sore +after handling the ropes, I can tell you.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah, you never <i>would</i> let any one thank +you, whatever you did for them,’ said Alice, +with a sigh.</p> + +<p>But there she made a mistake. There +were <i>some</i> thanks that Vernon Blythe accepted +greedily, and treasured the remembrance<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[151]</span> +of in his heart of hearts. As the +night fell, and he sought out Iris Harland +on the quarter-deck, her hand grasped his +with a feverish pressure.</p> + +<p>‘We have heard it <i>all</i>,’ she said, with +a warm, grateful light in the eyes she +bent on him; ‘Maggie and I were in the +cabin when the alarm broke out, and at +first I was very much frightened. But +the steward or some one called out that it +was Mr Blythe’s watch, and he had gone +to see what it was all about. And then +somehow, I felt quite satisfied. It seemed +as if it <i>must</i> be all right, if <i>you</i> were there.’</p> + +<p>‘Is that <i>really</i> the case, Iris? Was the +sense of my presence and protection such +a comfort to you as all that?’</p> + +<p>‘Indeed it was. I have only told you +the truth. You are so brave and strong, +and you seem so fearless yourself, that +you inspire others with courage.’</p> + +<p>‘It makes me very happy to hear you +say so. Yet I was not quite so fearless +as you give me credit for, Iris. When I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[152]</span> +first perceived the possibility of danger, +the thought of <i>one</i> person on board this +vessel came into my mind, and almost +paralysed me, until the same thought +nerved my arm, and made me feel as if I +could dare and do anything for her sake.’</p> + +<p>‘That was the young lady you are engaged +to, Mr Blythe, I suppose. You +see, we hear all the chatter in the second +cabin. Maggie has pointed her out to +me—Miss Leyton, I mean—and I think +she is very pretty. And, Mr Blythe,’ +continued Iris, in a sweet, faltering voice, +‘I <i>do</i> hope you will be happy with her. I—I—don’t +think marriage is a very happy +condition myself, but there are always exceptions, +and I shall pray yours may be +one of them.’</p> + +<p>‘I think it will, if it ever comes to pass. +But that will not be with Alice Leyton, +Iris. Maggie and you are both mistaken. +I am not engaged to her, or any woman. +In fact, I believe she is on the point of +being engaged to Captain Lovell.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[153]</span>‘Indeed! Then it was not <i>she</i> who +inspired your deed of daring?’</p> + +<p>‘No. Quite another person. But you +must not speak of a common act of duty +by such an absurd name. There was +never any positive danger. A young fool +called Greenwood lit his cigar in the +berth, and dropped the burning lucifer, +which set the whole cabin in a blaze. +Of course, it <i>might</i> have resulted in a +disaster. But it won’t do in this life to +calculate on our “might-have-beens,” unless +we wish to turn it into a book of +Lamentations.’</p> + +<p>‘Have you missed so many chances, +then, Mr Blythe? I should not have +thought so.’</p> + +<p>‘I have missed <i>one</i>, Iris, for which no +future success can ever repay me. Cannot +you guess what that was?’</p> + +<p>‘You don’t mean that old business at +the Bridge of Allan, surely?’ she said, +in a low voice.</p> + +<p>‘Indeed I do. I do not blame <i>you</i> for<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[154]</span> +one moment, remember. I know that it +was not your fault, and that I alone was +to blame for my presumption in daring +to love you, but it has spoilt my life.’</p> + +<p>They were standing by the side of the +vessel looking into the rushing sea as he +spoke to her, and they were almost alone. +The evening was so cold that none of +the saloon passengers were on the poop, +and the quarter-deck was nearly deserted. +Maggie sat in a sheltered corner under +the long-boat, by the side of Will Farrell, +but they were too far off, and too much +engrossed by each other, to hear what +their companions said. And so Iris, +wrapped in a dark cloak, stood, under the +cover of night, with her sad eyes upraised, +and her pure profile limned against +the evening sky; and Vernon Blythe +lingered by her side, looking with infinite +love and yearning on her face. He was +dreaming all sorts of wild, impossible +dreams as he did so, but the wakening was +coming to him only too soon.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[155]</span>‘<i>It has spoilt your life</i>,’ repeated Iris, +in a tone of incredulity. ‘Oh, don’t say +that, Mr Blythe. You make me feel so +very miserable and guilty.’</p> + +<p>‘Have I not just said that I acquit you +of any intentional unkindness? How +could you have been expected to believe +that such a lad as I was should presume +to lift his eyes to you? But, you see, I +couldn’t help it. It was a sort of fate +with me. I saw you and loved you from +the beginning, and since then I have +tried to put you out of my mind by every +possible means, in vain. You <i>will</i> stick +there. You are so obstinate.’</p> + +<p>Iris laughed faintly.</p> + +<p>‘I am very, <i>very</i> sorry. I must seem +like an obstinate Irish tenant to you, who +pays no rent, and yet refuses to turn out. +Why don’t you evict me?’</p> + +<p>‘I wouldn’t evict you if I could,’ said +the young man warmly.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think,’ went on Iris dreamily, +‘that I quite knew what I was about in<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[156]</span> +those days, Mr Blythe. I was only +eighteen, you know (I am twenty-three +now), and I had lived all my life in the +country with my father, and he never +looked after me, or advised me, as my +mother would have done. If my poor +mother had lived, I don’t think I should +ever have married—as I did marry. But +I was so ignorant. I knew nothing.’</p> + +<p>‘Iris,’ said Vernon suddenly, ‘tell me +all about your marriage. I never heard +more than the mere facts. I don’t even +know your married name, unless it was +“Douglas.” But why do you call yourself +“<i>Miss</i>?” Why are you going out +to Dunedin? What was your husband, +and when did he die? Would it be painful +for you to tell me all this?’</p> + +<p>‘Very painful. Please don’t ask me. +My past life is like a bad dream to me.’</p> + +<p>‘Then you were not happy with him?’</p> + +<p>‘No.’</p> + +<p>‘Did he dare to ill-treat you?’ exclaimed +Vernon.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[157]</span>Iris was silent.</p> + +<p>‘My God!’ cried the young man +fiercely; ‘were he only on earth, he +should answer to me for this.’</p> + +<p>‘Hush! hush! Mr Blythe. Let us +drop the subject. It is all over now,’ +said Iris trembling.</p> + +<p>‘But <i>is</i> it all over? Can any future +life (however happy) give you back your +peace of mind, your lovely, girlish innocence, +your health and strength? I parted +with you rich in every gift that youth +and hope can give—able and willing to +speak of yourself, your past and your +future; I meet you again, broken in +health and spirits, with dark passages in +your life which you dare not speak of—with +no prospects, and no friends. Iris, +it is killing me! I was a boy then, it is +true, without future, or experience, or anything +to recommend me in your eyes. +But I <i>loved</i> you, passionately and devotedly, +and even though you did not +love me, I could have made you happier<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[158]</span> +than this. Oh, why did you throw yourself +away on a man who could not appreciate +you?’</p> + +<p>‘How can I answer a question to you +which I cannot answer to myself. I +suppose I was mad, or blind. He was +good-looking, and an adept at deception, +and I was too inexperienced to distinguish +the true metal from the false. +Don’t blame me for it too much, Mr +Blythe. I liked you very much. I felt +honoured by your preference, and I have +never forgotten it since. But you seemed +such a boy to me then, and I did not +know—I could not tell—’ she faltered, +breaking down.</p> + +<p>‘But I am not a boy now,’ urged +Vernon eagerly; ‘I was twenty-five last +birthday. You will not accuse me again +of not knowing my own mind. Oh, Iris, +I have never ceased to love, and dream +of you. In my lonely watches, in tempests +and in calm—from the torrid to +the frigid zone—it has been all the same.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[159]</span> +Your dear image, the echo of your voice, +the crumbs of comfort you threw to me +in my distress, have been hugged to my +heart as its best treasures. And it will +be so till I die, even should I live for +another half century.’</p> + +<p>‘What am I to say to you?’ she +answered, weeping, ‘except that it can +never, <i>never</i> be. Oh, Mr Blythe, don’t talk +to me of love. It is useless! It can end +in nothing! I—I—must not listen to you.’</p> + +<p>‘But <i>why</i>? What is the obstacle? +Do you love any one else?’</p> + +<p>Iris shook her head.</p> + +<p>‘And do you dislike me?’</p> + +<p>She did not shake her head this time, +but she looked up at the sky, and he could +see the large tears that stood in her eyes, +course slowly down her cheeks.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, my darling!’ he exclaimed rapturously, +as he threw his arms around her, +‘I have conquered at last. You need not +trouble yourself to give me any other +answer.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[160]</span>But Iris twisted herself out of his embrace, +and turned her pale face towards +him.</p> + +<p>‘Don’t! Pray, pray, don’t!’ she said +earnestly. ‘I—I—cannot bear it! I appreciate +all you have said to me at its full +value, and I shall never forget it. But +there it must end! For I have deceived +you, Mr Blythe! I am not a widow! I—I—am +<i>still married</i>.’</p> + +<p>As this announcement left her lips, +Vernon Blythe felt as if he had been +struck right across the face. He turned +as white as a sheet, looked her fixedly in +the eyes for a moment, then dropping +her hand, he turned on his heel, and +walked silently away.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i068.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[161]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i069a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XI.<br> + +<small>SHIPPING SEAS.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_a.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="A"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">A</span> STRONG westerly wind +coursed the Southern ocean, +and gigantic green waves rolled +on all sides of the <i>Pandora</i>, sometimes +rushing up against her with pugilistic +violence, and depositing tons of water +on her deck. White clouds drifted +across the heavens with tremendous speed, +upon a background of cerulean blue. A +grey bank, however, that stretched from +aft to the starboard beam, betokened the +advent of hail, or snow, whilst the sun<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[162]</span> +struggled at times to pour his feeble rays +upon the surface of the deep.