VI
"I am," Mr. McDonald said, as the cigarette steamed, "the son of poorbut honest parents. All my life I have been obliged to labor. You maysay that my English is surprisingly pure, under such conditions. As amatter of fact, I educated myself at night, using a lantern in the topof my father's stable."
"I thought you said he was poor," Hutchins put in nastily. "How did hehave a stable?"
"He kept a livery stable. Any points that are not clear I will explainafterward. Once the thread of a narrative is broken, it is difficult toresume, Miss Hutchins. Near us, in a large house, lived the lady of myheart."
"The pink tam-o'-shanter girl!" said Aggie. "I begin to understand."
"But," he added, "near us also lived a red-headed boy. She liked himvery much, and even in the long-ago days I was fiercely jealous of him.It may surprise you to know that in those days I longed--fairlylonged--for red hair and a red mustache."
"I hate to interrupt," said Hutchins; "but did he have a mustache as aboy?"
He ignored her. "We three grew up together. The girl isbeautiful--you've probably noticed that--and amiable. The one thing Iadmire in a young woman is amiability. It would not, for instance, haveoccurred to her to isolate an entire party on the bosom of a northernand treacherous river out of pure temper."
"To think," said Aggie softly, "that she is just over there by thecamp-fire! Don't you suppose, if she loves you, she senses yournearness?"
"That's it exactly," he replied in a gloomy voice, "if she loves me! Butdoes she? In other words, has she come up the river to meet me or tomeet my rival? She knows we are here. Both of us have written her. Thepresence of one or the other of us is the real reason for this excursionof hers. But again the question is--which?"
Here the match he was holding under the cigarette burned his fingers andhe flung it overboard with a violent gesture.
"The detective, of course," said Tish. "I knew it from the beginning ofyour story."
"The detective," he assented. "You see his very profession attracts.There's an element of romance in it. I myself have kept on with myfather and now run the--er--livery stable. My business is a handicapfrom a romantic point of view.
"I am aware," Mr. McDonald went on, "that it is not customary to speakso frankly of affairs of this sort; but I have two reasons. It hurts meto rest under unjust suspicion. I am no spy, ladies. And the secondreason is even stronger. Consider my desperate position: In the morningmy rival will see her; he will paddle his canoe to the great rock belowyour camp and sing his love song from the water. In the morning I shallsit here helpless--ill, possibly--and see all that I value in life slipout of my grasp. And all through no fault of my own! Things are soevenly balanced, so little will shift the weight of her favor, thatfrankly the first one to reach her will get her."
I confess I was thrilled. And even Tish was touched; but she covered heremotion with hard common sense.
"What's her name?" she demanded.
"Considering my frankness I must withhold that. Why not simply refer toher as the pink tam-o'-shanter--or, better still and more briefly, theP.T.S.? That may stand for pink tam-o'-shanter, or the Person ThatSmiles,--she smiles a great deal,--or--or almost anything."
"It also stands," said Hutchins, with a sniff, "for Pretty Tall Story."
Tish considered her skepticism unworthy in one so young, and told herso; on which she relapsed into a sulky silence.
In view of what we knew, the bonfire at our camp and the small figureacross the river took on a new significance.
As Aggie said, to think of the red-haired man sleeping calmly while hislady love was so near and his rival, so to speak, _hors de combat!_Shortly after finishing his story, Mr. McDonald went to the stern of theboat and lifted the anchor rope.
"It is possible," he said, "that the current will carry us to my islandwith a little judicious management. Even though we miss it, we'll hardlybe worse off than we are."
It was surprising we had not thought of it before, for the plansucceeded admirably. By moving a few feet at a time and then anchoring,we made slow but safe progress, and at last touched shore. We got out,and Mr. McDonald built a large fire, near which we put Aggie to steam.His supper, which he had not had time to eat, he generously divided, andwe heated the tea. Hutchins, however, refused to eat.
Warmth and food restored Tish's mind to its usual keenness. I recall nowthe admiration in Mr. McDonald's eyes when she suddenly put down thesandwich she was eating and exclaimed:--
"The flags, of course! He told her to watch for a red flag as she cameup the river; so when the party saw ours they landed. Perhaps they stillthink it is his camp and that he is away overnight."
