Nedra

by George Barr McCutcheon

  Chapter XVIII

  THE WONDERFUL LAND

  He did not arouse her at once, but sat below her, looking at her sweet,tired face, peaceful in the slumber that had been so long in coming,wondering what her dreams could be. Far down the shore, near the treeunder which he had found himself and to whose shelter she had draggedhim,--something told him vaguely,--was the spar that had ridden thewaves with them the night before. Long, white and gleaming it lay in thewaning sunlight. The sight of it filled him with an enthusiasm he neverhad known before. His heart swelled with homage to the strong, sturdypiece of timber. It was like a living object to him now, a friend towhom he felt like talking, to whom he could turn for proof positive ofan unparalleled experience on the deep.

  His eyes grew sad and gloomy as he turned toward the setting king ofday. In his imagination, the _Tempest Queen,_ with all on board, wentdown precisely at the point chosen by the sun for his disappearance.

  Night coming! Where were they? Upon an unknown shore, Heaven aloneknowing how far from habitation, from all shelter save the tree-tops,from all means of sustenance. Night coming! Behind them the mysteriousjungle, before them the devil-brewed ocean.

  A chilly perspiration broke out over him; a fear even worse than that ofthe night before attacked him. How far were they from human habitation?What manner of people dwelt in this land? As these thoughts tumbledabout in his brain, suddenly came the implacable desire for water. Itseemed days since he had tasted it. Like a flash, nature began itsdemands, and he was almost overcome by the prospect of night on therocks with no possible hope to find the food and water now so necessary.

  Lady Tennys slept on, untouched by the calamities that beset him, herbreast rising full and regularly. As he looked upon her lovely face thespirit of chivalry returned. She had thought of him in hisunconsciousness and she had been brave and true. Bound by a newdetermination to find food and water for her and to provide othershelter than the draughty crannies among the rocks, he painfully startedup the slope toward the edge of the forest. Soon he stood upon thebroad, smooth plateau, looking into the green, sunless depths.

  Behind him lay the beach and the fringe of the jungle; to seaward rosethe rocky point full two hundred feet higher than the spot on which hestood, panting for breath; to his right, descending gradually, ran thelofty hill to a place, not more than a quarter of a mile away, where itmerged into the forest. The ridge on which he stood was not more thanone hundred feet wide, a flat, narrow, sloping table. Filled withcuriosity, he strode to the opposite side and found himself upon theedge of a sharp decline, almost perpendicular in its fall to the valleybelow, which was apparently lower than the beach from which he had come.

  As far as the eye could reach inland there was a mass of bright greentrees, luxuriant and beautiful. Below him was water, a natural harbor oftiny dimensions, running back from the sea which lay off to the farright as he faced the head of this peculiar elevation. Plain to his eyewas the contour of this great rock. It resembled the letter L. Along thesea line it stretched high and ugly for nearly a mile, a solid wall, heimagined, some three hundred feet above the water, narrow at the top,like a great backbone. The little cove below him was perhaps a mileacross. The opposite shore was low and verdure-clad. The rocky eminencethat formed the wall on two sides was the only high ground to be seenfor miles around.

  Down the slope he sped, dusky shadows beginning to tell of the comingnight. His feet finally touched upon the grass-covered soil; he was offthe barren rock and at the edge of the dismal forest. Without a quiverhe hurried under the great leaves and among the trees. The ground slopedgently downward to the now invisible harbor. He turned in thatdirection. Monkeys chattered in the trees and strange birds hurtledthrough the dense growth. His foot struck against a queer green objectand an instant later he gave a shout of joy. It was a cocoanut, greenand smooth.

  Food! In an instant he realized that he had found something that couldappease the cravings of hunger for the time being, at least. He searchedeagerly, feverishly in the matted grass, and soon had a dozen great nutspiled at the edge of the wood. Then he renewed his search for the waterthat must keep life in their famished bodies.

  The lapping of waves grew louder as he pushed his way through the trees,and a moment later he narrowly escaped plunging into the waters of theshimmering little bay. The coast was semicircular in shape, rising highand black to his left, running low and green to his right. Not onehundred feet to the left were the first signs of the rocky promontory,small, jagged boulders standing like a picket line before the grout massbeyond. Along the rocky side of the wall, sonic distance away, he saw anoverhanging shelf of dark gray stone, protruding over the natural floorbeneath. An inky darkness back of the projection impressed him with theidea that a cave lay beyond.

  At his feet trickled a little stream of clear, sparkling water, comingfrom the crevasse above, the headquarters of a spring. He fell upon hisknees and plunged his hot face into the cool water, swallowinggreat gulps.

  When he arose to his feet everything looked brighter, fairer, happier.The scene, gorgeous a few moments before, was now more than that to hisrevived senses. A desire to shout jubilantly came over him. With anexultation that he could scarcely control he dashed on up thesand-strewn ledge toward the awning-like rock.

  He found that a roomy cave ran back into the hill a dozen feet or more.Its floor was covered with fine white sand, thrown up from the beachduring the wind storms, and it was a most perfect shelter,--this holefifty feet above the placid waters.