</p> + +<p>The <i>Pandora</i> was running before the +gale. Her mainsails and crossjack were +stowed, to permit the foresail to have full +play, which bellied out to such an extent +that it pressed tightly against the sheep-skin +chafing-gear on the forestay. The +fore-topmast staysail and inner jib, flapping +idly to and fro, might have had the +gaskets round them, for all the good that +they were doing, and the smaller sails on +the mizen were furled, to keep the main +royal and topgallant sail full, lest she +should take in too much water aft.</p> + +<p>The heavy swells made the ship roll +violently, often dipping her main bumpkins +into the water, and agitating the +compass card to such an extent that the +man at the wheel could not depend on its +accuracy, for ascertaining the true position +of the vessel’s head.</p> + +<p>At mid-day the sun had risen behind a +squall, and Captain Robarts, after waiting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[163]</span> +patiently for twenty minutes, with sextant +in hand, carried his instrument below +again, and went to luncheon, not, however, +without a growl at the obstructing +cloud which prevented his getting the +meridian altitude.</p> + +<p>The hour for lunch was gladly welcomed +by the passengers that day, for +their appetites had been sharpened by +the keen wind, and punctual to the +moment, all were seated in their accustomed +places.</p> + +<p>Vernon Blythe, arrayed in his long silk +oilskin coat and ‘sou’-wester,’ having +relieved Mr Coffin, was in charge of the +vessel, and the watch were huddled together +round the mainmast, standing by +to take his orders.</p> + +<p>As the sky became darker with the +squall, large flakes of snow fell upon the +deck, and increased in number, until the +<i>Pandora</i> was enveloped in a blinding +sheet of white.</p> + +<p>‘It is useless to look at the compass,’<span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[164]</span> +said Vernon Blythe, as he watched the +helmsman trying to clear the face with +his mitten. ‘Watch her head, man, and +give her as few spokes as possible.’</p> + +<p>The <i>Pandora’s</i> steering-gear was of +the latest invention, and a reliable quartermaster +would have found no difficulty in +guiding her on her course. But the man +at the helm had been taught to steer by +the compass only, and when the snow +covered the glass of the binnacle and +obscured the points, he was utterly at a +loss how to proceed, and quite unfit, in +consequence, for the responsible post he +held.</p> + +<p>When, therefore, the ship ran off her +course, he gave her so many spokes that +she came flying to—the weather leeches +shivered, the headsails filled, and she +shipped an enormous sea, which thumped +upon the deck right amidships, and ran in +a boisterous torrent forward.</p> + +<p>Vernon Blythe saw the ship’s mad +caperings, and shouted to the helmsman<span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[165]</span> +to put his helm up, before she was broadside +on. But he was too late. The +mischief was done. With the backward +roll of the <i>Pandora</i>, as she lifted over the +swells, the mighty stream of water flowed +aft. The steward, unprepared for such a +disaster, had not shipped the weather +board, and the sea poured through the +cabin passage, taking him clean off his +legs, and drenching both himself and a +roast turkey, which he was about pompously +to place on the saloon table, with +salt water.</p> + +<p>The sailors at the main, knowing what +to expect when scudding with such a sea, +jumped on the fiferail, and clung to the +crossjack braces, thus saving themselves +a ducking.</p> + +<p>But the assault was not yet over. Immediately +succeeding the first sea, a +second cataract of water leapt over at +the main chains, and doubled the large +amount which was already aboard. At +this disaster, dismay and confusion reigned<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[166]</span> +paramount in the saloon. Ladies and +gentlemen left their luncheon alike, as the +latter rushed about to see if they could +render any serviceable assistance, and the +former, with piteous little shrieks for help, +lifted their petticoats, and jumped on the +seats, to keep their feet out of the water.</p> + +<p>‘We are going down!’ cried Mrs Vansittart. +‘Oh, John, I knew no good +would come of our going to England.’</p> + +<p>‘Mother!’ screamed Alice Leyton, ‘the +sea is filling the ship! Oh, where is +Jack?’</p> + +<p>‘Don’t leave me, Godfrey,’ murmured +Grace Vansittart, as she clung to her +lover’s shoulders.</p> + +<p>‘Ladies, I beg of you not to be alarmed. +I can assure you there is not the slightest +danger,’ commenced Captain Robarts; +but an accident, which had its comical +as well as its serious side, prevented the +conclusion of his sentence. The benches +on which the party had been seated were +made of oak, with broad backs, fastened<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[167]</span> +to the deck on either side with brass +screws. Consequently, when the ladies +scrambled on them, and stood as far +back as they possibly could, with their +skirts gathered in their hands, the whole +of their weight was thrown on the supports. +The oaken benches were strong, +but the fastenings were not, and the +unusual strain drew the screws from their +hold, and caused the entire structure to +give way. With piercing screams and +exclamations, clutching at the fiddles and +the tablecloths, and dragging the china and +glass on the top of them, the men and +women were precipitated backwards into +the stream of water, where they lay in a +confused heap, struggling and spluttering, +but unable to extricate themselves. Their +heads were against the doors and partitions +of the private cabins, whilst their +bodies rested on the seats of the benches, +which were partly underneath them. The +deplorable but ridiculous scene can better +be imagined than described. Rolls, pats<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[168]</span> +of butter, cold chickens, potatoes, and +empty bottles of beer were floating about +the cabin floor, whilst the dish-covers and +glasses were mostly in their laps, or +surging against their faces. The men +could not move, any more than their fair +companions, and whilst some swore and +others sobbed with fright and humiliation, +the cold salt water kept ‘swishing’ over +them all.</p> + +<p>Captain Robarts, from his arm-chair of +state, viewed the accident as an everyday +occurrence, and awaited its termination +with complacency, not offering the +slightest assistance to any one. But Mr +Coffin, with his mouth full of roast goose; +and a wicked smile of amusement on his +face, gallantly went to the rescue. Mrs +Vansittart was the first saved from the +deluge, with the colour considerably lessened +in her honest, rosy face. Captain +Lovell was next hauled out, but he made +light of the affair, and burst into a loud +laugh, which was instantly stopped by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[169]</span> +the aggrieved and indignant looks of Alice +Leyton.</p> + +<p>‘How can you laugh in that unfeeling +way,’ she said, ‘when I feel bruised all +over? But of course you’re not hurt +yourself, and so it does not signify. Men +are the most selfish creatures in the +world.’</p> + +<p>‘By Jove! it’s spoilt my new suit, +though, don’t you know?’ observed Mr +Greenwood, looking the picture of misery, +as he examined the state of his +garments.</p> + +<p>‘You did your best to burn us out +of house and home the other day, Mr +Greenwood,’ said the captain grimly, ‘so +you mustn’t be surprised if no one sympathises +with you over a ducking.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>We</i> shall be none the worse for it,’ +remarked Mr Fowler, shaking himself +like a huge water-dog; ‘it’s the ladies +who are to be pitied for wetting their +pretty dresses, and prettier faces.’</p> + +<p>But the women did not wait to be<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[170]</span> +condoled with. As soon as they had +regained a normal position, and ascertained +there was nothing to be frightened +at in ‘shipping a sea,’ they ran +away to their berths to change their +clothes, and recover the shock sustained +by their modesty.</p> + +<p>In the second cabin the passengers had +not escaped a wetting. Plenty of water +had penetrated the hatch, and made their +abode damp and uncomfortable, and it +was not until the first dog-watch had +commenced, and the swinging lamps were +lit, that they could sit with dry feet in +the general dining-room.</p> + +<p>‘My pretty,’ whispered Maggie Greet, +as she crept up to Iris’s side for a moment, +‘you’ll have to keep to your +berth this evening, if you don’t want to +have a shindy, for Will says as <i>he’s</i> +coming down to play here with the others.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>Mr Harland?</i>’ exclaimed Iris, blanching +like a lily. ‘Oh, Maggie! <i>why</i> does +he come here? Who asked him?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[171]</span>‘I don’t know, dear. Not Mr Farrell, +you may be sure, for they hate each +other like poison. But Will says he’s +been kicked out of every other cabin. +They’re fighting very shy of him upstairs, +as well they may. And he overheard +a gentleman asking Mr Harland +why he didn’t come down and play on +the lower deck, and he said he’d try it +to-night. So be on your guard, that’s +all.’</p> + +<p>‘What shall I do?’ said Iris distressfully. +‘If he takes to it as a custom, he +will drive me to take refuge in my +berth every evening. I never thought +the saloon passengers would be allowed +down here.’</p> + +<p>‘Well! I expect, if you want to get +rid of him, you’ve only to show yourself. +I believe he’d rather see the devil just +now than you. For <i>he</i> don’t interfere +with his wickedness, but <i>you</i> will! It +would be all up with his game with Miss +Vansittart, if you told your true name<span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[172]</span> +to the captain! Wouldn’t it, my +dear?’</p> + +<p>‘And that is what I shall be compelled +to do, Maggie, sooner or later. +I cannot stand by and see him commit +such a wickedness, and hold myself guiltless.’</p> + +<p>‘Not even if you could have Mr—I +mean a better man instead of him,’ +insinuated Maggie.</p> + +<p>‘No, Maggie! a better man wouldn’t +take me on such conditions. But I don’t +want to shame Mr Harland before all +the ship, if a more private means of +warning him will have the same effect. +I sit sometimes for hours and try to +decide what will be for the best, and +I always come to the same conclusion—that +I am one of the most unfortunate +women on the face of the earth.’</p> + +<p>‘Never mind, my pretty,’ whispered +Maggie consolingly, ‘it’ll all come right +some day. I have doubts about myself +sometimes, because I’ve been a wicked<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[173]</span> +girl, and it don’t seem right as I <i>should</i> +be happy. But I’ve none about you! +I can see it as plain as a picture, and if +I don’t live to see it, it will be all the +same. You’ll have a good man and a +true, please God, some day, to make up +to you for the past!’</p> + +<p>And Maggie turned away with a sob.</p> + +<p>‘Why, dear Maggie! what’s the matter +with you to-night?’</p> + +<p>‘Nothing, mistress, only Will’s too +good to me sometimes, and makes me +so ashamed of myself. But there now, +the gentlemen are beginning to come +down for their game, so I must run +away, and you’d better do the same.’