by Guy Boothby
CHAPTER VII.
AN EXCITING DAY.
But though I went to bed to sleep, and was sufficiently romantic tohope that I should dream of the future I was to spend with Alie, I wasdestined to be disappointed. My mind was in such a state of excitementthat no sort of rest was possible to me. Hour after hour I tossed andtumbled upon my couch, now hovering on the borderland of sleep, nowwide awake, listening to the murmur of the stream beyond the camp, andthe thousand and one noises of the night. When at last I did doze off,my dreams were not pleasant, and I awoke from them quite unrefreshed.Springing out of bed I went to the door to look out. It was broaddaylight, and the sun was in the act of rising. To go back to bed wasimpossible, so, as breakfast was still some hours ahead, I dressedmyself, took a rifle from the stand, and slipping a dozen or socartridges into the pocket of my shooting coat, procured a fewbiscuits from the dining-hut, and strolled across the open space intothe forest beyond. It was a glorious morning for a hunting excursion,and before I had gone half a mile I had secured a fine deer for thecamp's commissariat. Fixing the spot where I had left it, and feelingcertain some of the natives would soon be on my trail after hearingthe report, I plunged further into the jungle, capturing here andthere a beetle, a butterfly, or a bird, as they chanced to fall in myway.
While I walked my brain was busily occupied, but dominating all wasthe remembrance that Alie--the wonderful, the beautiful, themysterious Alie--loved me. What cared I for the sort of life she led?What did it matter to me, since I had seen and grasped her realcharacter for myself, what other people might say of her? Had I notobserved her courage in moments of extreme peril? had I not witnessedher tenderness by the bedside of dying men and women? had I not notedher devotion to what she considered her duty? Yes, and better than allwas the knowledge that she had promised to be my wife if I would waita year for her. Would I wait? Why, of course I would--ten years,twenty, nay a lifetime, if only I could secure her at the end.
With these thoughts in my mind, I trudged briskly on, keeping botheyes open for any specimens, botanical or otherwise, that might comein my way. Then leaving the little stream, whose course we hadfollowed on the previous day, behind me, I struck out towards thewest, and presently forsook the forest, to emerge on to an open plainabout a mile long by half that distance wide. To the northward lay ahigh cane brake, to the south a deep ravine, and on the open betweenthem a large herd of deer was feeding quietly. Remembering that I hadbeen told on the previous day that the cook was short of fresh meat, Iresolved to see how many I could bring to book. The only way to stalkthem was, of course, to approach them upwind, and in order to do thisit was necessary that I should cross a stony ridge which ran parallelwith the edge of the ravine mentioned above. As there would not be avestige of cover between us the chances were a hundred to one that Ishould reveal my presence to them while passing over the open spaceand then the herd would give one look and be off like the wind.However, I was going to chance that, so throwing myself down flat uponmy stomach, I wriggled myself up the side of the little eminence,pausing now and again to take breath, until I reached the summit,thence made my way out on to the bare face of the hill until, at theend of twenty minutes, I was within a thousand paces of them.
The herd still fed on, though once I saw an old buck raise his headand look round as if he scented danger. But as I remained quiet for afew moments he resumed his feeding, and when he had done so Icontinued my painful crawl. But the worst part of the business wasstill to come, for having got up to them against the wind I had now,unless I was content to chance a long shot, to descend the hillockagain on to the plain. This was a piece of work which wouldnecessitate wriggling myself down a steep incline, head first, andpromised to be a most unpleasant experience.
Once on the flat I lay still to recover my wind, and then takingadvantage of every tuft and stone, began to approach my quarry. At theend of three-quarters of an hour's hard work, counting from the time Ihad first seen them, I was near enough to get a shot, and accordinglyI took a cartridge from my pocket and slipped it into the breech ofthe rifle. As I did so my elbow overturned a large stone, which rolleddown into the ravine; instantly half a dozen of the herd lifted theirheads, including my old friend the big buck, who on nearer approach,turned out to be a really magnificent animal.
Knowing that if their suspicions were once thoroughly aroused theywould not stop until they had put miles between us, I sighted for fivehundred yards and fired. The buck leaped into the air and fell on hisknees. I thought I had got him, and was going to jump up and runtowards him, when I saw that I was counting my chickens before theywere hatched. He had certainly fallen, but a second later he was onhis feet again and off after the others. I was certain, however, thatI had wounded him, and pretty severely, too.