"That's it, exactly," he said. "Think of the poor wretch's excitementwhen he saw your flag!"
Still, on looking back, it seems curious that we overlooked the way thered-headed man had followed Hutchins about. True, men are polygamousanimals, Tish says, and are quite capable of following one woman aboutwhile they are sincerely in love with somebody else. But, when you thinkof it, the detective had apparently followed Hutchins from the start,and had gone into the wilderness to be near her, with only a suitcaseand a mackintosh coat; which looked like a mad infatuation.
[Tish says she thought of this at the time, and that; from what she hadseen of the P.T.S., Hutchins was much prettier. But she says she decidedthat men often love one quality in one girl and another in another; thathe probably loved Hutchins's beauty and the amiability of the P.T.S.Also, she says, she reflected that the polygamy of the Far East isprobably due to this tendency in the male more than to a preponderanceof women.]
Tish called me aside while Mr. McDonald was gathering firewood. "I'm afool and a guilty woman, Lizzie," she said. "Because of an unjustsuspicion I have possibly wrecked this poor boy's life."
I tried to soothe her. "They might have been wretchedly unhappytogether, Tish," I said; "and, anyhow, I doubt whether he is able tosupport a wife. There's nothing much in keeping a livery stablenowadays."
"There's only one thing that still puzzles me," Tish observed: "grantingthat the grocery order was a grocery order, what about the note?"
We might have followed this line of thought, and saved what occurredlater, but that a new idea suddenly struck Tish. She is curious in thatway; her mind works very rapidly at times, and because I cannot take hermental hurdles, so to speak, she is often impatient.
"Lizzie," she said suddenly, "did you notice that when the anchor waslifted, we drifted directly to this island? Don't stare at me like that.Use your wits."
When I failed instantly to understand, however, she turned abruptly andleft me, disappearing in the shadows.
For the next hour nothing happened. Tish was not in sight and Aggieslept by the fire. Hutchins sat with her chin cupped in her hands, andMr. McDonald gathered driftwood.
Hutchins only spoke once. "I'm awfully sorry about the canoe, MissLizzie," she said; "it was silly and--and selfish. I don't always actlike a bad child. The truth is, I'm rather upset and nervous. I hate tobe thwarted--I'm sorry I can't explain any further."
I was magnanimous. "I'm sure, until to-night, you've been perfectlysatisfactory," I said; "but it seems extraordinary that you shoulddislike men the way you do."
She only eyed me searchingly.
It is my evening custom to prepare for the night by taking my switch offand combing and braiding my hair; so, as we seemed to be settled for thenight, I asked Mr. McDonald whether the camp afforded an extra comb. Hebrought out a traveling-case at once from the tent and opened it.
"Here's a comb," he said. "I never use one. I'm sorry this is all I cansupply."
My eyes were glued to the case. It was an English traveling-case, withgold-mounted fittings. He saw me staring at it and changed color.
"Nice bag, isn't it?" he said. "It was a gift, of course. The--thelivery stable doesn't run much to this sort of thing."
But the fine edge of suspicion had crept into my mind again.
* *
* * *
Tish did not return to the fire for some time. Before she came back wewere all thoroughly alarmed. The island was small, and a short searchconvinced us that she was not on it!
We wakened Aggie and told her, and the situation was very painful. Thelaunch was where we had left it. Mr. McDonald looked more and moreuneasy.
"My sane mind tells me she's perfectly safe," he said. "I don't knowthat I've ever met a person more able to take care of herself; but it'sdarned odd--that's all I can say."
Just as he spoke a volley of shots sounded from up the river near ourcamp, two close together and then one; and somebody screamed.
It was very dark. We could see lanterns flashing at our camp andsomebody was yelling hoarsely. One lantern seemed to run up and down thebeach in mad excitement, and then, out of the far-off din, Aggie, whoseears are sharp, suddenly heard the splash of a canoe paddle.
I shall tell Tish's story of what happened as she told it to CharlieSands two weeks or so later.
"It is perfectly simple," she said, "and it's stupid to make such a fussover it. Don't talk to me about breaking the law! The girl came; Ididn't steal her."