</p> + +<p>And so the two women, who owed +much of their immunity from discovery +to Will Farrell’s careful look-out on their +behalf, kissed each other, and separated +for the night.</p> + +<p>The origin of this conversation was, +that since the breaking up of the card-parties +in the smoke-room, owing to the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[174]</span> +loose play of Godfrey Harland, the deckhouse +had been deserted of an evening, +and the gentlemen had betaken themselves +elsewhere.</p> + +<p>Some played in the spacious berth of +the second officers, others preferred the +society of the ladies, and a few were invited +to the second cabin, where smoking +was not prohibited, and their less aristocratic +fellow-passengers did their utmost +to make them feel at home.</p> + +<p>Many a game at dominoes or whist had +been played there lately by the men from +the saloon, who had become so friendly +with its rightful owners that they did not +even wait for an invitation. Besides, in +many respects, the second cabin was preferable +to the deckhouse. In the former +the steward was always at hand to provide +refreshments, whilst in the latter, if a man +wished for anything, he was compelled to +go on deck and find the head steward, +which interrupted the game, and annoyed +all concerned.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[175]</span>Since the cardroom had been closed, +Godfrey Harland’s time hung heavily +upon his hands. He was not quite so +bold and open as he had been in paying +court to Grace Vansittart. He fancied her +father and mother looked somewhat more +coolly on him than they had done at first, +and preferred whispering ‘soft nothings’ +to her, when they found themselves alone. +So he did not care to be shut up in the +state cabin all the evening, where every +look he gave, and word he uttered, was +seen, heard, and commented upon. He +was debarred from entering the berth of +Vernon Blythe. An instinctive dislike +existed between these two young men, +and made itself apparent every time they +met. So the only resource left to him +seemed the second cabin, to which a young +fellow of the name of Pemberton had +warmly invited him. Harland knew he +should meet Will Farrell there, but on the +whole he thought it advisable he should +meet and make friends with him before<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[176]</span> +they parted company. But he little thought +<i>how</i> much more Farrell knew of him now +than he had done when they last saw each +other. Had he done so, he would have +known he had better have entered a +cockatrice’s den than the second cabin of +the <i>Pandora</i>.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i018.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[177]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i082a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XII.<br> + +<small>A GAME OF DOMINOES.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_g2.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="'G"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap2">‘G</span>OOD-EVENING, Mr Harland. +You are a stranger here,’ +said Farrell, as he entered. ‘I +thought you were going to slight your +humble friend (meaning myself) throughout +the voyage, but—’</p> + +<p>‘So you have met before,’ interrupted +Mr Pemberton, who was of the party.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes, we <i>have</i> met before—many +years ago,’ drawled Harland.</p> + +<p>‘When we were clerks in the same +office,’ put in Farrell.</p> + +<p>‘Quite a boyish acquaintance,’ said the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[178]</span> +other, with an uneasy laugh, for Farrell’s +manner had annoyed him.</p> + +<p>‘Many people say that boyish acquaintances +last the longest, and are the least +soon forgotten,’ remarked Pemberton.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think Mr Harland and I shall +forget each other in a hurry,’ laughed +Farrell sarcastically. ‘The memory of +Mr Horace—I mean of the office and all +that occurred there, will follow me to my +grave!’</p> + +<p>‘Come, come! Let us get to business!’ +interposed Pemberton, seeing that the two +men were at daggers-drawn with one +another, though for what cause was a +mystery to him. ‘Shall we make up a +four at dominoes?’</p> + +<p>‘I am agreeable!’ returned Farrell.</p> + +<p>‘And so am I,’ said Harland; ‘will the +ladies join us?’</p> + +<p>‘I am afraid not,’ answered Farrell. +‘The deck is too wet for them; but I will +ask, if you like.’</p> + +<p>To his entreaties at the doors of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[179]</span> +ladies’ berths he received nothing but +negatives. Miss Douglas was already +in bed, Miss Grant was afraid of the +damp, and Mrs Medlicott was nursing a +sick child. But a volunteer was soon +found in the person of Bob Perry.</p> + +<p>‘What do you play for?’ inquired +Harland, when they had turned up the +two highest and lowest, and Farrell and +Pemberton had been elected partners. +‘What do you say to threepence each +on the pips that stand out?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no!’ exclaimed Perry, ‘that is +too much. It may run up to a matter +of five shillings a game, and I can’t +afford it.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, we can’t play for <i>love</i>,’ sneered +Harland; ‘never you mind, Perry, I’ll +stand bail for both of us.’</p> + +<p>‘I object to that,’ said Farrell. ‘I do +not wish to play for such high stakes +any more than Mr Perry. I am simply +playing to make the time pass, and +don’t want to make or lose money<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[180]</span> +by the game. You forget, Mr Harland, +that we are not all like yourself, on a +trip <i>for pleasure</i>!’</p> + +<p>He emphasised the words unpleasantly, +and Harland swore under his breath, +but answered nothing.</p> + +<p>‘Suppose we play for threepence a +game,’ suggested Mr Pemberton. ‘As +Farrell says, we don’t want to make +money by the stones. All that is necessary +to give zest to the victory is a +small stake that shall benefit the winner +without breaking his companions.’</p> + +<p>‘All right,’ assented Harland, in anything +but a good humour; ‘go ahead. +Double six begins. But, stop a minute. +Before we start, we will toss for drinks +round.’</p> + +<p>To this proposition the other men +were not strong-minded enough to object, +and the silver coins were spun in the +air, and clinked upon the table, resulting, +luckily for them, in Godfrey Harland +having to pay the forfeit, and the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[181]</span> +steward was despatched to the bar with +the orders.</p> + +<p>The game was finished, and the players +tossed again, and the stones were divided, +and so it went on until five bells +was struck, which was the signal for all +the ship lights to be extinguished.</p> + +<p>‘Lights out, please!’ sung out the +third officer at the booby hatch.</p> + +<p>‘In one minute, Mr Sparkes,’ replied +Harland. ‘Let us finish the game, there’s +a good fellow.’</p> + +<p>‘It is against the rule,’ said the junior +mate; ‘I cannot disobey my orders.’</p> + +<p>‘Come down and have a glass of +whisky, then,’ urged Mr Pemberton; +‘we have more than half a bottle +left.’</p> + +<p>To this invitation Mr Richard +Sparkes did not reply that he could not +disobey orders, but glancing aft to satisfy +himself that the ‘old man’ was not on +deck, he quickly descended the companion, +and stepping up to the table,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[182]</span> +muttered his thanks, and swallowed the +intoxicating draught.</p> + +<p>‘You understand, don’t you, Sparkes,’ +said Harland; ‘we shan’t be a minute, old +man. Just shut down the hatch, and cover +it with a tarpaulin, and if that d—d inquisitive +second mate of yours discovers +the glim, I’ll take the blame on myself.’</p> + +<p>Whereupon, without another word, the +third officer left them to their pursuits. +When the game had come to a conclusion, +Pemberton signified his intention +to turn in, and bidding them good-night, +went to his cabin. Bob Perry, +who was half-seas over, also retired, +and the two belligerents were alone +together. It was for this that Farrell +had taken a hand at the game. It +was to this end he had worked to +find himself cheek-by-jowl with the +man he hated more deadlily than he +had ever done before. He thirsted to +put a spoke in Harland’s wheel,—to +alarm him thoroughly,—to show a little<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[183]</span> +of his own hand, but not too much, and +make him uncomfortable for the remainder +of the voyage.</p> + +<p>‘Drink up and have some more,’ said +Harland, breaking the silence that ensued +on the departure of their companions.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t care for any. I have had +enough,’ replied Farrell, lying back in +his chair. ‘Well, our journey will soon +be over now. What do you intend to do +when we reach Lyttleton?’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know, I’m sure,’ returned +Harland. ‘I shall enjoy myself as long +as I find anything worth enjoying, and +then, perhaps, take a trip over to America, +and visit some of my friends there.’</p> + +<p>‘But I thought you had taken service +under Mr Vansittart, and were bound to +remain with him?’ said Farrell.</p> + +<p>Godfrey Harland opened his eyes with +astonishment.</p> + +<p>‘Then you are under a great delusion. +I have certainly promised to be the guest +of the Vansittarts for a short time, and<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[184]</span> +circumstances may arise to detain me +longer, but there is no obligation in the +matter, unless it be on <i>my</i> side.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh! indeed. People say otherwise +on board. I have heard it stated confidently +that you are Mr Vansittart’s land-agent, +and that he has been imprudent +enough to take you without references.’</p> + +<p>‘D—n their impertinence!’ growled Harland, +‘prying into other people’s affairs. +I should like to know the name of the +person who has been spreading these +false reports about me.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>I</i> shall not tell you,’ retorted Farrell. +‘It is quite immaterial to me whether +you keep Mr Vansittart, or Mr Vansittart +keeps you, but I should think the +latter by far the most probable of the +two. And is it true that you intend to +marry his daughter?’</p> + +<p>‘It is no business of yours if I do.’</p> + +<p>‘Certainly not. It’s no business of +mine if you turn Mormon, which, I suppose, +is the next thing you’ll think of.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[185]</span>‘What do you mean by making that +remark?’ said Harland, turning pale.</p> + +<p>‘Only that English laws are in force +in the colonies, and a man is only allowed +to have one wife at a time.’</p> + +<p>‘What would you insinuate, you scoundrel?’ +demanded Harland, beginning to +feel alarmed.</p> + +<p>‘Softly—softly,’ said Will Farrell, +‘don’t raise your voice. Some one might +overhear you. I never insinuate, as I +think I informed you at our last meeting; +I always speak my mind, and if you +wish me to do so now, I will. I will go +further, and take our fellow-passengers +into my confidence, if you desire to become +notorious amongst them.’