My belief proved to be a correct one, for about a hundred yardsfurther on he fell again, and seeing this I picked up my rifle and ranafter him. But even now he was not done for, for after laying still amoment he rose to his feet again and hobbled into the jungle on theother side of the plain, at the same spot where the rest of the herdhad disappeared. I followed as swiftly as I could, and, when I hadgained the cover, descried him lying upon the ground near the edge ofa deep but dry water-course. Needless to say I did not lose very muchtime in coming up with him, taking the precaution to load my rifle asI went. When I did I was able to appreciate the majesty of my kill.
He must have been about three years old, and when I saw that he wasnot quite dead, I drew my hunting-knife and knelt down beside him tobestow the _coup de grace_. This done, I wiped my knife on the grass,and was preparing to rise again when I felt a heavy hand laid upon myshoulder. Knowing that there was not a soul within five miles of me,my surprise may be better imagined than described. But it was nothingto the terror that seized me when I looked round to discover who myfriend really was.
Standing behind me, and seeming to fill the whole universe, was anenormous orang-outang--the largest I have ever seen or heard of. Hiswicked eyes gleamed down at me, his teeth protruded ferociously frombeneath his bluey gums, while his great hairy arms, more powerful thanany coal-heaver's, were opened as if to embrace me. I looked once, andthen--how I managed it I shall never be able to tell--wriggled myselfout of his clutches like an eel, and, leaving my gun behind me, tookto my heels. But before I had proceeded ten yards the great beast wasafter me, rolling from side to side in his stride like a drunkensailor on a pavement. So close was he behind me that it seemed as if Icould almost feel his breath upon the short hair of my poll. One thingis very certain--I ran then as I had never run in my life before, andas I shall probably never run again. Hardly conscious where I wasgoing, knowing only that I must get out of his reach, I fled acrossthe open space with the intention of making for the plain where I hadstalked my deer; but the ape headed me off, and would have caught mehad I not stopped at a tree and dodged quickly round it. Then back Iwent in the direction I had just come, making this time for theopposite jungle. But once more he headed me off and drove me back onmy tracks. My agony was intolerable, my breath was almost spent, and Ihad begun to give myself up for lost, when I espied a tree on thefurther side, with a branch close to the ground. Putting forth a neweffort I made for this, dodged round it, and, once on the other side,swung myself into it with, I flatter myself, as much dexterity as themost accomplished gymnast could have shown. In that instant I seemedto live my whole life over again. All the events of my career, eventhose connected with my earliest childhood, flashed through my brain.But the activity of my thoughts did not detract from the quickness ofmy legs, and I mounted the tree as fast as I could go. No sailor couldhave climbed a mast in better style. Then down I crouched amid thebranches. Through the leaves I could see my tormentor standing lookingstupidly about him, puzzled to know what had become of me. Presently atrembling of the leafy canopy above him must have attracted hisattention, for he clutched the lowest bough and began to mount thetree in search of me. Seeing this, I was at a loss to know what to do.To climb higher would only be to cut
off all chance of retreat, andwould inevitably mean capture or a leap which would, in all humanprobability, break my neck. In the space of a second I reasoned it allout, and as he approached on one side I descended on the other. Seeingthis he descended too, and with such amazing rapidity that, although Ihad a considerable start, we both landed on the ground at the sameinstant. Then the old game of catch-who-catch-can commenced. First Idodged this way, then I dodged that, but my dexterity was as uselessas it was desperate. He was evidently well accustomed to the sport,and I felt, with despair, that another five minutes would certainlysee the end of my career unless something unexpected intervened toprevent it.
Having tried the north, south, and east sides of the plain I now wentfor the west; that is to say, towards the dry river bed I have alreadymentioned. By the time I reached it I was completely done for, and theshock of discovering at least a sixty-foot jump on to the big stonesat the bottom did not give me any additional strength. To jump wouldmean almost certain mutilation, and possibly, if not probably, a longlingering death; while to remain where I was, and be caught by myhorrible pursuer, who had now hemmed me in and had got me at hismercy, meant _certain_ death. There was one consolation, however; inthose great arms--death, if it would be nothing else, would be swift.I stood on the very edge of the precipice, revolving these two fatesin my mind, and every moment my assailant was coming nearer. There wasno hope for it now, so I closed my eyes and waited. As I did so, Icould hear the thud-thud of his steps drawing closer. I almost feltthe arms entwine me. Then a voice I should have recognized in the roarof battle or in the silence of the grave called to me frantically,"Spring to your right!" As if by instinct I sprang, and, at the verysecond that I did so, I heard the great loathsome beast go by me. Evenat that moment, when life and death trembled in the balance, mycuriosity got the upper hand and I opened my eyes and looked.
