Carmen's Messenger

by Harold Bindloss

  XXIV

  LAWRENCE'S STORY

  When the meal was over Foster began to feel impatient. Pete went away,but Mrs. Stephen and Lucy remained, and Foster, having much to ask andtell his comrade, was embarrassed by their presence. By and by he sawthat Lawrence was watching him with quiet amusement.

  "It's like old times to have you with us," Lawrence remarked. "Infact, it only needed your turning up to complete my satisfaction; butyou're a disturbing fellow. Don't you think this lucky reunion israther too good to spoil?"

  Foster knew what he meant and was tempted to agree, though he felt thiswas weak. It was pleasant to lounge, enjoying careless talk, and thesociety of the two ladies had its charm. They added a touch ofdomesticity and gave the place a homelike look, while the girl made anattractive picture as she handed Lawrence his matches and cigarettes.Foster thought it was worth being ill to be waited on like that. Thenhis chair was comfortable and he could see the sunset fading on thesnow.

  The sky was a wonderful pale-green and the high peaks glowed againstit, softly red. There was a belt where the snow glittered, but lowerdown it faded to gray and blue. The pines were nearly black, but roseout of the shadow in sharp-cut spires, and far down in the dusky gorge,from which the roar of the flood and crash of ice ascended, there weregleams of livid foam. Still there was much he wanted to learn, and itwas something of a relief when Mrs. Stephen picked up her sewing andgave her daughter a meaning glance. To Foster's surprise, Lawrenceinterposed.

  "If you don't mind, I'd sooner you didn't go." Then he turned toFoster with a smile. "It's obvious that you want to unbosom yourself,Jake, but you can begin. You needn't be afraid of mentioning Daly.Lucy knows."

  Foster remarked the girl's blush. Since she knew so much, it was plainthat Lawrence had asked her to marry him and she had agreed. Heimagined that Lawrence wanted Mrs. Stephen to hear somebody else'saccount of the matter, and although it would have been easier to talkto Lawrence alone, he asked:

  "Did you know the fellow was in Banff a day or two since?"

  Lucy Stephen made an abrupt movement, and her mother looked interested.She was a quiet lady and more reserved than the girl, but Fosterthought her intelligent and firm.

  "I did not," said Lawrence. "As a matter of fact, I'm no longer afraidof the fellow and mean to fight. He can't do me much harm--now."

  The girl's shy glance at his comrade moved Foster. She knew what herlover meant and valued his trust; but he could sympathize with Mrs.Stephen, who looked disturbed. The latter was practical and no doubtsaw that Daly might give them trouble.

  "You had better begin at the beginning, and then we'll understand whyyou came back and how you got on Daly's trail," Lawrence resumed with ahint of resignation.

  "Very well; but first, why didn't you write?"

  "I wrote twice. Once to my mother and once to you."

  "We got no letters. Did you post them?"

  "Ah!" said Lawrence, "that was unfortunate. I gave the first letter toa steward to send ashore from a San Francisco boat. Walters put theother in the mail."

  "Who is Walters?"

  "We'll come to him later. Get on with your story."

  Foster told it as clearly as he could, though this took some time, andwhen he had finished was annoyed by his comrade's smile. Lawrenceseldom took things seriously enough.

  "Jake is a born meddler," he remarked to the others. "He can't resistthe temptation to put crooked matters right."

  "It is a useful habit," said Mrs. Stephen quietly.

  "Just so," Lawrence agreed. "Still it's a habit that ought to becarefully controlled and not, so to speak, be indulged out ofsentimental impulses."

  Foster felt embarrassed, although he thought he had said no more aboutCarmen and Alice than was needed to make his narrative clear.

  "First of all," Lawrence resumed, "he takes up my defense, then he musthelp Carmen, and I think deserved the trouble in which she involvedhim. Next he seems to have been moved by my sister's anxiety." Hepaused and gave Foster a curious quiet smile. "I wondered what Alicewould think of you and hope she was grateful."

  Foster saw Lucy's interest, and wondered whether he had told more thanhe meant, but his comrade's amusement seemed uncalled for, and herejoined: "I imagined I'd made it plain that your sister wasn't theonly relative your carelessness alarmed."

  "You did. The situation wasn't without its humor, Jake. After you hadembarked on a number of strange adventures on my behalf, it must havebeen galling to be suspected of having made away with me. However, Iunderstand that Alice didn't take this view?"