</p> + +<p>‘What would you tell them?’ demanded +Harland, livid with passion.</p> + +<p>‘That you have a wife already, and +cannot marry Miss Vansittart.’</p> + +<p>‘It is a lie! I was never married to +her.’</p> + +<p>Farrell was staggered for a moment by<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[186]</span> +this bold assertion. What if it were true. +The man before him was villain enough +for anything, and the first thing a woman +tries to hide is her own shame. Yet +Maggie had said that Iris was his wife, +and he did not believe that Maggie would +tell an untruth.</p> + +<p>‘That is easily settled,’ he answered +quickly; ‘we can appeal to Mrs Harland.’</p> + +<p>‘You cannot. She is dead.’</p> + +<p>‘That is a lie!’ cried Farrell fiercely, +‘as great a lie as the other. I <i>know</i> +your wife to be alive.’</p> + +<p>‘Where have you seen her?’</p> + +<p>‘I shall not tell you.’</p> + +<p>‘I will <i>make</i> you!’ exclaimed Harland, +advancing upon him.</p> + +<p>But Farrell was prepared for the attack.</p> + +<p>‘Dare to lay a finger on me,’ he said, +‘and the whole ship shall hear your +story.’</p> + +<p>‘What story have you to tell them?’ +repeated his adversary.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[187]</span>‘One that would make two or three +columns of the most interesting reading +in the daily papers, Mr Horace Cain. +Only a little incident that occurred a few +years since (how many was it—<i>ten</i>?) at +Starling’s Bank. A forged cheque—the +warrant for an arrest—a fruitless search—an +escape to America—and what <i>I</i> +should call a most imprudent return. I +should point out the hero of the piece +to them—it would be quite a melodrama. +Virtue triumphant, vice in the background, +and the blue fire of their indignation over +all.’</p> + +<p>‘And who would believe your story?’ +sneered Harland.</p> + +<p>‘I would <i>make</i> them believe it,’ resumed +Farrell, in a sadder and more +earnest voice. ‘I would point to myself +as its best proof,—to <i>me</i> whom your bad +example ruined—whom your cowardice +left in the lurch—on whom the stigma of +your villainy fell like a curse, rising up +like the deadly nightshade to poison every<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[188]</span> +home I tried to make for myself. Godfrey +Harland (as you choose to call yourself), +you have been my bad genius from +the day we met. You tempted me to evil, +and left me to bear the brunt of your +own misdemeanour. You have ruined +others beside myself—(I know more of +your doings than you think of). But +your day is ended. Before you blight +another life, as you have done mine, I +will blazon the miserable truth to the +world.’</p> + +<p>‘Where would your proofs be?’ cried +Harland; ‘and who would credit your +simple word. I’d soon hash your goose +for you, my fine fellow. A low second-class +passenger attempting to blackguard +a gentleman! I’d tell them you had tried +to extort money from me, and failed, and +they would accept my statement much +sooner than yours; and in all probability +you would receive an injunction from the +captain to keep the peace, or be put +under arrest. Why, you’re not sober<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[189]</span> +now, you useless, drunken “ne’er-do-weel.” +Don’t you presume on your former +knowledge to speak to me again. I +have done with you from this moment.’</p> + +<p>And Harland rose to leave the spot.</p> + +<p>‘And don’t you dare to venture down +here again,’ replied Farrell, trembling with +excitement, ‘or I will carry out my threat, +and expose you before the whole ship’s +company, as Mr Horace Cain, the for—’</p> + +<p>‘Take care what you say,’ interrupted +Harland, in a hoarse voice, ‘or I shall +not be able to control my temper. I have +stood your insults long enough.’</p> + +<p>‘Not longer than I have submitted to +yours. And I have a double debt to +discharge to you now, Mr Harland. +You think that I know nothing,—that I +am powerless to damage your character. +What about Maggie Greet, who served +your deserted wife in England?’</p> + +<p>At that name, Godfrey Harland felt his +limbs tremble. The thought of Maggie +Greet had always had more power to sting<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[190]</span> +his hardened conscience than that of his +wife. He was more afraid of her than +of Iris, and less certain of her keeping his +secrets.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t know to whom you allude,’ he +replied, attempting to brave it out. ‘Was +she the “slavey?” You really cannot +expect me to remember the names of those +sort of people.’</p> + +<p>‘And yet she remembers <i>you</i>,’ said +Farrell sarcastically. ‘How strange. +And she remembers the wrong you did +her into the bargain. Stranger still, isn’t +it?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, enough of this cursed twaddle!’ +cried Harland, who was most anxious to +get away. ‘You are talking of a lot of +things of which you know nothing. I +am off to bed now. Let us thoroughly +understand each other. If you presume +to speak to me again, I shall cut you +dead.’</p> + +<p>‘And if you come down to the second +cabin again, I’ll break every bone in your<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[191]</span> +body,’ retorted Farrell. ‘And when I get +you on shore, my boy, we’ll have it out, +whoever is by to see, and let the best +man win.’</p> + +<p>Harland was on the top rung of the +ladder, and as he heard Will Farrell’s +parting threat he turned pale with fear, +and the beads of perspiration stood on +his forehead like dew.</p> + +<p>What if any one should have overheard +his words. He pushed up the hatch, and +alighting on the deck, staggered to his +cabin, and threw himself upon the berth in +a state bordering on despair.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i191.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[192]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i001a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XIII.<br> + +<small>IN THE SMOKE-ROOM.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_t.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="T"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">T</span>HE accident that occurred to little +Winifred Leyton, and the rough +weather that succeeded it, had +pretty well driven the idea of the proposed +theatricals out of the ladies’ heads. +In the first place, an unaccountable gloom +seemed to have fallen upon the amateur +company, and they became so indifferent +about the whole affair, that Miss Vere left +them to themselves, and sought refuge in +her own studies.</p> + +<p>Alice Leyton and Captain Lovell looked +as if the world were over for both of them.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[193]</span> +He had been afraid, since his interview +with Mrs Leyton, to speak more openly +to her daughter than he had done, and the +girl imagined, in consequence, that he had +been trifling with her. She spent her time, +therefore, in gazing in a melancholy fashion +over the sea, whilst he sat at the opposite +side of the deck and gazed at her; and +Miss Vere said she was quite sick of them +both.</p> + +<p>Jack Blythe, too, was not in his usual +spirits. The fair manageress had fully +intended to enlist the handsome young +officer amongst her volunteers, but he had +decidedly refused to take any part in the +amusement, and she laid it all down to the +charge of Alice Leyton, and grew still +more angry with her in consequence. But +when the cold weather continued to debar +the ladies from sitting on deck, and the +evenings became long and tedious, the +idea of the theatricals was once more +revived, and hailed as a distraction. Since +the smoke-room had been deserted by the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[194]</span> +card-players, the younger couples had crept +in and taken possession of it, and on the +morning after the swamping of the after +cabin, several of them assembled there, +with their books and work and writing, +Captain Lovell, as usual, looking unutterable +things at the love-stricken Alice, and +Mr Fowler, who had never disclosed the +secrets of his past, his present, nor his +future, to his fellow-passengers, basking +in the smiles of Miss Vere, with whom +he was a great favourite. Poor Harold +Greenwood, who had fallen into terrible +disgrace with most of the ship’s company +since his little <i>escapade</i> with the lighted +lucifer, and who had tried to indemnify +himself for cold looks and flagging conversation, +by falling hopelessly in love +with the actress, was worshipping her at +a respectful distance, and Pemberton was +doing the agreeable to Mrs Vansittart, +whose daughter, despite all her maternal +warnings, persisted in walking the poop +deck on the arm of Godfrey Harland.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[195]</span>Mr Vansittart was also present, although +he could not be numbered amongst the +young people, but his genial nature made +him welcome everywhere. The old gentleman +was not so easy in his mind, however, +as he professed to be. Sundry +hints and rumours concerning Harland +had greatly disturbed him lately, and he +had made up his mind to speak seriously +to Grace on the subject. She had refused +to listen to her mother’s advice, +but, if necessary, he would force her to +attend to his orders. He was not satisfied +with what he had heard, nor with +himself for having admitted a stranger +so intimately to their society. However, +luckily nothing was settled as yet, and +he was determined to stop any further +philandering until he had had an opportunity +to inquire into the young man’s +antecedents and connections.</p> + +<p>‘Where is Grace?’ were the first words +he had addressed to his wife on joining +her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[196]</span>‘I don’t know, my dear,’ was the reply. +‘She left me half-an-hour ago—’</p> + +<p>‘Miss Vansittart is on the poop with +Mr Harland,’ interposed Alice Leyton; +‘I saw them walking there just now.’</p> + +<p>‘I must go and put a stop to this,’ +said Mr Vansittart, commencing to button +up his greatcoat again.</p> + +<p>His wife laid her hand on his arm.</p> + +<p>‘Not just now, my dear. Wait till +after lunch. It will look so peculiar to +drag her away from him in the sight of +everybody.’</p> + +<p>‘You are right, old lady,’ he said, reseating +himself. ‘The business will keep +till after lunch.’</p> + +<p>‘What part of the country are you +going to, Alice?’ demanded Miss Vere, +with a view to turning the conversation.</p> + +<p>‘We go straight home to Paradise +Farm in the Hurunni, which is about +sixty miles from Christchurch. Father +will meet us on arrival, and take us up +country. Isn’t it strange? He has<span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[197]</span> +never seen Winnie yet, and I do not +suppose he will recognise me. I was +only fourteen when I left New Zealand. +How glad I shall be to see it again.’</p> + +<p>‘You love a country life, Miss Leyton?’ +said Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, dearly! My father has a large +sheep-run close to the Weka Pass, and +we live right up in the bush, with not +another house within ten miles of us. I +shall milk the cows, and look after the +garden and the poultry, and teach baby +as much as I know myself. It is just +the sort of life I love. I hate streets +and towns, and a lot of houses all staring +at one another.’