A wonderful sight it was that I beheld. On the edge of the ravine,swaying to and fro to recover his balance, stood the orang-outang, andat his feet, crouched ready for a spring, was the bulldog Beelzebub,his teeth bared, and his whole body quivering with rage. A secondlater he leapt into the air, and then a desperate battle ensued. Theterrified monkey fought with all the courage he possessed, but the doghad got him firmly by the throat and was holding on with all the dreadtenacity of his breed. Added to this, it must be remembered that theorang-outang had to preserve his balance on the edge. Without thinkingof my own peril I stood and watched the fight.
Then I heard the same voice, this time steady as of old, order the dogto let go. With his usual obedience he did as he was commanded, andcrawled out of reach. The great mass above him stood for a momentbewildered, blood spurting from either side of his throat. Then arifle cracked, and, with a cry like a soul in torment, the beast fellforward on to the ground, shot through the heart.
I waited for a moment, and then, seeing that he was dead, lookedtowards the spot by the tree where, a moment before, Alie had stood.She was not there. Then a bit of white skirt caught my eye among thebracken, and, running across, I found her stretched out upon theground, unconscious.
To fly to a pool close by, to dip my cap into the water, and returnwith it to her side was only the work of an instant. In three or fourminutes I had brought her back to consciousness, and she was able tosit up.
"You are safe?" she gasped, as soon as she could speak. "You are quitesure you are not hurt? I thought that dreadful beast had caught you."
A shudder passed over her as she spoke, and she threw her little handsup and covered her face with them. I assured her as emphatically as Iwas able that, so far as I knew, I was without even as much as ascratch, and then we went across the little plain to where the uglybrute lay dead.
It was with a curious feeling that I stood and looked down upon thatgreat mass of inanimate flesh and reflected how near he had been toterminating my own existence. From a contemplation of his ugliness Iturned to the dog, who, at his mistress' command, had saved my life.Two ugly red gashes seamed his sides, and these I could only supposehad been made by the talons of the ape.
"Old man," I said to him, as I stooped and patted his ugly head, "youand I will have to be better friends than ever after this. You havesaved my life to-day and I am grateful to you." Then turning to hismistress I continued, "Alie, how on earth did you manage to come upjust in the nick of time, like that?"
"I heard your first shot," she answered, "and thought I would followyou. Thank Heaven I did, for if I had been five minutes longer on theroad I should have been too late. Now we must be getting back to thecamp as fast as we can go. Breakfast will be ready, I expect, and attwelve I want to send a messenger back to the settlement withletters."
Accordingly we set off at a good pace on our return, reaching the hutsin something under three-quarters of an hour.
As we approached the plateau we saw a man on horseback enter it fromthe jungle on the other side. He pulled up before the dining-hut, andthen I saw that it was my old friend Walworth, covered with dust andshowing all the signs of having ridden in great haste. On seeing Aliehe dismounted and removed his helmet, waiting respectfully for her tospeak.
"Have you bad news, Mr. Walworth," she said, "that you come in suchhaste?"
"I have a letter for your consideration that is of the utmostimportance," he answered; "the junk arrived with it this morning."
I must here explain that communications from the outside world wereconveyed by well-chosen messengers once every month to a certain spotin the group of islands, about two degrees west of the settlement.Thence they were brought on to their destination by a swift-sailingjunk, the property of the Beautiful White Devil, which had alreadyconveyed and handed over the outward mail in exchange. Thus a regularservice was kept up, to the advantage of both parties.
Taking the letter from Walworth's hand she gave him an invitation tobreakfast, and then passed with it into her own hut. I took him tomine, and when the gong sounded for the meal we sought the diningsaloon together. A moment later Alie joined us, and I gathered fromher face that there was something serious toward. Until the meal wasfinished, however, she said nothing. Then, suggesting that we shouldbring our cigars outside, so as to be away from any possibleeavesdroppers, she intimated that she had something important to tellus. We accordingly rose and followed her into the open air, across theplateau to the glade in the jungle where I had told her of my love theprevious day. Throughout the walk she did not speak, and when sheturned and bade us be seated, her face was as hard set as when she hadsentenced Kwong Fung to death in her verandah more than two monthsbefore.
"Gentlemen," she said, "I have brought you out here in order that Imay consult you on a most important matter. Dr. De Normanville, beforeI begin I may say that I have had an excellent opportunity of studyingyour character, while you have had an equal chance of studying mine.You know now exactly what my life is, but at the same time I cannotkeep from myself a remembrance of the fact that you are only here as avisitor; if you wish therefore to withdraw before you hear any more Iwill give you free permission to do so. On the other hand, if you willgive me your advice, I assure you I shall be most grateful for it.You, Mr. Walworth, have been my trusted and faithful servant for manyyears past, and I could not have a better. Doctor, I await yourdecision."
