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

by St. George Rathborne

  CHAPTER XXVII.

  WHEN THE SPANISH FLAG LEFT PORTO RICO FOREVER.

  Another short run would take them to the water's edge where a boatawaited, and sturdy English muscles were eager to row them to safety.

  Captain Beven had taken the precaution to make Spaniards out of his menand himself, in the expectation that such a conceit might avail to saveCleo future trouble; for such an event as this could easily be made thefoundation of an international dispute, and the Spanish government findjust cause to demand damages from John Bull.

  Down the _calle_ they went, in the midst of shouts and execrations froma myriad of heads that protruded from the windows on either side.

  That the owners neither knew what was in the wind nor cared a _peseta_was a foregone conclusion; but they could not resist giving tongueafter the manner of their kind and according to the stripe of theirbelief.

  It was a hot finish.

  Roderic did not breathe easily until they reached the boat.

  Then he began to believe there was a strong chance for boarding theyacht.

  It would not be a walk over, for pursuit had been inaugurated, and theshouts of the angry soldiery rang down the narrow street.

  The embarkation was speedily accomplished--indeed, almost like magicthey found themselves in the boat, the sailors sprang after, oars wereunshipped and the shore left behind.

  What a pæan of thanksgiving seemed to arise in Owen's heart when he sawthe long prayed for consummation of their hopes accomplished--as theshore receded, each stroke of the oars appeared like a measure in theglad anthem that swelled upward from his very soul.

  For success meant to him more than life--he had fought _for love_, andParadise opened wide her doors.

  Then he cast an anxious look above--oh, pale moon, sailing so serenelyathwart the heavens, show yet again your sympathy and gentle mercy byveiling that bright face behind some friendly cloud--it were worth aking's ransom to have this occur, but it was vouchsafed them withoutmoney and without price.

  The moon dipped out of sight behind a black, ragged mass of clouds, andthe bay of San Juan was for the time being wrapped in semi-gloom. EvenProvidence seemed on their side.

  When the Spanish soldiers reached the water's edge they fired atrandom, but none of the missiles came anywhere near them in the boat.

  Faster rowed the British tars, knowing full well that boats mustalready have put out in pursuit, and delay meant trouble.

  Roderic cast many an anxious glance up toward that section of theheavens where moon and cloud were having a royal warfare, and he wasdelighted to discover that the former would evidently be discounted inthe battle--at least the reign of the cloud would last until they hadreached the Dreadnaught and were sheltered by her bulk from searchingeyes.

  So it happened.

  One and all had gained her deck and the boat was hauled up to thedavits ere the face of fair Luna peeped inquisitively forth.

  Looking toward the shore they saw a dozen boats, all occupied bySpanish soldiers in pursuit of a little sailboat or sloop that, takingadvantage of the night wind was endeavoring to slip out of the harbor,being possibly a smuggler engaged in defying the severe duties placedupon all imports by Spanish laws.

  Fortune seemed never to tire of aiding their cause--it was one chancein a thousand that this smuggler should start just at such a moment,and divert the attention of the enraged Spaniards.

  Perhaps, however, a guilty conscience had something to do with thematter, for those on board the _contrabandista_ boat must have believedthe tremendous row ashore had to do with their presence in the bay, andspreading their white wings they had flown seaward.

  Several volleys were fired after them by the soldiers, and there came adeep boom or two later announcing that the fort commanding the entranceto the bay had taken a few chances at the escaping boat; but the moonhad again plunged behind the clouds, and besides, those on board thesloop knew every foot of the offing so that the way to escape was open.

  But Roderic, even though the yacht was in motion, and there was more orless danger of a bombardment from the forts, had lost all interest inthe result.

  He was hovering over the berth where they had laid Georgia, for uponreaching the deck the girl had fainted in his arms--she had beenwounded, perhaps by the glancing bullet that came from the guard'sMauser when he took his last shot.

  All were dismayed to discover it, and Roderic felt a dumb anguishcreeping over his heart as he awaited the doctor's report.

  It was a serious wound, with the chances against her surviving in sucha warm climate.

  The truth almost paralyzed poor Roderic--for this had he labored, thatLeon should be saved and his sister yield up her bright young life?

  Heaven alone knows what he suffered during the weary hours of suspense.

