CHAPTER XXXII
BENICIA UNDERTAKES AN OBLIGATION
Ormsgill, who reclined among the sugar bags, lighted a cigarette oneof the officers had given him before he turned to Desmond.
"I don't know if you are comfortable on that case, but, as you see, Ihaven't another seat to offer you, and these bags are a triflesticky," he said. "I understand that my jailers were instructed toshow me every consideration."
Desmond laughed as he glanced around the half-ruinous shed. "It'shardly worth while making excuses of that kind," he said. "I'm quitewilling to admit that the one thing that's worrying me is the questionwhat your friends mean to do with us."
"It's possible they may set us at liberty, but in the meanwhile youknow as much as I do. How did you fall into their hands?"
"I was at Las Palmas when I heard that they were having trouble in theinterior. The news wasn't very definite, but it seemed to me I mightbe wanted and I brought the yacht across as hard as we could driveher."
"Ah," said Ormsgill quietly, "that is, of course, very much the kindof thing one would expect you to do. You were at Las Palmas--but goon. I may ask you something later."
Desmond understood him, and though he had driven the _Palestrina_mercilessly day after day under the uttermost pressure her boilerswould stand he was satisfied. He had not thought it worth while tomention how they had shaken every rag of canvas out while the yachtrolling viciously and shivering in every plate swept along with thespray-clouds flying over her before the big trade breeze combers, orthe more arduous days when, while the firemen gasped beneath an almostintolerable heat, they still drove her south at topmost speed over anoily blazing sea across the line. He also fancied he knew whatOrmsgill wished to ask him, and a trace of uneasiness crept into hisface as he proceeded somewhat hastily.
"Well," he said, "when we got the anchor down I heard that thefighting was over and the troops were coming back again. Somebody toldme they had a white prisoner who had evidently been encouraging therebels, and it seemed to me advisable to set out up country on ashooting trip. There was a rather capable boy among those I hired, andhe hadn't much difficulty in making friends with one of the campfollowers or carriers when we came up with the troops. After that wefollowed their track, keeping about a league away from them for almosta week, and I sent you two messages. I suppose you never got them?"
"No," said Ormsgill. "I almost think it's evident that somebody elsedid."
Desmond made a little sign of concurrence. "The boy probably sold us,or your friend Dom Clemente was too clever for him. One could fancythat is a very capable man. Anyway, while I was considering how wecould arrange to get you off we went to sleep last night in a belt ofgrass. I took the precaution of sending two sentries out, and I don'tknow yet why they didn't warn me, but when I awakened early thismorning there was a white officer standing over me. As he had severalblack soldiers with him and we were evidently at his mercy I camealong with him. I don't think there was any other course open to me."
"You have done what you could. You brought me no message from LasPalmas?"
Desmond, who once more appeared uneasy, sat silent for a moment ortwo. Then he leaned forward a trifle with a flush in his face.
"I don't know how you'll take it, but, as a matter of fact, I did," hesaid. "I brought a letter which Mrs. Ratcliffe gave me, and I believethere was another from Miss Ratcliffe inside it. Unfortunately, one ofyour friends here confiscated it not long ago as well as every otherscrap of paper in my possession."
"They sent me no word when you left Las Palmas before," said Ormsgillwith a portentous quietness, though there were signs of tension in hisface. Then he straightened himself suddenly. "You are keepingsomething back. It concerns Ada?"
"It does, and I'm particularly sorry your friends seized that letter.This is an affair I should greatly have preferred to leave in Mrs.Ratcliffe's hands. She"--and Desmond made a little vague gesture--"isa lady of considerable ability and has no doubt explained the thingmuch more satisfactorily than I could do."
"Go on," said Ormsgill with sharp incisiveness.
Desmond, who still hesitated, looked at him in a curious deprecatoryfashion.
"Well," he said, "the fact is Miss Ratcliffe was married the daybefore I left Las Palmas."
In another moment Ormsgill was on his feet, and his laugh jarred onDesmond's ears.