  Darkness was coming, so he ran back to the little rivulet. In a brokencocoanut shell he secured some fresh water and began his journey to theother side of the ridge. The sun was down to the level of the sea whenhe came from the rocks and within sight of the spot where he had lefthis fair companion.

  She was not there!

  A great trembling fear assailed him and he sank back with a groan ofdespair. Then he heard his name called faintly and piteously.

  "Here I am!" he cried. "Where are you?" A glad cry arose from below, andhe saw her coming rapidly from the small boulders near the water, somedistance to the left. He hurried to meet her.

  "Oh, I thought you had left me to die up there," she gasped as they drewnear to each other. "Mr. Ridgeway--Hugh, I am so glad you have come."

  "You were asleep when I came back an hour ago. See? I have found water.Drink!" With one hand he reached down and took hers, eagerlyupstretched, drawing her to the rock on which he stood. She gulped thecontents of the shell with the haste of one half famished.

  "How good!" she cried, with eyes sparkling as she took the empty shellfrom her moist lips. "I was so thirsty that I tried to drink that bitterstuff down there. How horrible it must be to die of thirst. Can we findfood, Hugh? Is there nothing to eat? I am so hungry, so hungry." Thesparkle faded from her eyes and a look of pain filled them.

  "I have found cocoanuts on the other side of the hill. We can make themserve until I have a chance to look farther. Come. We must hurry, or thenight will make it impossible for us to cross this hill and findthe cave."

  "Cave?"

  "A wonderful shelter for the night. Can you walk that far? It will notbe difficult after we reach the top of this little mountain."

  Together they began the tortuous ascent, following as closely aspossible the course he had taken. They were scarcely able to stand whenthey at last reached the top. Neither saw the beauty in the view, soeager were they to find rest and nourishment. As they passed painfullydown the slope, he told her of the monkeys, the nuts, the cave, therivulet, and the splendor of the scene, cheering her lagging spiritswith what animation he could assume. A few chattering monkeys welcomedthem to the woodland, and she was momentarily aroused to interest in hersurroundings, uttering little cries of delight. They came to the pileof nuts, and he took up several in his free arm. The cave was reached atlast and both sank exhausted to the white sand. It was now so dark thatthe stars were gathering above them and objects were indistinct tothe vision.

 
; "Thank God!" he exclaimed, lying flat on his back, his armsoutstretched.

  "I am so tired," she murmured, her head drooping against the wall as sheseated herself near the opening. After many minutes he began the task ofopening the cocoanuts.

  "To-morrow I shall go hunting for something more substantial than thesenuts. There must be fruit, berries and vegetables of some kind in theforest," said he.

  "How are we to get away from here, Hugh?" she asked. "Where are we? Thismay be an uninhabited island, and we may have to stay here all of ourlives." There was an awe in her voice, and he could imagine that theprospect brought horror to her face. By this time it was almostpitch dark.

  "Have I not found food, water and shelter within an hour's time? Cangood fortune end with this? Let us sleep peacefully to-night and hopefor the best with to-morrow's developments."

  "Sleep? Where are we to sleep?"

  "In this cave and upon the sand. There is no other place. It is safe,Lady Tennys, and you are to have my coat as a pillow for that tiredlittle head of yours." With this he arose and threw off his coatdespite her protests, rolling it into a compact little bundle. Placingthis improvised pillow on the sand near the rear of the cave, he said:

  "There is your bed, my Lady. It is the very best in the hotel."

  "You are so good to me, Hugh,--much better than I thought you could beafter--after--"

  "Please don't say what you started to say," he interrupted, his voicebreaking suddenly. He stood with his shoulder against one of the outercorners of the cave, she sitting quietly behind him. At last he went on,as if the thought came slowly, "Lady Huntingford, forgive myselfishness. I have been bewailing my own misfortune in a most unmanlyway, while you have borne your loss bravely, thinking only to comfortme. Forgive me."

  "My loss?" she asked in wonder.

  "Lord Huntingford," he said gently.

  "Oh!" she exclaimed, starting sharply. "Lord--Lord Huntingford! Oh,Hugh, I had forgotten--I had not thought--," but she did not completethe bewildered speech. He could have believed that she did not breatheduring the next few moments as she stood there, straight and rigid,clasping his arm convulsively. Then she turned away and walked quicklyto the bed on the sand, lying down without a word. He could distinguishnothing of her person save certain outlines in the darkness, andalthough he listened intently, he heard no sob, no sigh.

  Soon his eyes grew heavy and he felt the overpowering force of sleepupon him. Removing his waistcoat, he went to the other side of the caveand prepared to stretch himself out for rest. He paused and listened fora sound from her. None came, so in some trepidation he stepped nearer.Soft, regular breathing, deep and full, told him that she was asleep. Inconsiderable wonder he went back to his hard bed. Out of the confusionof thoughts and impressions that followed her surprising admission, cameat last the dim, sleepy understanding of the situation.

  She had not thought of Lord Huntingford until he mentioned the oldnobleman's name.

  With the last faint whirl of wakefulness came the suggestion of roamingwild beasts, creeping up to attack them in the night, but sleep greedilyswallowed the half-formed fear.