</p> + +<p>‘And a lot of officers staring at you,’ +said Jack Blythe, looking in at the open +door. ‘Come, Alice; be honest! You +know you liked the officers at Southsea.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! I was young then, and knew +no better,’ replied Alice, blushing; ‘but +now I am wiser.’</p> + +<p>‘What a wonderful effect the sea air<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[198]</span> +has had upon you,’ remarked Jack, laughing. +‘I have heard it is considered +a cure for love, but never before for +vanity.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, now, Jack, do go away!’ exclaimed +Alice; ‘you are interrupting all our conversation.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes; and coming in just at the wrong +time, and spoiling the effect of your pretty +speeches. It was awfully inconsiderate +of me. I will atone for it now. I +will go.’</p> + +<p>And he disappeared.</p> + +<p>‘What a bright, handsome face Mr +Blythe has. I think he is one of the +finest young fellows I ever saw. I wish +he was in my company,’ remarked Miss +Vere.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Miss Vere! I wish you would +take <i>me</i> into your company, don’t you +know?’ sighed Mr Greenwood. ‘I would +do anything for you, ’pon my word I +would,—play parts, or take the tickets, +or sweep out the theatre,—anything, only<span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[199]</span> +to be near you—to see you—and feel +I was of some use, don’t you know? +Couldn’t you manage it, eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Why, Mr Greenwood, what do you +mean by talking of prostituting your +talents by sweeping a floor?’ cried the +actress, heartily amused. ‘What would +your family say to such a degradation? +No, no! What you have to do now is +to learn your part for our theatricals, +and when they are over, we’ll talk about +the other thing. But we have interrupted +Alice in her description of her New Zealand +home.’</p> + +<p>‘There is not much more to tell,’ said +Alice. ‘It is lovely, as I remember it, +and I hope I shall think it lovely still. +But—’ with a long-drawn sigh—‘it is the +<i>people</i>, and not the <i>place</i>, that make a home.’</p> + +<p>‘Just my sentiments,’ replied Captain +Lovell. ‘I am going to Geraldine, but +I have no friends there.’</p> + +<p>‘You will be a long way from us,’ said +Alice timidly.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[200]</span>‘Yes. But I suppose there is some +sort of conveyance between the places.’</p> + +<p>‘Of course there is! You mustn’t +think that New Zealand is a perfectly +uncivilised country. There are trains +running all through it.’</p> + +<p>‘Are you going to farm, Captain Lovell?’ +asked Fowler.</p> + +<p>‘That is my intention. A friend of +mine has bought a place out there, and +I am about to join him. I know but +little about ploughshares and wurzels, +but my friend Cathcart is a crack hand +at it all; and I am sure I shall prefer +a free life to the slavery of the army. +That is to say, if—if—’</p> + +<p>‘If what?’ demanded Fowler.</p> + +<p>‘If I can settle down there,—make a +home for myself, in fact,’ said the captain, +with a shy look at his inamorata.</p> + +<p>‘Persuade some one to settle down with +you, you mean?’ laughed his companion.</p> + +<p>‘Yes! <i>that</i> is what I mean,’ acquiesced +Lovell, apparently relieved to have the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[201]</span> +matter settled for him. ‘What are your +own plans?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh! mine are very uncertain. I may +remain three months, or six, but I hope +to return home <i>via</i> the Canal before a +year is over my head.’</p> + +<p>‘Private business, I presume?’</p> + +<p>‘Strictly private.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Mr Fowler! you are so close; +I am sure there is a lady in the case,’ +laughed Miss Vere.</p> + +<p>‘If she were anything like <i>you</i>, Miss +Vere, I should pray there might be. +But I have no such luck.’</p> + +<p>‘Do you know the country at all?’ +asked Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘I am sorry to say <i>no</i>; but I have +friends out there who will soon set me +all right.’</p> + +<p>‘I wonder what the shooting is like,’ +said the captain thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>‘Why, <i>I</i> can tell you that!’ exclaimed +Alice. ‘The Middle Island abounds with +game—Paradise ducks, grey ducks, swans,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[202]</span> +and pheasants; and if you want bigger +sport, there are wild cattle and boars.’</p> + +<p>‘Is there good hunting there also?’</p> + +<p>‘Very little. We have no foxes or +hares. I have seen the harriers out, +but I have never known them to +find.’</p> + +<p>‘That is very disappointing,’ replied +Lovell. ‘I should have thought, since +the country contains boars, there would +be plenty of pig-sticking.’</p> + +<p>‘But you won’t have any time for +hunting. The farm will take up all +your attention. You will have to plough, +and reap, and harrow, and drive the +cattle home. Everybody works in the +bush, even the women; in fact, I think +the women work almost harder than the +men.’</p> + +<p>‘And why shouldn’t they?’ said Miss +Vere. ‘When women do more work in +England, they will have a better claim +to be acknowledged on an equality with +man.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[203]</span>‘Do you not admit, then, that man +is the superior animal, Miss Vere?’ +asked Mr Fowler, with a view to draw +the actress out.</p> + +<p>‘In weight, strength, and stature, Mr +Fowler—yes. But intellectually, I think +his superiority is at least open to +question.’</p> + +<p>‘So do I, Miss Vere,’ said Dr Lennard, +who had joined the party. ‘I +believe that the female brain only needs +development, and that as civilisation +advances, and <i>Woman</i> boldly asserts her +rights, she will find herself absolutely +equal with Man in all things.’</p> + +<p>‘But is a woman’s brain as large as +a man’s?’ demanded Captain Lovell, +who had a head like a bullet.</p> + +<p>‘In proportion to her size there is +very little difference—about one-fiftieth—which, +as brain power, can easily be +made up by its finer texture,’ replied +the doctor. ‘My belief is, that the +wretched education women have hitherto<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[204]</span> +received has been the sole cause of their +keeping in the background, and that +when they obtain a fair field they will +come to the front. Don’t you agree +with me, Miss Vere?’</p> + +<p>‘Certainly I do. See how they <i>have</i> +come to the front in almost every profession +they have been allowed to enter, +and in so short a time too. It will not +be long now before women will support +themselves entirely by their own labour, +and be independent of marriage and +men.’</p> + +<p>‘That will be a sad day for us,’ +laughed Mr Fowler.</p> + +<p>‘Do you think so? I don’t! I think +we have sold ourselves for board and +lodging long enough, and shall choose +better when we are free to choose.’</p> + +<p>‘We have much to thank women for +even now,’ said Dr Lennard. ‘The +greatest geniuses the world has ever +seen have repeatedly acknowledged that +they owed all their moral and intellectual<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[205]</span> +positions to their mothers. And +it is a well-known fact, that there has +never been an extraordinarily clever man +born of a stupid mother, nor a giant of +a little woman. And yet, in either case, +the father may have been a fool or a +dwarf.’</p> + +<p>‘How do you account, then, for woman’s +inferior position?’ said Lovell.</p> + +<p>‘Because she has been kept down!’ +cried Miss Vere. ‘She has never been +allowed to enjoy the sports, or follow +the vocations, to which she has an equal +right with man. She has been debarred +from proper exercise by a set of prudes, +who consider all out-door amusements +unfitted for modest and womanly women, +but which are in reality the very means +most necessary to develop a woman’s +brain, as well as her body. How then +can men wonder if—if—’</p> + +<p>‘Let me assist you, Miss Vere,’ interrupted +the doctor. ‘I think you were +going to say that the corpuscles of your<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[206]</span> +sex are devoid of the brain nourishing +oxygen, and, if so, I quite agree with you.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes; that is what I meant, doctor; +but I was too ignorant—fault of my +feminine education again, you see—to +find words in which to express myself.’</p> + +<p>‘Everything depends on the rearing of +girls,’ remarked Dr Lennard. ‘Parents +are careful to bring up their sons to +healthful occupations and exercises, but +their daughters are but too often doomed, +by the injustice and short-sighted folly of +the world, to a life of inertion.’</p> + +<p>‘Hardly <i>injustice</i>, doctor,’ said Mrs +Vansittart; ‘it is their own choice. I +am sure women have every liberty now-a-days.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, <i>injustice</i>. The doctor is perfectly +right. There is no other word for it,’ +exclaimed Alice, suddenly bursting into +eloquence.</p> + +<p>‘So you are going to take up the +gauntlet for your sex?’ laughed the doctor. +‘You do not look a very ill-used person,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[207]</span> +though, Miss Alice, with that rose-leaf +complexion and peachy cheek.’</p> + +<p>‘Doctor, it is very rude to be so personal. +You quite confuse me. What +was I talking about?’ said the girl.</p> + +<p>‘Injustice to your lovely sex,’ replied +Mr Fowler.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes. Why have many of our +cleverest women written under an assumed +name, and signed their works by a masculine +one, except that they knew how +difficult it is to convince the world that +anything really good can be produced by +a woman. And then you deny that men +are unjust to us.’</p> + +<p>‘Why, Alice, you astonish me. I had +no idea that you could talk so well,’ said +Captain Lovell, as she finished her peroration.</p> + +<p>But if her eloquence had astonished +the young officer, his familiarity with her +surprised his hearers still more. It was +the first time he had called her by her +Christian name in public, and Alice coloured<span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[208]</span> +scarlet as she heard it. A painful pause +ensued, in which Miss Vere came to the +rescue.</p> + +<p>‘Well, it seems to me,’ she said, ‘that +in discussing women’s brains, we have +quite forgotten that we met to discuss +the private theatricals. Miss Leyton, +have you quite decided to play “Julia” +to Captain Lovell’s “Faulkner”?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, quite, I think,’ replied Alice, +who was still as red as a peony.</p> + +<p>‘Then we must fix on the dresses. I +think you told me you had a white dress +that—’</p> + +<p>‘There is such a splendid ship in sight, +do you know?’ exclaimed Harold Greenwood, +suddenly bursting in upon them. +‘She has four masts, and is going to +Calcutta. Won’t you come on deck and +see her, eh?