"Married!" he said hoarsely, clenching one hand tight. "And I'vethrown away everything to keep faith with her."
Desmond made a little restraining gesture. "Well," he said, "it's notmy business, but I think I understand what you are referring to--and,perhaps, it's scarcely wise to be too sure. With all deference to Mrs.Ratcliffe I can't help fancying you are well out of the other matter.After all, to mention no other reason, it would require a certainamount of courage to recognize that lady as one's mother-in-law."
Ormsgill, who made no answer, turned towards the door, and spoke a fewwords to the sentry. The latter called to one of his comrades, andOrmsgill, after giving the man a message came back again and sat downquietly.
"I have asked if I may have the letter," he said.
It was brought him ten minutes later unopened, and he sat very stillfor awhile after he had read it. Then there was bitterness in hislaugh.
"It is in one sense a masterly production," he said. "In fact, both ofthem are. I am assured that Mrs. Ratcliffe recognized all along thatwe were never made for one another." He turned, and grasped hiscompanion's shoulder. "Can you tell me anything about this paragonwho, it seems, has married Ada?"
A little twinkle crept into Desmond's eyes. "I never heard him calledanything of that kind before. Lister, you see, is an unlicked colt,and nobody could have said very much to his credit until lately.Still, he seems to be making an effort to rub out certain defects inhis character, and if Miss Ratcliffe can only keep it up they may getalong tolerably well together."
"Keep it up?"
Desmond smiled again. "It's probably somewhat delicate ground, but thething has its whimsical aspect. You see he, perhaps, naturally,regards Miss Ratcliffe as the incarnation of honor and every otherestimable equality, which is apt to make her role rather a difficultone. I have no doubt her mother has asked you very tactfully not tosay anything that might render it harder still if you ever come acrossLister, which, if she has any hand in his arrangements, is mostunlikely."
"There is a suggestion of that kind here," and Ormsgill gazed at himvery grim in face. "You mean that they have not mentioned me toLister."
"I should consider it very improbable," said Desmond dryly. "As Iventured to suggest, you have, perhaps, after all, no very great causefor regret."
Ormsgill, who said nothing, rose and walked several times up and downthe shed, and then moved suddenly towards the door. He spoke a fewwords to the sentry, after which he sat down and waited for somelittle time, while Desmond smiled once or twice as he watched him.Then the door was opened, and a black sergeant who appeared in theentrance signed to Ormsgill.
"Dom Clemente can spare you a few minutes," he said.
Ormsgill rose and followed him across the compound and up the verandastairway into a room where Dom Clemente was sitting alone. He lookedup when Ormsgill came in.
"You have some complaint--of the accommodation we have provided youwith?" he said.
"No," said Ormsgill, "my business is of a very different nature. Youasked me last night, Senor, if I had anything to say to you. I wonderif you will now listen to me for a little while?"
His companion's gesture signified compliance, and Ormsgill proceeded,speaking with a terse directness which, as it happened, served himwell. When at last he stopped Dom Clemente looked at him with a littledry smile.
"Senor," he said, "in one sense the explanation is sufficient, thoughthere are, you can understand, respects in which it leaves a little tobe desired."
"I make no excuse," and a faint flush crept into Ormsgill's face."Only, in this case my mind will always be the same."
The little o
fficer sat still, looking at him steadily, while half aminute slipped away, and Ormsgill felt the silence becomingoppressive. Then he spread one hand out.
"After all," he said, "there are, probably, very few among us who arequite exempt from some folly of this kind, and I think it is to yourcredit that when you recognized that it was a folly you were willingto carry it out. I may mention that I had the honor of meeting thelady."
Then he made a little expressive gesture. "Senor, you are, at least,one whose word can be relied upon, and that counts for a good deal. Itis, however, to be remembered that you are not yet at liberty."
"I think my liberty largely depends upon you. One could fancy that youknow how far the complaints against me are credible. In fact, I do notunderstand why you ever gave them any consideration."
