XV
SOME SECRET DIPLOMACY
The evanishment of Captain Magnus, though quite unlooked for at socritical a moment, was too much in keeping with his eccentric andunsocial ways to arouse much comment. Everybody looked about withmild ejaculations of surprise, and then forgot about the matter.
Whistling a Scotch tune, Dugald Shaw set to work again on the boat.In the face of difficulty or opposition he always grew more briskand cheerful. I used to wonder whether in the event of a tornadohe would not warm into positive geniality. Perhaps it would nothave needed a tornado, if I had not begun by suspecting him ofconspiring against Aunt Jane's pocket, or if the Triumvirate,inspired by Mr. Tubbs, had not sat in gloomy judgment on his everymovement. Or if he hadn't been reproached so for saving me fromthe cave, instead of leaving it to Cuthbert Vane--
But now under the stimulus of speaking his mind about Mr. Tubbs theScotchman whistled as he worked, and slapped the noble youthaffectionately on the back when he came and got in the way withanxious industry.
As I wanted to observe developments--a very necessary thing whenyou are playing Providence--I chose a central position in the shadeand pulled out some very smudgy tatting, a sort of Penelope's webwhich there was no prospect of my ever completing, but which servedadmirably to give me an appearance of occupation at criticalmoments.
Mr. Tubbs also had sought a shady spot and was fanning himself withhis helmet. From time to time he hummed, in a manner determinedlygay. However he might disguise it from himself, this time Mr.Tubbs had overshot his mark. In the first thrill of his greatdiscovery he had thought the game was in his hands. He had lookedfor an instant capitulation.
The truth was, since our arrival on the island Mr. Tubbs had felthimself the spoiled child of fortune. Aunt Jane and MissHigglesby-Browne were the joint commanders of the expedition, andhe commanded them. The Scotchman's theoretical rank as leader hadinvolved merely the acceptance of all the responsibility and blame,while authority rested with the petticoat government dominated bythe bland and wily Tubbs.
Had Mr. Tubbs but continued bland and wily, had he taken his fairconfederates into his counsels, who knows how fat a share of thetreasure they might have voted him. But he had abandoned his safenook behind the throne, and sought to come out into the open asdictator. _Sic semper tyrannis_. So had the mighty fallen.
Faced with the failure of his _coup d'etat_, Mr. Tubbs's situationwas, to say the least, awkward. He had risked all, and lost it.But he maintained an air of jaunty self-confidence, slightly tingedwith irony. It was all very well, he seemed to imply, for us totry to get along without H. H. We would discover the impossibilityof it soon enough.
Aunt Jane, drooping, had been led away to the cabin by MissHigglesby-Browne. You now heard the voice of Violet inexhortation, mingled with Aunt Jane's sobs. I seemed to see thatan ear of Mr. Tubbs was cocked attentively in that direction, Hehad indeed erred in the very wantonness of triumph, for a singleglance would have kept Aunt Jane loyal and prodigal of excuses forhim in the face of any treachery. Not even Violet could haveclapped the lid on the up-welling fount of sentiment in Aunt Jane'sheart. Only the cold condemning eye of H. H. himself had congealedthat tepid flood.
The morning wore on with ever-increasing heat, and as nothinghappened I began to find my watchful waiting dull. Crusoe, wornout perhaps by some private nocturnal pig-hunt, slept heavily wherethe drip of the spring over the brim of old Heintz's kettle cooledthe air. Aunt Jane's sobs had ceased, and only a low murmur ofvoices came from the cabin. I began to consider whether it wouldnot be well to take a walk with Cuthbert Vane and discover thetombstone all over again. I knew nothing, of course, of Mr.Tubbs's drastic measures with the celebrated landmark. As toCuthbert's interrupted courtship, I depended on the vast excitementof discovering the cave to distract his mind from it. For that wasthe idea, of course--Cuthbert Vane and I would explore the cave,and then whenever I liked I could prick the bubble of Mr. Tubbs'sambitions, without relating the whole strange story of the diaryand the _Island Queen_. I was immensely pleased already by theelimination of Mr. Tubbs from the number of those who need have afinger in the golden pie. I thought that perhaps with time andpatience I might coax events to play still further into my hand.
But meanwhile the cave drew me like a magnet. I jealously desiredto be the first to see it, to snatch from Mr. Tubbs the honors ofdiscovery. And I wanted to know about poor Peter--and, thedoubloons that he had gone back to fetch.
