Miss Fairfax of Virginia: A Romance of Love and Adventure Under the Palmettos

by St. George Rathborne

  CHAPTER XII.

  THE MAN WHO MADE SIGNS.

  It was no time for delay.

  Enough precious minutes had been already wasted while he listened tothe remarks of the trio upon the upper deck.

  Georgia had made some laughing remark at the haste shown in theirdeparture--she knew the weakness of Don Porfidio, and rallied themon their readiness to seek the confines of the stuffy cabin becauseforsooth a gentleman had come on board with a basket of champagne.

  Perhaps, woman like, she was a little piqued because they beat such ahasty retreat.

  Well, there was one ascending the ladder at this very moment whom athousand baskets, each loaded to the brim with the finest of Mumms'Extra Dry could not tempt from the locality which she graced with hercharming presence.

  Roderic mounted eagerly.

  Yes, the coast was clear.

  The young girl sat quite alone, apparently lost in deep thought.

  Around her were several steamer chairs, just as the gallant trio hadleft them when they made their hasty escape.

  Roderic's eyes were glued on the girl.

  She had one hand up to her head--her rounded cheek was poised upon theforefinger, and in the ravished eyes of this enthusiastic adorer shemade the most charming spectacle on earth.

  He drew near, endeavoring to calm the tumultuous throbbing of his heart.

  Heaven was kind to allow him such an opportunity, so much more than hehad expected or even hoped for in his wildest fancies.

  Now he stood behind her--not more than three feet separated them.

  It was a moment of intense suspense, since Roderic hardly knew how heshould make his presence known without alarming the girl, and besides,wished to become entirely calm ere trusting himself to speak.

  She evidently heard the slight movement he made--at least she seemedto be aware of his presence, for while she did not move she presentlyspoke.

  "Well, you have returned?"

  No answer.

  "I said you had evidently come back, sir."

  "Yes," replied Roderic, weakly.

  "I don't understand why you should," she said, a little scornfully.

  Roderic hardly knew himself, save that somehow for the life of him hecould not help it--there was an attraction in her presence that it wasutterly useless to resist.

  "Nor I," he muttered in reply.

  "Indeed, that is singular. I am sure I can spare your presence whenthere is a far greater attraction in the captain's chart room. Pray, donot deprive yourself of such enchanting society because I shall be leftalone. I have quite consoling company in my thoughts of those far away.Leave me, therefore, I beg."

  Then it dawned upon the benighted man that this little witch hadbeen addressing him under the positive belief that it was one of thegentlemen who had made such a mad bolt for the cabin.

  Her words too gave him a delicious satisfaction--could she refer to himespecially when she thus spoke of those to whom her mind wandered withpleasure--those who were supposed to be separated by many leagues ofwater?

  At any rate he hugged the sweet delusion to his heart--these lovers arevoraciously selfish.

  "Why don't you say something--have you lost your tongue, _amigo_?" shedemanded.

  He still hesitated, and overcome by the temptation of her dear presenceput out a trembling hand and touched her raven hair.

  At this the girl suddenly roused herself and as she turned her headquickly Roderic found himself looking into those wonderful orbs thatlong ago had so riddled his wretched heart that it might have done dutyas a housewife's sieve.

  They were filled with astonishment at first, then indignation andgathering anger, for this girl of the South had a temper.

  "How _dare_ you touch me?"

  Roderic made a mute appeal, this time with both hands--while she wastalking with gathering emphasis, and really allowing him no opportunityto open with an explanation, he was thus going through a series ofremarkable gesticulations that would have certainly amused an outsidespectator could he have seen them.

  Even Georgia became conscious that the strange sailor man wasendeavoring to prove his devotion--he clasped his hands and wrung them,he held out his arms, entreatingly, he pressed one hand over his heartas he sank on his knee, holding the other as might a princely beggarsoliciting alms.

  All of which at length aroused her feminine curiosity, and she ceasedscolding him for his apparent impudence, to demand wonderingly:

  "Are you mute--have you lost your tongue--why don't you answer and tellme who are you and what in the name of the Virgin do you mean by suchoperatic gestures?"

  His chance had come at last.

