The Little Minister

by J. M. Barrie

  Chapter Thirty-One.

  VARIOUS BODIES CONVERGING ON THE HILL.

  It would be coming on for a quarter-past nine, and a misty night, whenI reached the school-house, and I was so weary of mind and body that Isat down without taking off my bonnet. I had left the door open, and Iremember listlessly watching the wind making a target of my candle,but never taking a sufficiently big breath to do more than frightenit. From this lethargy I was roused by the sound of wheels.

  In the daytime our glen road leads to many parts, but in the nightonly to the doctor's. Then the gallop of a horse makes farmers startup in bed and cry, "Who's ill?" I went to my door and listened to thetrap coming swiftly down the lonely glen, but I could not see it, forthere was a trailing scarf of mist between the school-house and theroad. Presently I heard the swish of the wheels in water, and solearned that they were crossing the ford to come to me. I had beenunstrung by the events of the evening, and fear at once pressed thickupon me that this might be a sequel to them, as indeed it was.

  While still out of sight the trap stopped, and I heard some one jumpfrom it. Then came this conversation, as distinct as though it hadbeen spoken into my ear:

  "Can you see the school-house now, McKenzie?"

  "I am groping for it, Rintoul. The mist seems to have made off withthe path."

  "Where are you, McKenzie? I have lost sight of you."

  It was but a ribbon of mist, and as these words were spoken McKenziebroke through it. I saw him, though to him I was only a stone at mydoor.

  "I have found the house, Rintoul," he shouted, "and there is a lightin it, so that the fellow has doubtless returned."

  "Then wait a moment for me."

  "Stay where you are, Rintoul, I entreat you, and leave him to me. Hemay recognize you."

  "No, no, McKenzie, I am sure he never saw me before. I insist onaccompanying you."

  "Your excitement, Rintoul, will betray you. Let me go alone. I canquestion him without rousing his suspicions. Remember, she is only agypsy to him."

  "He will learn nothing from me. I am quite calm now."

  "Rintoul, I warn you your manner will betray you, and to-morrow itwill be roared through the countryside that your bride ran away fromthe Spittal in a gypsy dress, and had to be brought back by force."

  The altercation may have lasted another minute, but the suddennesswith which I learned Babbie's secret had left my ears incapable oflearning more. I daresay the two men started when they found me at mydoor, but they did not remember, as few do remember who have the noisyday to forget it in, how far the voice carries in the night.

  They came as suddenly on me as I on them, for though they had givenunintentional notice of their approach, I had lost sight of thespeakers in their amazing words. Only a moment did young McKenzie'sanxiety to be spokesman give me to regard Lord Rintoul. I saw that hewas a thin man and tall, straight in the figure, but his head began tosink into his shoulders and not very steady on them. His teeth hadgrip of his under-lip, as if this was a method of controlling hisagitation, and he was opening and shutting his hands restlessly. Hehad a dog with him which I was to meet again.

  "Well met, Mr. Ogilvy," said McKenzie, who knew me slightly, havingonce acted as judge at a cock-fight in the school-house. "We wereafraid we should have to rouse you."

  "You will step inside?" I asked awkwardly, and while I spoke I waswondering how long it would be before the earl's excitement brokeout.

  "It is not necessary," McKenzie answered hurriedly. "My friend and I(this is Mr. McClure) have been caught in the mist without a lamp, andwe thought you could perhaps favor us with one."

  "Unfortunately I have nothing of the kind," I said, and the state ofmind I was in is shown by my answering seriously.

  "Then we must wish you a good-night and manage as best we can," hesaid; and then before he could touch, with affected indifference, onthe real object of their visit, the alarmed earl said angrily,"McKenzie, no more of this."

  "No more of this delay, do you mean, McClure?" asked McKenzie, andthen, turning to me said, "By the way, Mr. Ogilvy, I think this is oursecond meeting to-night. I met you on the road a few hours ago withyour wife. Or was it your daughter?"

  "It was neither, Mr. McKenzie," I answered, with the calmness of onenot yet recovered from a shock. "It was a gypsy girl."

  "Where is she now?" cried Rintoul feverishly; but McKenzie, speakingloudly at the same time, tried to drown his interference as oneobliterates writing by writing over it.

  "A strange companion for a schoolmaster," he said. "What became ofher?"

  "I left her near Caddam Wood," I replied, "but she is probably notthere now."

  "Ah, they are strange creatures, these gypsies!" he said, casting awarning look at the earl. "Now I wonder where she had been boundfor."

  "There is a gypsy encampment on the hill," I answered, though I cannotsay why.