But already Captain Magnus had forsaken the post of duty anddeparted on an unknown errand. Could I ask Cuthbert Vane to do it,too? And then I smiled a smile that was half proud. I might askhim--but he would refuse me. In Cuthbert's simple code, certainthings were "done," certain others not. Among the nots was to failin standing by a friend. And just now Cuthbert was standing byDugald Shaw. Therefore nods and becks and wreathed smiles werevain. In Cuthbert's quiet, easy-mannered, thick-headed way hecould turn his back calmly on the face of love and follow the harshcall of duty even to death. It would not occur to him not to. Andhe never would suspect himself of being a hero--that would be quitethe nicest part of it.
And yet I knew poor Cuthbert was an exploded superstition, ananachronism, part of a vanishing order of things, and that theideal which was replacing him was a boiler-plated monster withclock-work heart and brain, named Efficiency. And that Cuthbertmust go, along with his Jacobean manor and his family ghost, andthe oaks in the park, and everything else that couldn't prove itsright to live except by being fine and lovely and full of garneredsweetness of the past--
At this point in my meditations the door of the cabin opened andMiss Browne came out, looking sternly resolute. Aunt Janefollowed, very pink about the eyes and nose. She threw an anxiousfluttering glance at Mr. Tubbs, who sat up briskly, and in anervous manner polished with a large bandana that barren zone, hiscranium, which looked torrid enough to scorch the very feet of theflies that walked on it. It was clear that on the lips of MissBrowne there hovered some important announcement, which might wellbe vital to the fortunes of Mr. Tubbs.
With a commanding gesture Miss Browne signaled the rest toapproach. Mr. Tubbs bounced up with alacrity. Mr. Shaw andCuthbert obeyed less promptly, but they obeyed. Meanwhile Violetwaited, looking implacable as fate.
"And where is Captain Magnus?" she demanded, glancing about her.
But no one knew what had become of Captain Magnus.
As for myself, I continued to sit in the shade and tat. But Icould hear with ease all that was said.
"Mr. Tubbs," began Miss Browne, "your recent claims have beenmatter of prolonged consideration between Miss Harding and myself.We feel--we can not but feel--that there was a harshness in yourannouncement of them, an apparent concentration on your owninterests, ill befitting a member of this expedition. Also, thatin actual substance, they were excessive. Not half, Mr. Tubbs; oh,no, not half! But one-quarter, Miss Harding and myself, as thejoint heads of the Harding-Browne expedition, are inclined to thinkno more than the reward which is your due. We suggest, therefore,a simple way out of the difficulty, Mr. Dugald Shaw was engaged onliberal terms to find the treasure. He has not found the treasure.He has not found the slightest clue to its present whereabouts.Mr. Tubbs, on the contrary, has found a clue. It is a clue of thefirst importance. It is equivalent almost to the actual discoveryof the chest. Therefore let Mr. Shaw, convinced I am sure by thiscalm presentation of the matter of the justice of such a course,resign his claim to a fourth share of the treasure in favor of Mr.Hamilton H. Tubbs, and agree to receive instead the formerallotment of Mr. Tubbs, namely, one-sixteenth."
Having offered this remarkable suggestion, Miss Browne folded herarms and waited for it to bear fruit.
It did--in the enthusiastic response of Mr. Tubbs. Having alreadyplayed his highest trump and missed the trick, he now found himselfwith an entirely fresh hand dealt to him by the obliging MissHigglesby-Browne. The care in his countenance yielded to beamingsmiles.
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"Well, well!" he exclaimed. "To think of your takin' old H. H.that literal! O' course, havin' formed my habits in the financialcenters of the country, I named a stiff price at first--a stiffprice, I won't deny. But that's jest the leetle way of a man usedto handlin' large affairs--nothin' else to it, I do assure you.The Old Man himself used to say, 'There's old H. H.--you'd thinkhe'd eat the paint off a house, he'll show up that graspin' in adeal. And all the time it's jest love of the game. Let him knowhe's goin' to win out, and bless you, old H. H. will swing rightround and fair force the profits on the other party. H. H. isslicker than soap to handle, if only you handle him right.' Can Isay without hard feelin's that jest now H. H. was not handledright? Instead o' bein' joshed with, as he looked for, he was tookup short, and even them which he might have expected to showconfidence"--here Mr. Tubbs cast a reproachful eye at AuntJane--"run off with the notion that he meant jest what he said.All he'd done for this expedition, his loyalty and faith to same,was forgotten, and he was thought of as a self-seeker and VoraciousShark!" The pain of these recollections dammed the torrent of Mr.Tubbs's speech.
"Oh, Mr. Tubbs!" breathed Aunt Jane heart-brokenly, and of course atear trickled gently down her nose, following the path of manyprevious tears which had already left their saline traces.