  "I want--_you_!" he managed to say, nor was he able to recognize hisown voice.

  "Indeed, you are modesty personified; but I must tell you, MasterImpudence, that you cannot have _me_, and that unless you returninstantly to the quarter where you belong I shall signal to the cabinand summon assistance. Instantly, do you understand, sirrah?" and sheemphasized the command with an imperious little stamp of her foot uponthe deck, that would have done credit, Roderic thought, to a queen.

  "Yes, I understand," he said, his voice growing bolder as he began touse it.

  "Then why do you not obey me?" she asked, as if surprised at thedensity of his intellect.

  "Because I am bound in chains--because I live only in yourpresence--because it would require more resolution than I possess tovoluntarily quit your presence," he declared, warmly.

  Roderic was himself again, evidently--at least he had whipped hisdemoralized faculties into line and found his tongue, so that he mightgive expression to what was in his heart.

  The effect upon the young woman was plainly perceptible--she seemedoverwhelmed either by the warmth of the sentiments he expressed or somefamiliar tone in his ardent voice, possibly both.

  At any rate she no longer threatened to summon assistance from thecabin of the steamer.

  On the contrary she advanced a step nearer the supposed sailor, andslowly, wonderingly stretched out an eager hand toward his arm, hereyes all the while fastened upon his dimly seen face as though shewould there discover his secret.

  "Who--who are you--what right have you to express such sentimentstoward me?" she asked, in a trembling voice.

  Roderic had now grown quite bold.

  "By the right you gave me--by the love that has sent me aboard thishostile craft just to get one glimpse of your sweet face, to hear yourdearly loved voice, perhaps if Heaven were very very kind, to eventouch your hand reverently with mine. Do you longer question my right?"

  "Sancta Maria! it is he, my Roderic!"

  She held out both hands eagerly and he crushed them within his own.

  What would he not have given for the privilege of taking her whollywithin the shelter of his arms, and pressing her to his loving heart.

  But such action might be seen--they were in a position where theirfigures would be outlined in silhouette against the sky, should any ofthose upon the lower deck chance to look that way.

  Hence, the lover was forced to be content to press the two hands thusconfided to his trust, though he did manage to bend his head and pressa burning kiss upon each in turn.

  "What wonderful mystery is this--why are you here in this deepdisguise? They told me the Azores were islands of enchantment andsurely I am beginning to believe it," she said, her voice thrillingwith excitement.

  "It is very simple, and I shall quickly explain. But, dearest senorita,do not forget that I am in the enemy's stronghold. If caught deathmight be the price of my daring."

  Then he proceeded to elucidate.

  It was very natural, after all.

  She blushed and thrilled with pleasure to know that she still held thisman's heart in the hollow of her hand--that he had dared all in the maddesire to once again see her face to face.

  That was a keen satisfaction to one who loved with every fibre of herbeing.

  Besides, there was a strong touch of the romantic in his strangeappe
arance, that was not without its effect upon Georgia--native ofPorto Rico, with some of Spain's most aristocratic blood in her veins,it was not at all singular that such a deed, savoring of the days ofchivalry when Knights sought peril for the sake of Love, should appealirresistibly to her heart.

  She had cherished the memory of how he rushed into danger in Dublin,impelled by this same magical motive power, and the thought of hisdaring had been very sweet to her when seated alone upon the deck ofthe steamer watching the rolling billows, or resting in her bijou berthbelow.

  No longer could she doubt the ardor of his love, when he showed such awillingness to risk life in order to prove it.

  So Roderic related the little run of adventure that had befallen himsince last they parted in the dark at the time he emerged from thecellar of the queer bungalow dwelling.

  It was not much, but as she had experienced the same storm there was atleast a bond of sympathy between them.

  All the while she maintained a nervous watch in the direction of thesteep stair leading up from the lower deck.

  He knew why she exhibited this zeal, and felt flattered.

  It puffs a man up to realize that he is an indispensable condition toone woman on earth--that she is deeply concerned about his well being;and when Roderic knew the peril hanging over him caused Georgia suchconstant uneasiness he gloried in the fact, simply because it spokeeloquently of her abiding affection.