  "She did not," said Foster shortly, and Lawrence rang a bell.

  "Get me a C.P. telegram form," he ordered the waiter.

  The form was brought, and Lawrence filled it up and gave it to the man.Then he fixed his eyes on Foster and remarked carelessly: "I've sent itin your name, Jake, and not to my father. I thought somebody hadbetter break the comforting news to him, and briefly stated that youhad found me."

  "Oughtn't you to have added some particulars?" Mrs. Stephen asked.

  "On the whole, I don't think so. For one thing, Jake's taciturnmodesty rather becomes him, and the charges for an English telegram arehigh."

  Foster said nothing, but he knew the message had been sent to Alice andLawrence was satisfied with him as his sister's lover. This wassomething, but Lawrence's approval might not count for much.

  "That's done with," the latter resumed. "Since you didn't find Daly atBanff, we have to decide if Carmen meant to deceive you and he neverintended going there. I rather think we had better leave it to Mrs.Stephen and Lucy."

  "I imagine she told the truth," Lucy replied. "If she had loved theman, she might, after all, have tried to protect him; but a selfish,ambitious girl who found she had been cheated, would be capable ofruining him in a fit of jealous rage."

  "But I didn't state that she was ambitious and selfish," objectedFoster.

  Lawrence's eyes twinkled. "You don't realize all your talents, Jake.For one thing, you have a gift for narrative, and the portrait you drewof Carmen with a stroke or two was lifelike. Then, when you met andbluffed her into giving Daly away, you couldn't have taken a moreeffective line if you had been an ambassador. What do you think, Mrs.Stephen?"

  "Mr. Foster seems to have used all his advantages and the girl got ashock that found out her weak points. I believe she meant to ruin herworthless lover."

  "So do I," Lawrence agreed. "I expect you have made Jake sorry he wasfirm, but I'd warned him about Carmen and she doesn't deserve muchpity. But why did Daly leave England and how did he find out that I'dbeen at Banff?"

  "If you'll tell me what you have done since you left the Crossing, itmight help to solve the puzzle," Foster replied.

  Lawrence made a gesture of resignation. "I suppose it must be told. Iwent to California and didn't get as well as I expected. There was agood deal of sea-fog on the coast and after a time I went farthersouth. That's one reason I didn't write; I felt languid and dejectedand didn't want to alarm my folks. Well, I tried Mexico and got ratherworse; besides I found lounging tiresome work. In consequence, Ijoined a steamer going north and her doctor told me that dry coldmountain air was the best cure for troubles like mine. I met Walterson the voyage up the coast."

  "Perhaps you had better describe him," Lucy suggested.

  "Walters looks about my age and is thin and dark; an amusing fellow andremarkably well informed. In fact, I couldn't guess his nationality;he seemed to have been everywhere. He had good manners, but somehowone missed----"

  "Something that good manners must be founded on," Lucy interposed.

  Foster saw that they had argued about the man before, because Lawrencesmiled indulgently.

  "Then how did he make your acquaintance?" he asked the girl.

  "That was not altogether Lawrence's fault. Walters was cleverer thanhe thought."

  "And he mailed one of the letters that did not arrive?"

  "T
he fellow," Lawrence continued, "was a pleasant companion and when Imentioned why I was traveling agreed that the mountains were best forme. Told me about some friends of his whom the air had cured."

  "In short, he recommended your trying Banff," Lucy remarked.

  "He did me a good turn there. We separated at Seattle, but I found himat Victoria, where I stopped some weeks. It was there I met Lucy, whowas going to Banff. I must explain that she's a mountaineer."

  The girl blushed. "I climbed in the Olympians twice with collegefriends. They talked about exploring some of the northern glaciersnext summer, and as we wanted a change, I persuaded mother to spend amonth or two at a mountain resort where I could get some practice onthe ice." She paused and added in a grave voice: "I really don't climbwell, Mr. Foster, and doubt if I shall venture on the rocks again."

  "Well," resumed Lawrence, "we decided to go to Banff together. I gotbetter rapidly and we made a few easy excursions into the mountains,but the weather was bad and we didn't like our hotel. Then Waltersturned up again and told us about this place. In fact, he was ratherenthusiastic about it and said we'd find good rock climbs at the door,so we agreed to move."

  "And took Walters?"