  When the dread summons came and he knew he had lost her, the awfulnature of the blow almost crushed him.

  For once in his life he felt like cursing the Providence that rulesover all.

  Georgia passed away with her arm about his neck, her head pillowed onhis breast, and her last whispered words were:

  "How I love you, my Roderic--do not quite forget the poor daughter ofPorto Rico!"

  As if he could forget--so long as life remained her image must alwaysbe enshrined in his heart.

  Perhaps it was just as well for his future happiness--love likeGeorgia's, so hot and inflammable, does not always bring that peace andcontent of mind which most men who speak the English tongue desire astheir portion--it would mean an iceberg, a volcano--cold one hour andscorching the next.

  Yes, perhaps Providence ordered it for the best.

  And Georgia who seemed gifted with unusually clear vision, Georgiamust have realized this, for had she not placed Cleo's hand in his, andsolemnly declared that it was her dying wish he should in due time takethis fair blue-eyed cousin for his own.

  At first in the keen anguish of his grief Roderic scarcely gave this asecond thought, but later on it loomed up before his vision as he sawhow Cleo avoided him and how she blushed furiously whenever he glancedat her.

  Thus he knew an explanation was absolutely necessary, and not being theman to avoid duty he had a long interview with his cousin.

  It was arranged that Roderic should go away, after poor Georgia hadbeen buried near Ponce, (where Leon decided should be the final restingplace of his devoted sister,) and not see Cleo again for six months--ifat the end of that time he could come to her and honestly confess apositive growth of the love he had always entertained for her, shewould consent to become his wife.

  That was all.

  They had not been interfered with in leaving San Juan harbor, and asafe landing was made on the southern shore of Porto Rico where thestars and stripes already floated over the land that fate intendedshould be one of the fairest gems upon Columbia's diadem.

  After the simple ceremony that marked the funeral of the beautifulgirl, Roderic thought life was a blank to him.

  He joined one of the armies of occupation and saw some hot service asthe boys in blue advanced across the island toward San Juan, alwaysdriving the Spaniards before, yet each day finding the task moredifficult.

  Utterly reckless in his present state of mind, Roderic rushed into thejaws of death once too often--if his mad desire was to follow his poorGeorgia across the borders of eternity he came very near accomplishingit one day when, with a few chosen spirits he cleared a rocky eminenceof Spanish bushwhackers lying in wait for the Yankee advance guard.

  The field doctor actually gave him up for lost, but he was carriedback to the town of Ponce in an old _volante_ found at a farmer's,relic of days long gone by, and not the most comfortable vehicle oftransportation in the world for a pain-racked hero, but infinitelybetter than nothing.

  Here, in the hospital they found that he had one chance in a dozen ifcarefully nursed, and behold, who should appear at the side of his cotbut Cleo, the girl he had believed a thousand miles away on pleasurebent; yes Cleo, who, finding there w
as need of nurses to look after thesick and wounded heroes among the Regulars and Volunteers, "her ownboys" as she called them, had quickly chosen to let the voyage wait anddevote herself to the ministration of angelic duties.

  How they worshiped her, those wounded and fever stricken fellows towhom her presence brought such comfort as she wrote letters, readcheering words and waited upon them.

  Many a heart asked Heaven's choicest blessings to follow her.

  And Cleo had her reward when she found Roderic on a cot of pain.

  Hers was the blessed hand that sustained him, hers the cheery face thatbending above gave him new desire to live.

  Of course he survived, else had this over true tale never been written;but it was a hard struggle, and the good army surgeon solemnly assuredRoderic he had positively been a dead man only for the unremitting andgentle care of his sweet nurse.

  It was so ordered by Divine Providence.

  Roderic found out the truth--found that he did really and sincerelylove this brave girl from Virginia, not with the tempestuous affectionsuch as he had felt for Georgia,--no woman on earth could ever againarouse such a passion within his heart, but with a steadfast zeal thatmust grow with the passage of time until it became the sum and total ofhis existence.

  By the time Roderic was well enough to be moved San Juan had come intothe hands of the Americans, a protocol having been signed anticipatingpeace between the two nations, now at war for the first time in theirhistory.

  Porto Rico was a part of the United States--the days of Spain'sdominion had passed and would return no more.