She looked fixedly at me, and I began to see the reason of her speech.
"I beg that you will let me advise you," I answered promptly. "I thinkyou know that you can place implicit trust in me?"
"I am quite sure of that," she answered solemnly, and, as she said it,she took from her pocket the letter she had that morning received.
"This communication," she began, "is from a person in Singapore, whoseword I have the very best of all possible reasons for being able totrust. He tells me that my own confidential agent in that place, a manin whom I have hitherto placed the most implicit confidence, whom Ihave saved from ruin, and worse, who owes his very life to mygenerosity, contemplates selling me to the English authorities. Mycorrespondent, who holds a high
position in the Straits Settlements,informs me that this dastardly traitor has already hinted to theauthorities that it is in his power to disclose my long-soughtrendezvous. He only stipulates that, seeing the nature of hiscommunication, and the dangerous position in which he stands regardingme, the reward offered shall be doubled. The authorities, of whom myinformant is one, have asked him to wait until the arrival of the newEnglish admiral, who is expected in Singapore, _en route_ for HongKong, early next month. As soon as he arrives this man's evidence willbe taken and decisive measures adopted to rid the world of thenotorious White Devil."
"The traitor--the scoundrel--he shall pay for this!" came from betweenWalworth's clenched teeth. I said nothing. But perhaps I was like theowl, and thought the more. At any rate I told myself under my breaththat it would be an exceedingly bad day for the man if he ever fellinto my hands, and, after a glance at Alie's face, I thought it wouldbe a worse one for him should he fall into hers. She resumed theconversation.
"There is one point I may count in my favour, however," she said; "andthat is, he will be hardly likely to reveal the fact that for the lastfive years he has acted as my agent, and for that reason it will beonly possible for him to give his evidence on hearsay."
"He must be prevented from giving it at all," cried Walworth, lookingswiftly up at her.
"But how?" she answered.
"A warning would be of no avail, I presume?" I said.
"Not the least," she answered; "even if he took it I should always bein danger of him. In that case I should have to discharge him, and hisvery life would be a continual menace to me!"
"Is he a married man?"
"No; he is not."
"Has he an extensive business? I mean by that, would his death ordeparture be the means of bringing misery upon other people?"
"He has no occupation at all, save what I have given him. No. He hasidled away his life on the bounty I have paid him for keeping meinformed of all that goes on."
"And now he is going to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? Theman must be mad to contemplate such an act of folly."
"There is a method in his madness, though," she answered. "Heevidently believes I am on the eve of being captured, and as thereward is a large one, he wishes to secure it before it is snapped upby anybody else."
I thought for a little while and then spoke again.
"You say he is unmarried; in that case he has no wife or children toconsider. He has no business--then he cannot bring ruin upon atrusting public. I should say abduct him before he can do any harm.Surely it could be managed with a little ingenuity?"
Alie was silent for a few moments. Then she looked up and her facebrightened.
"I believe you have hit on the very idea," she said. "I will think itover, and, if possible, it shall be carried into effect. Yes, I willabduct him, and bring him here. But we must remember that he hasalways been most suspicious, and he will be doubly so now. For everyreason it is impossible for me to go into Singapore and abduct him inmy own proper person, so I must do it in disguise."
"No!" I answered promptly; "you must not run such a risk. Supposing heshould recognise you?"
"He has never seen me in his life," she replied; then, smiling, shecontinued, "And you have evidently not yet grasped my talent fordisguising myself."
"But somebody must accompany you," said Walworth, who all this timehad been turning my scheme over and over in his mind; "and the worstpart of it is, he knows me so well that I dare not go."
Long before this I had made up my mind.
"I think, since you have honoured me with your confidence," I said,turning to Alie, "I have a right to ask a favour at your hands."
She looked at me with a little surprise.
"And what is that favour, Dr. De Normanville?" she asked.
"That in whatever you are going to do you will let me help you. No; Iam not making this offer without thought, I assure you. It is mygreatest wish to be of any service I can to you."
I saw Walworth look at me in rather a peculiar fashion, but whateverhe may have thought he kept to himself. Alie paused before replying,then she stretched out her little hand to me.
"I accept your offer in the spirit in which it is made," she said. "I_will_ ask you to help me to get this traitor out of the way. Now wemust consider the _modus operandi_."
Many and various were the schemes proposed, discussed, and eventuallythrown aside. Indeed, it was not until nearly midday that we haddecided on one to our liking. Once this was settled, however, wereturned to the camp. Orders for starting were immediately given, and,by the time lunch was over, the packs were made up, the loadsdistributed, the ponies saddled, and we were ready to start upon ourreturn journey to the settlement.