  "He was an amusing fellow. He'd a way of finding something interestingfor one to do and was always ready when he was wanted; a very usefulman to have about."

  Foster imagined his comrade might have found the fellow about when hewas not wanted, but Mrs. Stephen's smile was illuminating. It seemedto hint that Lawrence had found Walters useful because he took her offhis hands. Foster thought it curious that the man was satisfied withhis part, since Lucy was a very attractive girl. Walters had obviouslynot attached himself to the party on her account.

  "As I got stronger we tried some harder climbs," Lawrence went on."Lucy is clever and steady on the ice; I'd had some practice onScawfell in winter when I was at home, and though Walters didn't knowmuch about the work his nerve is good. At length, we resolved to trythe sharp peak yonder."

  It was nearly dark, but Foster, looking up the valley, saw a whitesummit gleam against the sky. The shoulders of the mountain had fadedto a pale gray, and the darker streak that filled a deep hollow markeda glacier.

  "We started early and at first found the glacier rough but safe.Walters had insisted on two guides; prospectors, used to the rocks, whonow and then took a tourist party out. The glacier brought us up someheight, but after a time the surface began to be broken by bigcrevasses. We spent two hours picking our way across and at noon sawwe must find another route. The slope on the right would take us offour line; on the left there were high, icy rocks that would puzzle amember of the Alpine club."

  "We sat down and examined the mountain with the glasses. Above thecrags, a snowfield ran up to the foot of the last sharp ridge, but wedid not see how we could reach it. Ragged clouds drove across theridge and blowing snow streamed about the peak like mist. Lucy,however, was keen on going on, and by and by one of the guides pickedout a _coulee_ that might take us up. _Coulee's_ good French-Canadian,but Alpinists call it a _couloir_. It looked like a thin, white,perpendicular streak on the face of the dark rock. But perhaps I'mboring you with these particulars."

  Lucy gave Foster a meaning glance and he said, "No; I want tounderstand the thing."

  "It was awkward to reach the _coulee_, because the glacier was badlycrevassed, but we got there. The gully was nearly precipitous; anarrow trough that serves as a rubbish shoot for the mountain when thethaw splits the rocks. I expect it's ground smooth in summer, but itwas filled with hard, slippery snow. We stopped again and studied it,and I felt doubtful I about taking Lucy up, but she didn't want to goback. Walters took my view and said we'd all go back, but he lookeddisappointed and Lucy wouldn't agree."

  "I lost my temper," Lucy admitted. "I never liked Walters and when hesupported Lawrence I got obstinate. Besides, I thought he reallywanted to get rid of me."

  "Anyhow, we decided that one guide should take Lucy back down theglacier."

  "Walters decided," Lucy objected. "It's important, Mr. Foster, that hechose the guide. Be careful how you tell the rest, Lawrence."

  "He said she must take the best man, and one laughed and said that ifwe meant to get up we'd better stick to him. Walters, however, sentthis fellow off with Lucy, and then we fastened on the rope and beganto climb. We got up perhaps a hundred feet by kicking steps in thesnow, but that's a tiring job for the leader, and when he found a crackin the wall, where we could stop, the guide had had enough."

  "Why was it necessary to find a crack?" Foster asked.

  "One couldn't stand on the snow, and if we had tried to sit on it, we'dhave shot down to the bottom; for the most part, the walls were groundsmooth. When you go up a place like that, the leader kicks a littlehole as high as he can in front, and then stands in it while he makesanother. The rest put their feet in the holes as they follow. Well,when we set off again I went first and had to use my ax because thesnow had hardened into ice, I soon found out I hadn't quite got better,and was forced to stop when we were nearly half-way up. We lay down,with our toes in the nicks, to rest, and I slid my flask down toWalters when I'd had a drink. It was a big flask, and I'd got itfilled with brandy. I thought the guide took a remarkably long drink,but he looked steady when he crawled up to take my place.

  "After that it was very slow work and we were glad when we found a knobof rock sticking out of the ice. It had been ground into the shape ofa bridge pier by the rubbish shooting past. We stopped a bit andargued if we should give it up, but the guide declared he knew a betterway down into the next valley and Walters seemed keen, so we atesomething, took another drink, and set off again. The slope wasdangerously steep and I thought the guide was using his ax wildly, butwe came to a deep crack in the wall and when Walters suggested that itmight help us out of the gully I threw off the rope. It would havebeen of no use if I had fallen, and I meant to come down unless I saw afairly safe route to the snowfield. In fact, I think I meant to giveup the climb and only went to find an excuse for this.