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, we must run up and see the +ship,’ cried everybody, as they deserted +the smoke-room.</p> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[209]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_contents.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XIV.<br> + +<small>SETTLED.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_t.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="T"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">T</span>HE large vessel, which turned +out to be the <i>Carrickfergus</i>, of +Glasgow, bound for Calcutta, +did not appear to interest Alice Leyton +and Captain Lovell. They gazed at her +for a few moments in silence, and then +turned away, as if by mutual consent, +and walked to the other side of the deck +together.</p> + +<p>‘Why don’t you stay and watch them +pulling up the flags?’ said Alice, as she +perceived that the captain had followed +her.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[210]</span>‘Because I would far rather be with +you. Alice, what is the matter? What +have I done to offend you?’</p> + +<p>‘Do I look offended?’</p> + +<p>‘You do not smile as sweetly as usual, +and I am miserable. Is it possible you +are angry with me?’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I am—a little. Why did you +call me “Alice” before all those people? +You know you have no right to do so, +and the next thing we shall hear, is that +it is reported all over the ship we are +engaged.’</p> + +<p>‘Then let us forestall their gossip, and +make the report true. Let us be engaged, +Alice.’</p> + +<p>‘How can we, when mother won’t hear +of it? She says everything must remain +<i>in statu quo</i> until she sees my father. I +believe she is half sorry I have broken +with Jack Blythe. She is always extolling +his bravery and courage to the skies, +because he jumped in the sea after baby. +I wish,’ continued Alice, with a suspicious<span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[211]</span> +moisture in her blue eyes, ‘I do wish, +Robert, that <i>you</i> had been the one to +save her. Then mother would have +thought nothing too good for <i>you</i>.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, my darling! don’t you believe +I <i>would</i> have done so if Blythe had not +forestalled me? I was looking after +<i>you</i>, you know; and it would have been +of no use <i>two</i> of us jumping into the +water at the same time—would it, now?’</p> + +<p>‘No, I suppose not,’ replied Alice, with +a sigh; ‘but baby is all the world to +mother.’</p> + +<p>‘Then she will have the less trouble +in making up her mind to part with you, +Alice! I have been half afraid to speak +openly to you since that interview with +Mrs Leyton. She seemed so dead set +against my suit. But I think we ought +to understand each other. The matter +really concerns only you and me, and I +want to have something definite to say +to your father when I meet him. Tell +me the truth, then. Do you love me?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[212]</span>‘Oh, Robert! I think you <i>know</i> I do,’ +whispered Alice.</p> + +<p>‘Better than you loved Mr Blythe?’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t think now that I ever really +loved him. I <i>liked</i> him very much. He +is a dear, good fellow. I like him still, +but I feel I could never <i>marry</i> him.’</p> + +<p>‘And could you marry <i>me</i>, darling?’</p> + +<p>Alice’s blushes spoke for her. She was +not much more than a child in years, but +her womanhood was born at that moment, +and she felt her heart leaping in mighty +throbs to welcome it. But her tongue +refused to utter the thoughts that were +surging in her brain.</p> + +<p>‘Can’t you speak to me?’ pleaded +Captain Lovell presently. ‘Just say, +“Robert, I love you, and I will be your +wife,” and my heart will be at rest for +ever more.’</p> + +<p>Alice turned her big blue eyes suddenly +upon him.</p> + +<p>‘I love you,’ she said rapidly, ‘and I +will be your wife.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[213]</span>And then, as if frightened at the sound +of her own boldness, she flushed scarlet +from brow to bosom, and the tears rushed +to her eyes. Lovell thought he had +never seen her look so pretty as when +she stood thus, burning with love and +shame, before him.</p> + +<p>‘My darling!’ he exclaimed, ‘how I +wish that I could kiss you! But a hundred +eyes are on us, and I can only +thank you for your consent by word of +mouth. Thank you a thousand times, +my wife that is to be! I shall be as +brave as a lion, Alice, with your sweet +promise to urge me on. And now, let +the people say what they choose. We +<i>are</i> engaged to one another, and no one +can part us, unless your father does. So +let us be as happy as we can till we +reach New Zealand, and not anticipate +an evil that may never come.’</p> + +<p>‘Here are Miss Vere and Mr Fowler. +Talk of something else,’ said Alice, in a +fearful whisper.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[214]</span>‘Tell me how you employ yourself all +day long at Paradise Farm, Miss Leyton,’ +replied Lovell, taking the cue.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, there are no end of things to be +done! The day is not half long enough. +I help mother in the house during the +mornings, and in the afternoons I ride +or drive or garden, according to the +weather.’</p> + +<p>‘Or pay horrid social calls,’ suggested +the captain.</p> + +<p>‘Not often—that is, in up-country +stations. The distances are too great. +The nearest dwelling-house to ours is +ten miles off. But we drive to the town +sometimes, and to afternoon dances and +teas.’</p> + +<p>‘And in the evenings?’</p> + +<p>‘We read books or do crewel work, +and go to bed at ten.’</p> + +<p>‘Whew!’ said Lovell, giving a long, +low whistle; ‘what an awful existence!’</p> + +<p>‘Don’t try it, then,’ returned Alice +archly; ‘for everybody does the same.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[215]</span> +We rise at four or five, have dinner at +one (and it usually consists of mutton in +every shape and form), tea at six, and +all lights out at ten. You will soon fall +into the custom, and begin yawning at +nine o’clock.’</p> + +<p>‘But what work can such little hands +as yours do?’</p> + +<p>‘Everything! There are very few +servants in New Zealand, and the +squatters’ wives and daughters do all +the cooking, washing, and cleaning +themselves. Sometimes I saddle father’s +horse or my own, and if he is busy, I +chop up wood for the fire, and draw the +water for the use of the house.’</p> + +<p>‘I cannot believe it. You are joking +with me! Such work is not fit for such +a delicate creature as you are,’ said +Lovell, looking genuinely distressed.</p> + +<p>‘Indeed, I am not delicate; and if I +were, I would help my parents all in +my power. I shall always work for +them whilst I am at home.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[216]</span>‘I hope you will not be at home long, +my darling,’ whispered her lover.</p> + +<p>‘If not, I shall work in the house I +go to,’ whispered Alice, in return.</p> + +<p>‘Not while I have a hand to do it +for you,’ said Lovell. ‘Alice! if you +will consent to come and brighten my +poor home with the sunshine of your +presence, you must promise to leave +the hard work to some one else.’</p> + +<p>‘I will promise to do exactly as you +tell me, Robert,’ she answered; ‘but +I’m afraid we are attracting attention, +and it must be nearly time for luncheon. +Here comes Mr and Miss Vansittart. +Let me go back to mother! I feel as +if everybody must guess what we have +been talking of, from my face.’</p> + +<p>‘Little goose—’ said Lovell fondly, as +he handed her down the companion.</p> + +<p>Mr Vansittart was talking so seriously +to his daughter, that they had not even +noticed the presence of the lovers.</p> + +<p>‘Gracie, my dear,’ he had commenced<span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[217]</span> +by saying, ‘I wants to have a little +chat with you about Mr Harland. You +two seem to be taking up with one another, +to my mind, and so I think it +right to warn you before it goes too +far.’</p> + +<p>‘To <i>warn</i> me, papa?’ said Grace, +with open eyes. ‘Of <i>what</i>?’</p> + +<p>‘Why, that before any gentleman proposes +to be your husband, he must be +prepared to satisfy me concerning his +family, and his character, and his means +of making a living. And I am afraid +Mr Harland is <i>not</i> prepared to do so.’</p> + +<p>‘Why should you say that, papa? I +think it is bitterly unfair.’</p> + +<p>‘No, my dear! there ain’t no fairness +nor unfairness about it. It’s just a +matter of business. I’m sorry to see +as Mr Harland is not a favourite aboard +ship, and there’s one or two nasty tales +floating about concerning his card-playing +that have quite choked me off him. +And so I consider it’s time I looked a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[218]</span> +bit after the way he’s going on with +you. You see, my dear, I don’t know +anything about the young man’s antecedents.’</p> + +<p>‘Then I wonder at your bringing him +out to Tabbakooloo with us, papa.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, that was my mistake, Grace. +But then I brought him out as a land-agent, +remember, and not as a son-in-law! +I can dismiss the one, but there’s +no dismissing of the other. And so it +behoves us to be careful. Now tell me +candidly how far you’ve got with him.’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t understand you, papa,’ said +Miss Grace, who, when offended, often +professed not to be able to comprehend +her parents’ meaning.</p> + +<p>‘D—n it all, then, I’ll put it plainer,’ +said Mr Vansittart, getting angry. ‘How +much sweethearting’s gone on between you? +Has he spoken to you of marriage?’</p> + +<p>‘Sometimes; naturally!’</p> + +<p>‘Has he asked you downright to marry +him?’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[219]</span>‘He has intimated that he wished it.’</p> + +<p>‘And what did you say?’</p> + +<p>‘Nothing, papa—’</p> + +<p>‘You’re not engaged to him, nor any +rubbish of that sort, then?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no! How could I be, without +asking your consent, and mamma’s? +But Godfrey—I mean Mr Harland—has +told me several times that he only waits +till we arrive at Tabbakooloo to make +formal proposals for my hand.’</p> + +<p>‘Formal fiddlesticks! If he was half +a man, he’d have spoken up at once. +I’m very much afraid it ain’t all right. +And so, look here, my girl, whatever +Harland may do when he gets ashore, +remember it’s my orders as nothing more +goes on between you now. When he +speaks to me, he’ll get my answer; but I +won’t have any more sweethearting aboard +this ship; and if you disobey me, I shall +take means to keep you apart.’</p> + +<p>‘But, papa, I can’t be cool to Mr Harland. +Every one knows he is your agent.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[220]</span>‘I don’t want you to be cool to him, +but I won’t have any love-making. Your +mother saw him kiss you last night in +the cabin passage. You must put a stop +to that sort of thing at once. Do you +fully understand me?’</p> + +<p>‘Fully,’ replied Miss Vansittart, who +fully understood her own intentions also.