Dom Clemente smiled. "One has usually a motive, Senor, and it isgenerally wiser not to make it too apparent until the time is ripe. Inthis case I think the results have warranted everything I have done.Herrero and Domingo, not to mention one or two others, haveaccomplished their own destruction, though that is, after all, notquite the question. The matter you have laid before me is, it seems tome, one that Benicia must decide."
He rose with the little twinkle still in his eyes. "I will leave youto make it as clear as you can to her."
He went out, and Ormsgill waited, with his heart beating a good dealfaster than usual, until Benicia came in. He stood looking at her amoment, with a faint flush in his haggard face.
"Senorita," he said, "I would like you to listen to a story--though itis a little difficult to tell."
For a moment Benicia met his gaze, and saw the little glint in hiseyes. She also saw how worn his face was, and the gauntness of hisframe, and her compassion was stronger than her pride.
"Ah," she said, "I know it already. I have known it all along."
"Still," said Ormsgill, "there is a little more to be said. I am notgoing back to Las Palmas if I am set at liberty."
He saw the crimson creep into her forehead. "Benicia," he said, "thewoman I was pledged to has cast me off. I am going back to England,and--after all you know--I wonder if I dare venture to ask you if youwill come with me."
"Ah," said the girl with a simplicity that had a certain statelinessin it, "I think I would go anywhere with you."
Then Ormsgill strode forward masterfully, and it was a minute laterwhen she smiled up at him. "This," she said, "is not what I meant todo--at least, just now--but when I saw you looking so worn and anxiousand remembered that you were still a prisoner I forgot how I hatedthat Englishwoman. I only remembered how I loved you."
A little later there were footsteps outside, and the black sergeantonce more appeared in the doorway, while when he led Ormsgill awayBenicia went straight to a room guarded by a dusky soldier, anddemanded to see the officer within. He sent his secretary away, andthen looked up at her with a little smile.
"You have a promise to keep," she said. "I have come to ask you to setthese two Englishmen at liberty."
"Ah," said the man, "there are, no doubt, one or two reasons for thisthat you can suggest?"
"You know they have done no wrong."
"It is possible. Still, we have not altogether settled that questionyet. Is there nothing else that you can urge in their favor?"
"They are friends of mine."
The officer made a little grave gesture. "That," he said, "goes a longway, but, after all, I am not sure that it goes quite far enough."
Benicia's face grew a trifle warm, but she smiled. "One," she said,"is the man I am going to marry."
Her companion's eyes twinkled. "Well," he said, "in that case we mustcertainly see what can be done before we march to-morrow."
Benicia asked nothing further, for she was satisfied, and soon aftershe left the officer Ormsgill sat down opposite Desmond in thehalf-ruinous shed. He said a few disjointed words, and Desmond laughedcheerfully.
"I knew how it was as soon as I saw you," he said. "Well, I believe wecould get hold of an American missionary, and the _Palestrina_'sready."
The rest of that day passed very slowly with them both, but early nextmorning they were once more led into the presence of Dom Clemente andthe gray-haired officer. When they came in the latter signed to hissecretary, and Father Tiebout, who quietly went out. A few minutesafterwards the secretary led Benicia in, and the officer turned toOrmsgill.
"We have," he said, "again carefully considered the complaints againstyou. As the result of it I think I can venture to set the SenorDesmond at liberty, and to place you at the Senorita Benicia'sdisposal. She"--and he smiled gravely--"will be held accountable foryour behavior while you remain in this country. If it is permissible,I might advise her not to countenance any further undertakings of thekind that brought you back to Africa."
* * * * * *
Transcriber's note:
The following typographical errors present in the original edtionhave been corrected:
On the title page, "THE CATTLE-BARON S DAUGHTER" was changed to "THECATTLE-BARON'S DAUGHTER".
In the Table of Contents, the page number for Chapter XVIII, DOMCLEMENTE LOOKS ON, was changed from 231 to 213.