  "The crack was not quite vertical and gave a good hold, but when I'dgot up eighteen or twenty feet I came to an awkward slab. It bulgedout, but I found a hold for my hands and scrambled over the edge. Imanaged this because the alternative was falling off and shooting tothe bottom of the _coulee,_ but perhaps because I was weaker than Ithought, I wrenched my shoulder during the lift. Anyhow, I couldn'tuse my arm. It appeared afterwards that a ligament was strained, andthe joint pinches yet.

  "For a minute or two I thought hard. There was no way up, and I hadn'tnerve enough to lower myself over the ledge by one arm. When I movedthe other cautiously it hurt worse than at first. I called to theothers and told them how I was fixed, but got a shock when the guidelooked up.

  "'Can't get down?' he said. 'Then why in thunder don't you jump?'

  "'The fool's drunk,' Walters explained and added that he'd try to bringme the rope.

  "I told him to throw me the end, as there was a knob I could double itround and then slide down both parts. The trouble was that Walters hadnothing much to stand on when he tried to throw the coil. He lost hisbalance, slid down the gully, and jerked the guide out of his step. Isaw Walters' ax shoot down in front, but the guide stuck to his, andthe blade dragging over the rough surface checked them a bit. For allthat, it looked as if they'd go straight to the bottom and they wouldhardly have got there alive, but the small rock wasn't far below. Idon't think I breathed while I waited to see if it would bring them up.

  "Walters struck the rock first and was very quick with the rope; infact, I was astonished at his coolness, because he must have got aheavy blow. He stopped the other fellow and they lay on the rock for afew minutes. Then Walters shouted: 'He's not to be trusted, and Ican't climb back alone.'

  "Well, it was some moments before I could face the situation, but Itold him to get down as fast as he could and send a rescue party withthe other guide. He objected, but admitted
that he saw no other plan,and I felt desperately lonely as I watched them crawl down the_couloir_. I don't know that I felt much worse afterwards, although itbegan to snow and my hands and feet seemed to turn to ice; two of myleft fingers aren't of much use yet. The ledge was wide enough to siton, but slanted, and one had to be careful to keep from slipping off.The snow stopped, but when dark came I'd given up hope of the rescueparty's arriving in time. As a matter of fact, they were nearly toolate, and I was in bed a month after they got me down; but Lucy cantell you the rest. You see, she saved my life."

  A wave of color flushed Lucy's face. "When I reached the hotel I feltuneasy, and when it got dark and Lawrence didn't come I was alarmed. Ihad kept the guide who brought me home, and sent him to find some ofhis friends at a ranch not far off. They went back to look forLawrence."

  "You went back," said Lawrence reprovingly.

  "As far as the first big crevasse; they wouldn't let me cross. Butbefore this we met Walters and the other guide, who was drunk. Walterswanted to come with us, but I wouldn't allow him."

  "You thought he was too tired?" Foster suggested.

  "No," said Lucy quietly, "it wasn't altogether that."

  Foster saw she would say no more about it, which seemed significant,and he let her go on.

  "There is not much more to tell," she said with a shiver. "I was veryanxious while I waited behind a hummock of ice, but at last I heard themen coming; they were carrying Lawrence, who couldn't walk. We got himdown to the hotel--and I think that's all."

  "But what became of Walters?" Foster asked.

  "He stayed for a few days, and we were glad when he had to leave. Hewas in the way when Lawrence was ill."

  "Thank you," said Foster gravely and was silent for a time.

  He understood why his comrade called Miss Stephen Lucy, although he hadnot known her very long. She had, no doubt, saved his life by hurryingoff the rescue party and had afterwards taken care of him when he wasill. He thought Lawrence lucky, but was not justified incongratulating him yet, and had something else to think about. Lucysuspected Walters, though Lawrence did not, and Foster imagined thatshe had some ground for doing so. She had an object for makingLawrence tell his story with full particulars, because it must havebeen painful to recall the matter.

  "We'll say no more about it now, Miss Stephen," he remarked. "Lawrenceand I are old friends, and I'm heavily in your debt."

  Lucy looked up with a smile and blush, and Foster understood what shemeant when she answered: "I hope you will always be his friend."