</p> + +<p>‘I don’t believe the fellow’s got a sixpence +to jingle on a tombstone,’ continued +Mr Vansittart, waxing warmer at his +daughter’s reticence; ‘and a pauper don’t +marry my only child. It’s like his impudence +to dream of it. Not that I +would have made his poverty an objection +(having so much myself), if it hadn’t +been for those other things. But a man +as cheats at play, must be bad all round.’</p> + +<p>‘Who <i>dares</i> to say that he cheats at +play?’ exclaimed Grace Vansittart, firing +up in defence of her absent lover. ‘It’s +a lie, father. I am sure of it. Mr Harland +would be incapable of such a meanness.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[221]</span>‘Well, I hope so, my dear, but I must +know a little more about it before I +decide. Besides, that’s not all. He had +a violent quarrel with some low fellow in +the second cabin the other night, and +part of their conversation was overheard, +and has got about the ship, and it isn’t +nice—not nice at all. So, you see, until +I can be satisfied of the falseness of such +rumours, I can’t do less than warn you, +my dear, not to show anything more +than civility to Mr Harland. If I find +on further inquiry that they are true, I +shall give him his return passage-money, +and his dismissal, as soon as ever we +touch land, for I won’t have such a man +at Tabbakooloo.’</p> + +<p>Grace was weeping silently by this +time beneath her veil. She was a proud, +self-willed girl, and she would let her +father see neither her tears nor her determination +to have her own way. But she foresaw +the trouble and opposition that would +ensue, and felt much injured in consequence.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[222]</span>‘You don’t answer me,’ continued Mr +Vansittart, perceiving she was sulky, ‘and +I daresay you feel a bit disappointed; +but I mean what I say, and I intend +you shall obey me. And don’t forget +I shall be keeping a sharp eye on you, +my girl, so it’s no use trying to deceive +me. And now go down to your lunch, +and don’t let’s hear any more of the +subject.’</p> + +<p>Grace dried her tears, and obeyed her +father’s behest, but she felt obstinately +rebellious the while. Matters had gone +much further between her and Godfrey +Harland than her parents had any idea +of, but they would never learn the truth +now from her. She was one of those +women—very few and far between—who +have the power to keep their own secrets. +The day came, and not so long after, +when Grace Vansittart was forced to +acknowledge the justice of her father’s +commands, but she never gave him the +satisfaction of hearing so. The day<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[223]</span> +dawned also when the weeks she spent +on board the <i>Pandora</i> were things of the +past, and a new life had opened before +her—a life in which ‘Charlie Monro’ +took a part, and Mrs Vansittart’s prayers +for her daughter’s future were fulfilled.</p> + +<p>But had Charlie been fully acquainted +with all that had transpired during the +voyage to New Zealand, would Grace +Vansittart ever have been transformed +into Mrs Monro? Who can tell? If +all our inmost secrets were laid bare, +would any one of us, male or female, +occupy the positions which we hold in +the estimation of the world?</p> + +<p>The most exciting part of transmigration +to another sphere, must surely be +the fact that in that ærial ‘Palace of +Truth’ we are promised the secrets of +all hearts shall be revealed.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i113.jpg" alt=""></div> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[224]</span> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i035a.jpg" alt=""></div> + +<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XV.<br> + +<small>THE LETTER.</small></h2> +</div> + +<div> + <img class="drop-cap" src="images/i_dc_i.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="I"> +</div> + +<p><span class="drop-cap">I</span>T may be remembered that a +certain letter written by Mr +Vansittart to Godfrey Harland, +and left by that gentleman in his coat +pocket, was the means by which Iris +discovered his intention to desert her. +Strange to say, Harland had never missed +the letter. He only visited his home on +one occasion after that evening, and then +the excitement of his new prospects, and +the necessity of keeping up appearances +to deceive his wife, had prevented his +discovering his loss. Iris had preserved<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[225]</span> +the paper carefully, and brought it with +her on board the <i>Pandora</i>. She intended +to produce it in proof of her right to have +followed her husband to New Zealand; +and, in case of his attempting to excuse +himself, to confront him with the witness +to his treachery. When Maggie told her +that Godfrey was paying open court to +Grace Vansittart, Iris took out her box +of letters, and turned them over, and +read that one amongst others, to see if +she could discover that he had had any +positive intention of committing bigamy +before he started on the voyage,—whether, +in fact, his wooing of Miss Vansittart was +the result of an unfortunate passion, or of +a premeditated crime. And, in putting back +her papers, she dropped Mr Vansittart’s +note upon the cabin floor. It was picked +up and read by Will Farrell. As he was +debating what to do with it—having promised +Maggie Greet that he would never +divulge to Iris that he knew her to be +Godfrey Harland’s wife—Iris herself came<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[226]</span> +into the cabin, and walked its length with +her eyes upon the floor, as though searching +for something.</p> + +<p>‘Have you lost anything, Miss +Douglas?’ asked Farrell, as he watched +her.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I have dropped a letter—a very +important letter. Have you seen it, +steward?’ she said, in her sweet, low +voice.</p> + +<p>‘No, miss, I ain’t,’ replied the steward. +‘When did you have it last?’</p> + +<p>‘Only this morning. I was reading +over some old letters, and this one +amongst them. It is written on thick, +glazed paper, and has a large monogram +in red and gold at the top. I shall be +very vexed if I lose it.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, I’ll find it for you if it’s aboard, +miss. But p’raps it’s blowed over. The +wind has been very fresh through the +cabin, to-day,’ replied the steward, jingling +his glasses.</p> + +<p>‘Oh! I <i>hope</i> not!’ exclaimed Iris, clasping<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[227]</span> +her hands in genuine distress. ‘It +is of the utmost consequence to me. Pray +look for it at once, steward; it may have +got into your pantry, amongst the breakfast +things.’</p> + +<p>The steward bundled off into his sanctum, +and Will Farrell approached her +with the letter in his hand.</p> + +<p>‘Is this what you are looking for, Miss +Douglas?’</p> + +<p>Iris flushed scarlet.</p> + +<p>‘Oh, yes, it is indeed! I am so much +obliged to you! Where did you find it?’</p> + +<p>‘Under the table. I picked it up about +an hour ago.’</p> + +<p>Iris took the letter, and twisted it about +nervously in her fingers.</p> + +<p>‘Mr Farrell, have you read it?’ she said +at last timidly.</p> + +<p>‘Yes, Miss Douglas, I have, and, begging +your pardon, I should like to know +how it came into your possession.’</p> + +<p>He knew well enough, but he said it +to force her to a confession of the truth.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[228]</span>‘I—I don’t quite understand you,’ she +stammered.</p> + +<p>‘I mean how is it that you hold a letter +addressed to Godfrey Harland?’</p> + +<p>‘Do you know him?’ she asked quickly.</p> + +<p>‘<i>Know him!</i> I should rather think I +did. I know him for the greatest scoundrel +unhung.’</p> + +<p>‘Hush!—hush!’ cried Iris fearfully.</p> + +<p>‘I’m not afraid of who may hear me, +Miss Douglas. The whole ship might +listen, for ought I should care about it. +But I am sorry to think so true a lady +as yourself should have any connection +(however distant) with such a blackguard +as Godfrey Harland.’</p> + +<p>‘Ah! you don’t know—’ she commenced, +with a look of the keenest pain.</p> + +<p>‘Won’t you tell me?’ he said coaxingly. +‘I’m a rough fellow, Miss +Douglas, and not a fit friend, perhaps, +for the like of you. But I can see +you’re in trouble, and if your trouble is +connected with that man, you’ll want a<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[229]</span> +friend to help you through with it. He’s +a rascal—I can’t help saying it, whatever +you may think of him, and if he can cheat +you, he will, as he has done others, over +and over again.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh! I think I could trust you!’ exclaimed +Iris involuntarily; ‘for you look +honest and true, Mr Farrell, and you love +Maggie, and Maggie loves me. Yes, I +feel sure you will be the friend of <i>her</i> friend. +But how astonished you will be when I tell +you the truth! Stoop your head lower, +that no one may hear us. My name is +not Miss Douglas at all. It is Iris Harland. +I am Godfrey Harland’s wife.’</p> + +<p>‘God help you, poor thing!’ exclaimed +Farrell fervently.</p> + +<p>‘Ah! what do you know against him +to say that?’ she replied, shrinking from +him. ‘Did you ever hear of him before +you met on board-ship?’</p> + +<p>‘I have known him, to my misfortune, +for years, Miss Douglas. He has been +the ruin of my life.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[230]</span>‘God forgive him! How?’</p> + +<p>‘We were clerks in the same office, +though he was in a higher position than +myself, and his real name (as I suppose +you know) is Horace Cain.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>Horace Cain!</i> repeated Iris, with +knitted brows. ‘I never heard of it. Mr +Farrell, are you <i>sure</i> you are not making +a mistake? He married me as Godfrey +Harland.’</p> + +<p>‘Then he married you under a false +name. But he had good reason for changing +it, as I will prove to you. How well +I remember the day his father, old Mr +Cain, brought him to Starling’s office, and +what a swell we all thought him! He +had only left college a few weeks then, +owing to their loss of fortune, and he gave +himself all the airs of a millionaire. We +were very much prejudiced against him at +first, because old Starling (who was a friend +of his father’s) placed him over all our +heads, although he did not know anything +of the business. However, it was his policy<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[231]</span> +to make himself agreeable, and learn all he +could. And nice work he made of the +knowledge he gained. He hadn’t been +six months in the office, before a forgery +was committed on old Starling’s bank for +eight hundred pounds.</p> + +<p>‘Mr Farrell,’ cried Iris, turning very +white, as she clutched his arm, ‘it was +not <i>Godfrey</i> who did it?’</p> + +<p>‘It certainly was, Miss Douglas.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, no, no! He is very bad. He is +cruel and false and ungenerous, I know, +but <i>surely</i> he never committed such an +awful crime.’</p> + +<p>‘Miss Douglas, Harland was the forger +of that cheque, as sure as we sit here. He +has never denied it to me. He <i>cannot</i>. +There were but two of us who <i>could</i> have +done it—he and myself—and <i>I</i> know that +it was not I.’