In Chapter I, "Maderia chair on the veranda" was changed to "Madeirachair on the veranda", "since you have no carries" was changed to "sinceyou have no carriers", "took of his hat" was changed to "took off hishat", and commas were added after "a good magazine rifle" and "it was sostill that Nares".
In Chapter II, a comma was added after "Herrero has gone Southsomewhere".
In Chapter III, a period was added after "almost too startled tounderstand that you had arrived", and "I believe you are smilling" waschanged to "I believe you are smiling".
In Chapter IV, a comma was changed to a period after "with a littleflush in her face", and a single quotation mark (') was changed to adouble quotation mark (") after "your prospective mother-in-law will bepleased with you?".
In Chapter V, a period was changed to a question mark after "become atrifle civilized", and a period was changed to a comma after "you aredetermined to go".
In Chapter VI, "He could forsee that" was changed to "He could foreseethat", and a missing quotation mark was added before "It would be aninteresting spectacle."
In Chapter VII, a period was changed to a comma after "and Nares added",and a comma was deleted after "Anybody who wishes to go inland".
In Chapter VIII, "two somewhat ragged white men lay listessly" waschanged to "two somewhat ragged white men lay listlessly", and "Stillthey can't shoot as I can" was changed to "Still, they can't shoot as Ican".
In Chapter IX, a single quotation mark (') was changed to a doublequotation mark (") after "I should probably not have been welcome?", and"I am not sure that is quiet sufficient in itself" was changed to "I amnot sure that is quite sufficient in itself".
In Chapter X, "statutesque modeling" was changed to "statuesquemodeling", and a comma was added after "while you stay here".
In Chapter XI, a period was changed to a question mark after "try toinfluence the girl".
In Chapter XII, a comma was added after "though far from likely", and"Still you have made a few changes lately" was changed to "Still, youhave made a few changes lately".
In Chapter XIII, "Thomas Ormsgills could only offer her them" waschanged to "Thomas Ormsgill could only offer her them".
In Chapter XIV, "The Commandant or Chefe as he was usually called" waschanged to "The Commandant, or Chefe as he was usually called".
In Chapter XV, a period was changed to a comma after "I have to say",and also after "I will see to it", and "until Dom Luix turns up" waschanged to "until Dom Luiz turns up".
In Chapter XVI, a quotation mark was added after "stands without thecorrection", "and they recognizing it" was changed to "and they,recognizing it", "Ormsgill who had already stationed his sentriesextinguished" was changed to "Ormsgill, who had already stationed hissentries, extinguished" and a comma was changed to a period after "stirthe invisib
le trees".
In Chapter XVIII, a comma was added after "as he now and then laughinglyadmitted".
In Chapter XIX, "'It is', he continued tranquilly" was changed to "'Itis,' he continued tranquilly", and a comma was added after "where themessenger Pacheco is".
In Chapter XXI, a comma was added after "climbing a low elevation".
In Chapter XXIII, a comma was changed to a period after "changed thesubject abruptly", "one thing I am axious about" was changed to "onething I am anxious about", and "an intrument which resembles" waschanged to "an instrument which resembles".
In Chapter XXIV, commas were added around "who swung in a hammock hunglow beneath her awnings", "one of two of the questions which thentroubled that country" was changed to "one or two of the questions whichthen troubled that country", and a misformed quotation mark was fixedafter "I think".
In Chapter XXV, a comma was added after "whose presence promised tocomplicate affairs", and a missing quotation mark was added before "It'sprobably just as well".
In Chapter XXXII, a comma was changed to a period after "twinkle stillin his eyes", "the gauntess of his frame" was changed to "the gauntnessof his frame", and a quotation mark was deleted before "I have known itall along."
The punctuation in the original edition was erratic and oftenungrammatical, and many words were spelled inconsistently. Correctionshave been made where the author's intent seemed clear, or where theoriginal text was clearly incorrect or particularly confusing. Odditiesthat did not affect the correctness or readability of the text have beenretained.
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