Mr. Tubbs managed in some impossible fashion to roll one eyetenderly at Aunt Jane, while keeping the other fastened shrewdly onthe remainder of his audience.
"Miss Higglesby-Browne and Miss Jane Harding," he resumed, "Iaccept. It would astonish them as has only known H. H. on hisfinancial side to see him agree to a reduction of profits like thiswithout a kick. But I'm a man of impulse, I am. Get me on my softside and a kitten ain't more impulsive than old H. H. And o'course the business of this expedition ain't jest business to me.It's--er--friendship, and--er--sentiment--in short, there'sfeelin's that is more than worth their weight in gold!"
At these significant words the agitation of Aunt Jane was extreme.Was it possible that Mr. Tubbs was declaring himself in thepresence of others--and was a response demanded from herself--wouldhis sensitive nature, so lately wounded by cruel suspicion,interpret her silence as fatal to his hopes? But while shestruggled between maiden shyness and the fear of crushing Mr. Tubbsthe conversation had swept on.
"Mr. Shaw," said Miss Browne, "you have heard Mr. Tubbs, in theinterest of the expedition, liberally consent to reduce his claimby one-half. Doubtless, if only in a spirit of emulation, you willattempt to match this conduct by canceling our present agreementand consenting to another crediting you with the former sixteenthshare of Mr. Tubbs."
"Don't do it, Shaw--hold the fort, old boy!" broke in CuthbertVane. "I say, Miss Browne, this is a bally shame!"
Miss Browne had always treated the prospective Lord Grasmere withdistinguished politeness. Even now her air was mild though lofty.
"Mr. Vane, I must beg leave to remind you that the object of thisexpedition was yet unattained when Mr. Tubbs, by following cluesignored by others, brought success within our reach. Mr. DugaldShaw having conspicuously failed--"
"Failed!" repeated Cuthbert, with unprecedented energy. "Failed!I say, that's too bad of you, Miss Browne. Wasn't everybody here alot keener than old Shaw about mucking in that silly cave wherethose Johnnies would have had hard work to bury anything unlessthey were mermaids? Didn't the old chap risk his neck a dozentimes a day while this Christopher Columbus stayed high and dryashore? Suppose he did find the tombstone by stubbing his sillytoes on it--so far he hasn't found the cave, much less the box ofguineas or whatever those foreign chaps call their money. Let Mr.Tubbs go sit on the tombstone if he likes. Shaw and I can find thecave quite on our own, can't we, Shaw?"
"Mr. Vane," replied the still deferential Violet, "as a member ofthe British aristocracy, it is not to be supposed that you wouldview financial matters with the same eye as those of us of theMiddle Classes, who, unhappily perhaps for our finer feelings, havebeen obliged to experience the harsh contacts of common life. Yourdevotion to Mr. Shaw has a romantic ardor which I can not butadmire. But permit us also our enthusiasm for the perspicacity ofMr. Tubbs, to which we owe the wealth now within our grasp."
Mr. Shaw now spoke for the first time.
"Miss Browne, I do not recognize the justice of your standpoint inthis matter. I have done and am still prepared to do my best inthis business of the treasure. If Mr. Tubbs will not give hisinformation except for a bribe, I say--let him keep it. We are noworse off without it than we were before, and you were thenconfident of success. My intention, ma'am, is to hold you to ouroriginal agreement. I shall continue the search for the treasureon the same lines as at present."
"One moment," said Miss Browne haughtily. She had never spokenotherwise than haughtily to Mr. Shaw since the episode of the WiseWoman of Dumbiedykes. "One moment, Jane--and you, Mr. Tubbs--"
She drew them aside, and they moved off out of earshot, where theystood with their backs to us and their heads together.
It was my opportunity. Violet herself had proposed that theoriginal agreement--the agreement which bound me to ask for noshare of the treasure--should be canceled. Nothing now wasnecessary to the ripening of my hopes but to induce Dugald Shaw toimmolate himself. Would he do so--on my bare word? There was notime to explain anything--he must trust me.
I sprang up and dashed over to the pair who stood looking gloomilyout to sea. They turned in surprise and stared down, the two bigmen, into my flushed up-tilted face.
"Mr. Shaw," I whispered quickly, "you must do as Miss Brownewishes." In my earnestness I laid a hand upon his arm. Heregarded me bewilderedly.
"You must--you must!" I urged. "You'll spoil everything if yourefuse!"
The surprise in his face yielded to a look composed of manyelements, but which was mainly hard and bitter.
"And still I shall refuse," he said sardonically.
"Oh, no, no," I implored, "you don't understand! I--oh, if youwould only believe that I am your friend!"