</p> + +<p>‘But how could he escape?’</p> + +<p>‘He bolted to America, leaving a very +cleverly-concocted letter behind him to +say that he knew that the suspicion would<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[232]</span> +falsely fall upon himself, and that he was +unable either to bear such a calumny, or +turn Queen’s evidence against one whom +he had treated as a friend. And by the +time the letter was received, he was clear +off under an assumed name, having left +part of the receipts for the forged cheque +(which he sent <i>me</i> to cash) in my desk, +where, to my utter amazement, they were +found, rolled up in some old bills. Suspicion, +of course, fell upon me, but Cain’s +conduct in running away was so mysterious, +that we were considered to be +partners in crime, and as Mr Starling, +for his old friend’s sake, would institute +no proceedings against Horace, he refused +also to prosecute me. But he turned me +out of his office without a character, and +a stain upon my name, and the curse has +followed me ever since. I have tried +again and again, Miss Douglas, to procure +permanent employment. I have even +stooped to menial service, with the same +result. I get on well; I grow in favour<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[233]</span> +with my employers; I work hard—and +then, just as I am rising to something better, +the curse comes down upon me, the old +lie crops up. I am dubbed as a suspected +<i>forger</i>, and dismissed without ceremony. +It is this that sickened me of trying to +live in England, and determined me to +try my fortune in another land. In New +Zealand the old story may be forgotten, +and, if not, I shall find others as bad as +myself. And now you know, Miss +Douglas, why I <i>hate</i> Godfrey Harland. I +met him before we started, and warned +him not to come near me during the +voyage. He has chosen to disregard +that warning, and we have had a quarrel +over it. If he does it a second time, I +have threatened to expose him to the +whole ship’s company, and I will keep +my word. I will yet pay Horace Cain +out for the cruel turn he did me years +ago.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Mr Farrell, don’t say that!’ exclaimed +Iris, who had grown as white as<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[234]</span> +a sheet as she listened to the disgraceful +story. ‘Hard as it is for me to say it, +remember he is my husband, and I am +bound to live with him. For God’s sake +don’t make my position worse than it need +be. I can’t tell you how I dread the prospect +now. But as the wife of <i>a forger</i>! +Oh, heavens! it is too much, even for +<i>me</i> to bear!’</p> + +<p>And she drooped her head upon the +table and buried her face in her hands.</p> + +<p>‘<i>Too much</i>,’ repeated Farrell. ‘I should +think it <i>was</i> too much. It is sacrilege to +think of such a thing. Miss Douglas, you +must not go back to him. He is not +worthy of a second thought from you. By +your own confession, he has made you +miserable—else why are you following him +under an assumed name, instead of openly +proclaiming yourself his wife?’</p> + +<p>‘I was afraid,’ faltered Iris. ‘He deserted +me,—left me to starve and—’</p> + +<p>‘And took to courting Miss Vansittart +instead. Cannot you see the little game<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[235]</span> +he is playing now, Miss Douglas. He +wants to add bigamy to his other misdemeanours. +He has an idea of marrying +his employer’s daughter, and getting a +handsome dowry with her, I suppose. I +know he has given himself out as an unmarried +man, and all the ship imagines +they are an engaged couple.’</p> + +<p>‘Maggie has told me the same,’ cried +Iris excitedly, ‘but I cannot believe it. +How could he be so foolish, when he knows +that I live, and any mail might take out a +letter to reveal the truth. Besides, notwithstanding +all his unkindness to me, I +<i>did</i> think sometimes that he loved me a +little.’</p> + +<p>‘There speaks your woman’s vanity, +Miss Douglas, and not your common +sense. How can any man <i>love</i> the +woman whom he makes miserable. But +if you doubt his motives respecting Miss +Vansittart, watch them, and judge for +yourself.’</p> + +<p>‘How can I watch them from this<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[236]</span> +cabin. I only see them sometimes in +the evenings walking together on the +poop.’</p> + +<p>‘They have theatricals to-night, you +know, in the little theatre that the sailors +rigged up in the after-part of the vessel. +Go and see them, and you will probably +have a domestic drama enacted for your +private benefit. Both Mr Harland and +Miss Vansittart have refused to act. +They prefer sitting together in the semi-darkness +in front. Take my advice, and +when you come back to this cabin, you +will tell me your mind is made up.’</p> + +<p>‘But if I should be seen? I have been +so very careful since coming on board, to +keep out of his way.’</p> + +<p>‘But <i>why</i>? What is your object in +concealing yourself, now that we are out +at sea?’</p> + +<p>‘I don’t quite know,’ faltered Iris; ‘but +I am so afraid of him. He is so violent, +you know, when he is disturbed.’</p> + +<p>‘And will he be less so on land? Or<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[237]</span> +do you think you will have more protection +from him there than here? Miss +Douglas, excuse me for saying I think +you are quite wrong. As you <i>have</i> followed +him (which seems to have been a +great mistake to me), the sooner you discover +yourself the better. Every day +you keep the truth from him you increase +the chance of Miss Vansittart being made +as unhappy as yourself. I don’t know +what sort of a girl she is, but since <i>you</i> +could be deceived by his false tongue +into believing him to be good and true, +I suppose she may be the same.’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, how I wish I had never followed +him!’ exclaimed Iris; ‘but what was I to +do? He left us (Maggie and me) without +money or credit or anything, just to +steal or starve as we thought fit. And +I was indignant with him, and I knew it +was his duty to support me, and so I decided +to come too. And now I feel as if +I would rather drown than go through +what lies before me.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[238]</span>‘Don’t think of yourself. Think of +Miss Vansittart,’ urged Farrell. ‘It is +bitterly unfair that she should be a victim +as well as you.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes, I <i>will</i> think of her, poor girl,’ +said Iris, ‘and if I am convinced that +Godfrey means harm to her—’</p> + +<p>‘Watch them when they think they are +unobserved, and you will soon be convinced +of it, Miss Douglas. The sailors +could tell you some fine stories of their +sweethearting on deck after dark. The +girl is infatuated with him. And I think +his only object is to get her so completely +in his power that she shall marry +him on landing, whether her parents consent +to it or not.’</p> + +<p>‘It shall never go as far as that,’ said +Iris, clenching her teeth.</p> + +<p>‘Then prevent it going any further now, +for the sake of your own dignity, and +that of your sex, Miss Douglas. You +may think you know Mr Harland’s +character thoroughly, but I am sure you<span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[239]</span> +are not aware of half of what he is +capable. Let me take you to the performance +this evening, and I will guarantee +you shall not be discovered. You +can pretend you have the faceache, and +wrap your head up in a veil, and I will +place you in a dark corner where you +shall see without being seen.’</p> + +<p>‘Yes! I <i>will</i> go,’ replied Iris determinedly. +‘Even if the price were to +be instantaneous discovery, I would go.’</p> + +<p>‘And if you find the case to be as I +have described it to you?’</p> + +<p>‘If I have self-evident proofs that +my husband is deceiving this girl by +making love to her, I will go to him +at once, and tell him I have discovered +his plans, and will circumvent +them.’</p> + +<p>‘Bravo! Miss Douglas. That is spoken +like a brave woman. I was certain you +would eventually decide <i>that</i> to be the +only honest course before you. But why +are you crying? Surely you do not consider<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[240]</span> +Godfrey Harland to be worthy of +your tears?’</p> + +<p>‘Oh, Mr Farrell! you do not understand,’ +sobbed Iris. ‘You do not know +how hard it is for a woman to come to +the conclusion that she has been wasting +all her love on an unworthy object. I +am not weeping for the loss of <i>him</i>. I +am weeping for the loss of my self-respect,—of +my faith in my fellow-creatures,—my +faith in my own judgment +and discrimination. I feel so crushed—so +humiliated—so ashamed, and as +if I never could put trust in anything +on earth again.’</p> + +<p>‘Well! I don’t know as it’s wise to +do it at any time,’ replied Farrell; ‘but +“one swallow doesn’t make a summer.” +You should take pattern by Maggie. +She seems to have had a rough time +of it, poor child, but she’s willing to +throw it all behind her back, and try +again.’</p> + +<p>‘<i>Has</i> Maggie been unhappy?’ inquired<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[241]</span> +Iris, drying her eyes. She +never told me so. And yet sometimes I +have fancied there was <i>something</i> which +she kept to herself, when she has been +particularly kind and loving to me. Oh! +she is a dear good girl, Mr Farrell, and I +am sure she will repay your love to her. +I cannot tell you what she has been to +me all through my wretched married life.’</p> + +<p>‘Well, the ways of women are queer,’ +said Farrell, scratching his head thoughtfully, +‘and I don’t pretend to understand +them. But I’m sure of one thing, that +whatever Maggie is, or has been, she +loves you, Miss Douglas, just like her +own life. And she’d give up her life for +yours any day into the bargain. I’m as +sure of it as I am that there’s a heaven +above us.’</p> + +<p>‘And so am I,’ responded Iris warmly, +as she made her escape to her own cabin.</p> + +<p class="center">END OF VOL. II.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> +<p class="center">COLSTON AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<div class="transnote"> +<p class="ph1">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:</p> + +<p>Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p> + +<p>Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.</p> + +<p>Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.</p> +</div></div> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75727 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/75727-h/images/cover.jpg b/75727-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..82a8da9 --- /dev/null +++ b/75727-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/75727-h/images/coversmall.jpg b/75727-h/images/coversmall.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e588ee3 --- /dev/null +++ b/75727-h/images/coversmall.jpg diff --git a/75727-h/images/i001a.jpg b/75727-h/images/i001a.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 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