  "She is there!" exclaimed Rintoul, and was done with me.

  "I daresay," McKenzie said indifferently. "However, it is nothing tous. Good-night, sir."

  The earl had started for the trap, but McKenzie's salute reminded himof a forgotten courtesy, and, despite his agitation, he came back toapologize. I admired him for this. Then my thoughtlessness must needsmar all.

  "Good-night, Mr. McKenzie," I said. "Good-night, Lord Rintoul."

  I had addressed him by his real name. Never a turnip fell from abumping, laden cart, and the driver more unconscious of it, than Ithat I had dropped that word. I re-entered the house, but had notreached my chair when McKenzie's hand fell roughly on me, and I wasswung round.

  "Mr. Ogilvy," he said, the more savagely I doubt not because hispassions had been chained so long, "you know more than you would haveus think. Beware, sir, of recognising that gypsy should you ever seeher again in different attire. I advise you to have forgotten thisnight when you waken to-morrow morning."

  With a menacing gesture he left me, and I sank into a chair, glad tolose sight of the glowering eyes with which he had pinned me to thewall. I did not hear the trap cross the ford and renew its journey.When I looked out next, the night had fallen very dark, and the glenwas so deathly in its drowsiness that I thought not even the cry ofmurder could tear its eyes open.

  The earl and McKenzie would be some distance still from the hill whenthe office-bearers had scoured it in vain for their minister. Thegypsies, now dancing round their fires to music that, on ordinaryoccasions, Lang Tammas would have stopped by using his fists to theglory of God, had seen no minister, they said, and disbelieved in theexistence of the mysterious Egyptian.

  "Liars they are to trade," Spens declared to his companions, "but nowand again they speak truth, like a standing clock, and I'm beginningto think the minister's lassie was invented in the square."

  "Not so," said the precentor, "for we saw her oursel's a short yearsyne, and Hendry Munn there allows there's townsfolk that hae passedher in the glen mair recently."

  "I only allowed," Hendry said cautiously, "that some sic talk had shotup sudden-like in the town. Them that pretends they saw her says thatshe joukit quick out o' sicht."

  "Ay, and there's another quirk in that," responded the suspiciousprecentor.

  "I'se uphaud the minister's sitting in the manse in his slippers bythis time," Hendry said.

  "I'm willing," replied Whamond, "to gang back and speir, or to searchCaddam next; but let the matter drop I winna, though I ken you're a'awid to be hame now."

  "And naturally," retorted Tosh, "for the nicht's coming on as black aspick, and by the time we're at Caddam we'll no even see the trees."

  Toward Caddam, nevertheless, they advanced, hearing nothing but adistant wind and the whish of their legs in the broom.

  "Whaur's John Spens?" Hendry said suddenly.

  They turned back and found Spens rooted to the ground, as a boybecomes motionless when he thinks he is within arm's reach of a nestand the bird sitting on the eggs.

  "What do you see, man?" Hendry whispered.

  "As sure as de
ath," answered Spens, awe-struck, "I felt a drap o'rain."

  "It's no rain we're here to look for," said the precentor.

  "Peter Tosh," cried Spens, "it was a drap! Oh, Peter! how are youlooking at me so queer, Peter, when you should be thanking the Lordfor the promise that's in that drap?"

  "Come away," Whamond said, impatiently; but Spens answered, "No tillI've offered up a prayer for the promise that's in that drap. PeterTosh, you've forgotten to take off your bonnet."

  "Think twice, John Spens," gasped Tosh, "afore you pray for rain thisnicht."

  The others thought him crazy, but he went on, with a catch in hisvoice:

  "I felt a drap o' rain mysel', just afore it came on dark so hurried,and my first impulse was to wish that I could carry that drap aboutwi' me and look at it. But, John Spens, when I looked up I saw sic achange running ower the sky that I thocht hell had taen the place o'heaven, and that there was waterspouts gathering therein for thedrowning o' the world."

  "There's no water in hell," the precentor said grimly.

  "Genesis ix.," said Spens, "verses 8 to 17. Ay, but, Peter, you'vestartled me, and I'm thinking we should be stepping hame. Is that alicht?"

  "It'll be in Nanny Webster's," Hendry said, after they had allregarded the light.

  "I never heard that Nanny needed a candle to licht her to her bed,"the precentor muttered.

  "She was awa to meet Sanders the day as he came out o' the Tilliedrumgaol," Spens remembered, "and I daresay the licht means they're hameagain."

  "It's well kent--" began Hendry, and would have recalled his words.