It was a long and tedious ride, and it was far into the night beforewe arrived at our destination. But late though it was, no one thoughtof bed. Too much important business had to be transacted beforedaylight.
On arrival, we repaired instantly to the bungalow on the hill, where ahasty supper was eaten, and an adjournment made from the dining-roomto the large chart-room at the rear of the house. In this apartmentwere stored the latest Admiralty charts of all the seas and harboursin the world, and it was here, as I gathered later, that the BeautifulWhite Devil concocted the most cunning and audacious of her plans.Arriving in it, she bade us seat ourselves while she gave us thedetails of the plan she had prepared.
"I have come to the conclusion," she said, "that your scheme is anexcellent one, Dr. De Normanville, and I have arranged it all asfollows: We will proceed in the yacht to-morrow morning (I havealready sent the necessary instructions down to the harbour) to Java.In Batavia we shall meet a young English doctor named De Normanville,who will accompany me to Singapore. I shall remain with a companion inthat place for a short time while I do the sights, stopping at theMandalay Hotel, where the man resides whom we want to catch. You willgradually make his acquaintance, and, having done so, introduce him tome. All the rest will be plain sailing. Do you think my scheme willdo?"
"Admirably, I should say."
"It will be necessary, however, Dr. De Normanville, that you shouldremember one thing: you must not, for your own sake, be seen about toomuch with me. You are just to be a casual acquaintance whom I havepicked up while travelling between Singapore and Batavia. Do youunderstand? After your great kindness, I cannot allow you to beimplicated in any trouble that may arise from what I may be compelledto do."
"Pray do not fear for my safety," I answered. "I am content to chancethat. In for a penny, in for a pound. Believe me, I am throwing my lotin with you with my eyes open. I hope you understand that verythoroughly?"
"I am perfectly sensible, you may be sure, of the debt we are under toyou," she answered. "Now we must get to business, for there is much tobe done before daylight."
Accordingly we set to work perfecting all the ins and outs of ourplan, and when it was completed, and my bags were packed anddespatched to the harbour, the stars were paling in the easternheavens preparatory to dawn.
Walworth had preceded us to the yacht some time before, and nothingremained now but for me to follow with Alie and the bulldog.
A boat was waiting for us at the same jetty on which I had landed onmy arrival nearly three months before, and in it we were rowed out tothe _Lone Star_, whose outline we could just discern. It was anuncanny hour to embark, and my feelings were quite in keeping with thesituation. I was saying good-bye to a place for which I had developeda sincere affection, and I was going out into the world again to do adeed which might end in cutting me off from my profession, my formerassociates, and even my one remaining relation. These thoughts satheavily upon me as I mounted the ladder, but when, on reaching thedeck, Alie turned and took my hand and gave me a welcome back to theyacht, they were dispelled for good and all.
Side by side we went aft. Steam was up, the anchor was off the ground,and five minutes later, in the fast increasing light, we were movingslowly across the harbour towards what looked to me like impenet
rablecliffs. When we got closer to them, however, I saw that one projectedfurther than the other, and that between the two was a long opening,the cliffs on either side being nearly a hundred and fifty feet high.This opening was just wide enough to let a vessel pass through withthe exercise of extreme caution.
At the further end of this precipitous canal the width was barelysufficient to let our vessel out, though at that particular point thecliffs on either side were scarcely more than eighty feet high. Here,lying flat against the walls of stone, were two enormous, and verycurious, gates, the use of which I could not at all determine.
We passed through and out into the sea. By the time we reached openwater daylight had increased to such an extent that, when we were amile out, objects ashore could be quite plainly distinguished.
"Look astern," said Alie, who stood by my side upon the bridge, "andtell me if you can discover the entrance to the harbour."
I did so, but though I looked, and looked, and even brought a glass tobear upon the cliffs, I could see no break in the line through which avessel of any size might pass.
"No!" I said at last, "I must confess I cannot see it."
"Now you will understand," she said, smiling at my bewilderment, "themeaning of those great doors. On the seaward side they are painted toresemble the cliffs. Could anyone wish for a better disguise?"
I agreed that no one could. And, indeed, it was most wonderful. Aman-of-war might have patrolled that seemingly barren coast for weekson end and still have been unaware of the harbour that lay concealedbehind.
"Now you will want to rest, I know," she said. "I think you will findyour old cabin prepared for you."
"And you?"
"I am going below too. Look, the coast is fast disappearing from oursight. There it goes beneath the horizon. Now will you wish ourenterprise good luck?"
"Good luck," I said, with a little squeeze of her hand.
"Thank you, and may God bless you," she answered softly, andimmediately vanished down the companion-ladder.