His face changed subtly. It was still questioning and guarded, butwith a softening in it, too.
"Why don't you believe it?" I whispered unsteadily. "Do you forgetthat I owe you my life?"
And at the recollection of that day in the sea-cave the scarletburned in my cheeks and my head drooped. But I saw how the linesabout his mouth relaxed. "Surely you must know that I would repayyou if I could!" I hurried on. "And not by--treachery."
He laughed suddenly. "Treachery? No! I think you would always bean open foe."
"Indeed I would!" I answered with a flash of wrath. Then, as Iremembered the need of haste, I spoke in an intense quick whisper."Listen--I can't explain, there isn't time. I can only ask you totrust me--to agree to what Miss Browne wishes. Everything--youdon't dream how much--depends on it!" For I felt that I would letthe treasure lie hidden in the _Island Queen_ forever rather thanthat Mr. Tubbs should, under the original contract, claim a shareof it.
The doubt had quite left his face.
"I do trust you, little Virginia," he said gently. "Yes, I trustin your honesty, heaven knows, child. But permit me to questionyour wisdom in desiring to enrich our friend Tubbs."
"Enrich him--enrich _him_! The best I wish him is unlimited gruelin an almshouse somewhere. No! What I want is to get thatwretched paper of Miss Browne's nullified. Afterward we can dividethings up as we like--"
Bewilderment, shot with a gleam of half-incredulous understanding,seemed to transfix him. We stood a long moment, our eyeschallenging each other, exchanging their countersign of faith andsteadfastness. Then slowly he held out his hand. I laid mine init--we stood hand in hand, comrades at last. Without more words heturned away and strode over to the council of three.
I now became aware of Cuthbert Vane, whom perplexity had carriedfar beyond the bounds of speech and imprisoned in a sort of torpor.He was showing faint symptoms of revival, and had got as far as "Isay--?" uttered in the tone of one who finds himself moving aboutin worlds n
ot realized, when the near-by group dissolved and movedrapidly toward us. Miss Browne, exultant, beaming, was in the van.She set her substantial feet down like a charger pawing the earth.You might almost have said that Violet pranced. Aunt Jane wasround-eyed and twittering. Mr. Tubbs wore a look of suppressedastonishment, almost of perturbation. _What's his game_? was thequestion in the sophisticated eye of Mr. Tubbs. But the Scotchmanhad when he chose a perfect poker face. The great game of bluffwould have suited him to a nicety. Mr. Tubbs interrogated thatinexpressive countenance in vain.
Miss Browne advanced on Cuthbert Vane and seized both his hands inan ardent clasp.
"Mr. Vane," she said with solemnity, "I thank you--in the name ofthis expedition I thank you--for the influence you have exertedupon your friend!"
And this seemed to be to the noble youth the most stunning of allthe shocks of that eventful morning.
Now came the matter of drawing up the new agreement. It was acanny Scot indeed who, acting on the hint I had just given him,finally settled its terms. In the first place, the previousagreement was declared null and void. In the second, Mr. Tubbs wasto have his fourth only if the treasure were discovered through hisdirect agency. And it was under this condition and no other thatDugald Shaw bound himself to relinquish his original claim.Virginia Harding signed a new renunciatory clause, but it bore onlyon treasure _discovered by Mr. Tubbs_. Indeed, the entire contractwas of force only if Mr. Tubbs fulfilled his part of it, and fellto pieces if he did not. Which was exactly what I wanted.
Miss Browne and Mr. Tubbs demurred a little at the wording on whichMr. Shaw insisted, but Mr. Tubbs's confidence in the infallibilityof the tombstone was so great that no real objection wasinterposed. No difficulty was made of the absence of CaptainMagnus, as his interests were unaffected by the change. Space wasleft for his signature. Mine came last of all, as that of a mereinterloper and hanger-on. I added it and handed the paper demurelyacross to Violet, who consigned it to an apparently bottomlesspocket. Copies were to be made after lunch.
My demonstrations of joy at this happy issue of my hopes had to beconfined to a smile--in which for a startled instant Violet hadseemed to sense the triumph. It was still on my lips as with ageneral movement we rose from the table about which we had beengrouped during the absorbing business of drawing up the contract.Cookie had been clamoring for us to leave, that he might spread thetable for lunch. I had opened my mouth to call to him, "All right,Cookie!" when a shrill volley of barks from Crusoe shattered thestillness of the drowsy air. In the same instant the voice ofCookie, raised to a sharp note of alarm, rang through the camp:
"_My Gawd, what all dis yere mean_?"
I turned, to look into the muzzle of a rifle.
Spanish Doubloons Page 15