  "Hendry Munn," cried the precentor, "if you hae minded onything thatmay help us, out wi't."

  "I was just minding," the kirk officer answered reluctantly, "thatNanny allows it's Mr. Dishart that has been keeping her frae thepoorhouse. You canna censure him for that, Tammas."

  "Can I no?" retorted Whamond. "What business has he to befriend awoman that belongs to another denomination? I'll see to the bottom o'that this nicht. Lads, follow me to Nanny's, and dinna be surprised ifwe find baith the minister and the Egyptian there."

  They had not advanced many yards when Spens jumped to the side,crying, "Be wary, that's no the wind; it's a machine!"

  Immediately the doctor's dogcart was close to them, with Rob Dow forits only occupant. He was driving slowly, or Whamond could not haveescaped the horse's hoofs.

  "Is that you, Rob Dow?" said the precentor sourly. "I tell you, you'llbe gaoled for stealing the doctor's machine."

  "The Hielandman wasna muckle hurt, Rob," Hendry said, moregood-naturedly.

  "I ken that," replied Rob, scowling at the four of them. "What are youdoing here on sic a nicht?"

  "Do you see anything strange in the nicht, Rob?" Tosh askedapprehensively.

  "It's setting to rain," Dow replied. "I dinna see it, but I feel it."

  "Ay," said Tosh, eagerly, "but will it be a saft, cowdie sweetding-on?"

  "Let the heavens open if they will," interposed Spens recklessly. "Iwould swap the drought for rain, though it comes down in a sheet as inthe year twelve."

  "And like a sheet it'll come," replied Dow, "and the deil'll blaw itabout wi' his biggest bellowses."

  Tosh shivered, but Whamond shook him roughly, saying--

  "Keep your oaths to yoursel', Rob Dow, and tell me, hae you seen Mr.Dishart?"

  "I hinna," Rob answered curtly, preparing to drive on.

  "Nor the lassie they call the Egyptian?"

  Rob leaped from the dogcart, crying, "What does that mean?"

  "Hands off," said the precentor, retreating from him. "It means thatMr. Dishart neglected the prayer-meeting this nicht to philander afterthat heathen woman."

  "We're no sure o't, Tammas," remonstrated the kirk officer. Dow stoodquite still. "I believe Rob kens it's true," Hendry added sadly, "orhe would hae flown at your throat, Tammas Whamond, for saying thesewords."

  Even this did not rouse Dow.

  "Rob doesna worship the minister as he used to do," said Spens.

  "And what for no?" cried the precentor. "Rob Dow, is it because you'vefound out about this woman?"

  "You're a pack o' liars," roared Rob, desperately, "and if you sayagain that ony wandering hussy has haud o' the minister, I'll let yousee whether I can loup at throats."

  "You'll swear by the Book," asked Whamond, relentlessly, "that you'veseen neither o' them this nicht, nor them thegither at any time?"

  "I so swear by the Book," answered poor loyal Rob. "But what makes youlook for Mr. Dishart here?" he demanded, with an uneasy look at thelight in the mudhouse.

  "Go hame," replied the precentor, "and deliver up the machine youstole, and leave this Session to do its duty. John, we maun fathom themeaning o' that licht."

  Dow started, and was probably at that moment within an ace of fellingWhamond.

  "I'll come wi' you," he said, hunting in his mind for a better way ofhelping Gavin.

  They were at Nanny's garden, but in the darkness Whamond could notfind the gate. Rob climbed the paling, and was at once lost sight of.Then they saw his head obscure the window. They did not, however, hearthe groan that startled Babbie.

  "There's nobody there," he said, coming back, "but Nanny and Sanders.You'll mind Sanders was to be freed the day."

  "I'll go in and see Sanders," said Hendry, but the precentor pulledhim back, saying, "You'll do nothing o' the kind, Hendry Munn; you'llcome awa wi' me now to the manse."

  "It's mair than me and Peter'll do, then," said Spens, who had beenconsulting with the other farmer. "We're gaun as straucht hame as thedarkness'll let us."

  With few more words the Session parted, Spens and Tosh setting off fortheir farms, and Hendry accompanying the precentor. No one will everknow where Dow went. I can fancy him, however, returning to the wood,and there drawing rein. I can fancy his mind made up to watch themudhouse until Gavin and the gypsy separated, and then pounce uponher. I daresay his whole plot could be condensed into a sentence, "Ifshe's got rid o' this nicht, we may cheat the Session yet." But thisis mere surmise. All I know is that he waited near Nanny's house, andby and by heard another trap coming up Windyghoul. That was justbefore the ten o'clock bell began to ring.