  "I fancy Captain Beven will keep the gallant gentlemen enjoyingthemselves for some little time yet. He is a capital hand at a yarn,and with a box of prime Havanas which he says he secured from a traderwho came out to our boat, to back up the basket of champagne Cleo sentaboard, I imagine he will hold them spellbound until the last cork ispopped and the balance of the weeds sacrificed to the god, Moloch."

  He knew from the uneasy movement of the girl that he had said somethingto arouse a new train of thought in her mind.

  "Cleo--she is on yonder boat which I can see through the darkness--yourcousin Cleo. And after having passed days in her society, how do youfind your heart, Senor Roderic--has she still failed to creep in?" sheasked, with a peculiar quivering spasm of pain in her voice.

  "My God, Georgia, how can I make you believe I love, can love no womanon earth while you live? Is not my presence here at this moment proofsufficient? You fill my heart to absolute completion, so there in noroom for another. Will you believe that I live and breathe and have myvery being centered on _you_, heart of my heart and soul of my soul?"

  These words, spoken in a low but tense tone, seemed to persuadeher--the magnetism of his presence, the beloved tones of his voice, thevery fervor of his impassioned gaze all served to convince the senoritathat this man whose love had once been sufficient to kindle the firesof jealousy in his breast, was incapable of deception.

  "I _do_ believe--yes, I trust all my hopes of future happiness in yourhands, for oh! Roderic if your love ever fails me, if it fades awaylike a dream, I shall surely die," she made response.

  Of course he felt it his privilege and duty to swear by everythinghe held sacred, by the graves of his ancestors, after the Japanesefashion, that so long as earth held them both, he could neither changenor his passion grow cold.

  And she believed him from that hour; implicit confidence dwelt withinher trusting heart, and if this man ever did aught to destroy the faithshe placed in his affection let him be accused from that day.

  This was what Roderic was telling himself as he stood there holding herhand, the magnetic spark flowing from soul to soul.

  He was ordinarily quite a matter of fact man, but even the most prosaiccan be counted on to give way to unheard of romantic tendencies underthe spur of such conditions.

  Time flies with extraordinary swiftness when the moments are freightedwith ecstatic bliss.

  Roderic endeavored to keep his wits about him even while exchangingthese sentiments with the girl of his heart.

  He knew he had enemies near--he had not forgotten the bitterness withwhich Jerome hated him and the ardor with which the Spanish plotterswould have sacrificed him when he was held a prisoner in the Dublinvilla.

  It would be a decidedly unpleasant episode in his checkered careershould they capture him on board the Sterling Castle--he was a markedman in the minds of those whose sympathies were enlisted for Spain, andthey could imagine nothing finer than an opportunity to lay him by theheels.

  Georgia too was on the watch for danger, since any injury to her lovermust cause suffering in her own devoted heart.

  She imagined the three brave gentlemen when they returned afterfinishing the wine and cigars would come as they went, in a bunch.

  If this were the case she would receive ample warning of theirapproach--when the voice of the siren was heard rumbling afar it wouldbe time for Roderic to say good bye, and to get down from that quarterdeck with all due alacrity.

  A chance was given them to speak of the future in the land where fatewas taking them as fast as steam could drive, and Roderic improved theopportunity to arrange it so that he might be sure of meeting Georgiashould fortune allow him to enter San Juan ere it was surrendered toGeneral Miles or those under him.

  It looked rosy enough just then while her loved presence beamed uponhim--perhaps later on, with lowering clouds of misfortune shrouding hisfuture, Roderic might have cause for doubts and fears that it wouldrequire all his personal valor to scatter.

  The warning she counted on failed them, for Don Porfidio knew betterthan most men when he had discovered a good thing, and could not beprevailed upon to leave it short of an earthquake or a simoon.

  Thus it chanced that Jerome returned alone, returned smoking a primeweed, and possibly filled with the thought of a quiet little flirtationwith the general's charming niece, whose cold treatment of his BeauBrummel advances had rather piqued his spirit of romantic interest,and aroused his manly desire for conquest--returned so quietly thathis approach was quite unobserved by the two lovers among the steamerchairs on the quarter deck until his head and shoulders loomed dimlyinto view above the top of the short ladder.