  It was necessary that Roderic be moved north, for recovery would bemore rapid in a cooler, bracing atmosphere.

  Cleo's beautiful steam yacht still lay in the harbor awaiting herpleasure.

  No one may ever know who suggested the thing, but that mattered little,since such a union was a foregone conclusion; but one day a littleceremony was performed in Roderic's room at the hotel, and Cleo changedher name--Miss Fairfax of Virginia was no more--enter Mrs. Roderic Owen.

  Thus Roderic brushed all scruples aside--as the husband of the owner ofthe yacht he could sail in her forever without arousing comment.

  Weak as he was he and Cleo drove to the grave of his lost love andmingled their tears with the beautiful flowers they spread upon it.

  No, Roderic could never forget her--he would be less than a man todream of trying, and no doubt once in a while a yearning would arise inhis heart that could not be kept down, for in imagination he could feelher arms about his neck, her passionate kisses upon his lips.

  But that will come and go as a vague dream.

  His wife is the sweetest and noblest woman in all the wide world, herdevotion to him is the envy of all his bachelor friends and Rodericdeclares himself the happiest benedict in existence.

  To Cleo the memory of Georgia is sacred, and she often brings up thesubject herself, being singularly free from jealousy.

  Roderic met Julio in Ponce at the time he was saying good-bye to Leonand his wife; the ex-_toreador_ and beau of San Juan was thinking ofmigrating to Spain, since he could not hope to win many fresh laurelsin a land where the stars and stripes waved, and where men had a sterncode of morals for such sad flirts as he.

  Of General Porfidio, Roderic had seen quite considerable while inthe hospital, and the old warrior will always have a warm place inRoderic's heart; nor can he ever forget that awful duel with swords inthe East India bungalow of Rathmines road, Dublin.

  As for Jerome, doubtless he is working the European capitals--perhapsshould he meet one Joel Darby on his rounds, the latter might kindlygive him points concerning the combination with which he broke the bankat Monte Carlo.

  THE END.

  * * * * *

  TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES

  Punctuation has been standardized.

  Some alternate spellings have been retained.

  A Table of Contents has been added.

  Character "Roderic" name had variant spelling "Roderick" on 10 pages.Corrected to "Roderic" for consistency with other 450 occurrences.

  Character "Beven" name had variant spelling "Bevens" on 8 pages.Corrected to "Beven" for consistency with other 53 occurrences.

  p. 15: "debonnair" changed to "debonair" (his debonair manner)

  p. 33: "wont" changed to "won't" (You won't join me then?)

  p. 68: "chapparal" changed to "chaparral" (than from a chaparral)

  p. 92: "openations" changed to "operations" (start operations upon)

  p. 93: "glimse" changed to "glimpse" (a glimpse of a flaring candle)

  p. 122: "predeliction" changed to "predilection" (predilection forhaving)

  p. 145: "bete noir" changed to "bete noire" (greatest bete noire was)

  p. 155: "tempation" changed to "temptation" (resist the temptation)

  p. 171: "lesat" changed to "least" (to say the least)

  p. 175: "byegone" changed to "bygone" (relics of bygone days)

  p. 184: "byeways" changed to "byways" (the streets and byways)

  p. 185: "in" changed to "to" (induced to enter the trap)

  p. 189: "diableric" changed to "diablerie" (diablerie of his appearance)

  p. 195: "succumed" changed to "succumbed" (succumbed to the charm)

  p. 217: "semed" changed to "seemed" (at the moment seemed deeplyengrossed)

  p. 235: "posibility" changed to "possibility" (bounds of humanpossibility)

  p. 245: "ecstacy" changed to "ecstasy" (ecstasy and keen pain)

  p. 246: "apperture" changed to "aperture" (a gaping aperture)

  p. 251: Finished incomplete word "dungeon" (reach the closed dungeon)

  p. 261: "resuced" changed to "rescued" (than be rescued by you)

  p. 280: "irrisistibly" changed to "irresistibly" (sweeps irresistibly)

  p. 280: "fusilade" changed to "fusillade" (when the fusillade ceased)

  p. 287: "Her's" changed to "Hers" (Hers was the blessed hand)

  p. 287: "her's" changed to "hers" (hers the cheery face)