Charlie Sands, I remember, interrupted at that moment to remind her thatshe had shot a hole in the detective's canoe; but this only irritatedher.
"Certainly I did," she snapped; "but it's perfectly idiotic of him tosay that it took off the heel of his shoe. In that stony country it'salways easy to lose a heel."
But to return to Tish's story:--
"It occurred to me," she said, "that, if the launch had drifted to Mr.McDonald's island, the canoe might have done so too; so I took a lookround. I'd been pretty much worried about having called the boy a spywhen he wasn't, and it worried me to think that he couldn't get awayfrom the place. I never liked the red-haired man. He was cruel toAggie's cat--but we've told you that.
"I knew that in the morning the detective would see the P.T.S., as wecalled her, and he could get over and propose before breakfast. But whenI found the canoe--yes, I found it--I didn't intend to do anything morethan steal the detective's boat."
"Is that all?" said Charlie Sands sarcastically. "You disappoint me,Aunt Letitia! With all the chances you had--to burn his pitiful littletent, for instance, or steal his suitcase--"
"But on my way," Tish went on with simple dignity, "it occurred to methat I could move things a step farther by taking the girl to Mr.McDonald and letting him have his chance right away. Things went wellfrom the start, for she was standing alone, looking out over the river.It was dark, except for the starlight, and I didn't know it was she. Ibeached the canoe and she squealed a little when I spoke to her."
"Just what," broke in Charlie Sands, "does one say under suchcircumstances? Sometime I may wish to abduct a young woman and it iswell to be prepared."
"I told her the young man she had expected was on Island Eleven and hadsent me to get her. She was awfully excited. She said they'd seen hissignal, but nothing of him. And when they'd found a number of femininethings round they all felt a little--well, you can understand. She wentback to get a coat, and while she was gone I untied the canoes andpushed them out into the river. I'm thorough, and I wasn't going to havea lot of people interfering before we got things fixed."
It was here, I think, that Charlie Sands gave a low moan and collapsedon the sofa. "Certainly!" he said in a stifled voice. "I believe inbeing thorough. And, of course, a few canoes more or less do notmatter."
"Later," Tish said, "I knew I'd been thoughtless about the canoes; but,of course, it was too late then."
"And when was it that you assaulted the detective?"
"He fired first," said Tish. "I never felt more peaceable in my life.It's absurd for him to say that he was watching our camp, as he hadevery night we'd been there. Who asked him to guard us? And the idea ofhis saying he thought we were Indians stealing things, and that he firedinto the air! The bullets sang past me. I had hardly time to get myrevolver out of my stocking."
"And then?" asked Charlie Sands.
"And then," said Tish, "we went calmly down the river to Island Eleven.We went rapidly, for at first the detective did not know I had shot ahole in his canoe, and he followed us. It stands to reason that if I'dshot his heel off he'd have known there was a hole in the boat. Luckilythe girl was in the bottom of the canoe when she fainted or we mighthave been upset."
It was at this point, I believe, that Charlie Sands got his hat andopened the door.
"I find," he said, "that I cannot stand any more at present, Aunt Tish.I shall return when I am stronger."
* * * * *
So I shall go back to my own narrative. Really my justification isalmost complete. Any one reading to this point will realize theinjustice of the things that have been said about us.
We were despairing of Tish, as I have said, when we heard the shots andthen the approach of a canoe. Then Tish hailed us.
"Quick, somebody!" she said. "I have a cramp in my right leg."
[The canoeing position, kneeling as one must, had been always verytrying for her. She frequently developed cramps, which only a hotfootbath relieved.]
Mr. McDonald waded out into the water. Our beach fire illuminated thewhole scene distinctly, and when he saw the P.T.S. huddled in the canoehe stopped as though he had been shot.
"How interesting!" said Hutchins from the bank, in her cool voice.
I remember yet Tish, stamping round on her cramped limb and smilingbenevolently at all of us. The girl, however, looked startled andunhappy, and a little dizzy. Hutchins helped her to a fallen tree.
"Where--where is he?" said the P.T.S.
Tish stared at her. "Bless the girl!" she said. "Did you think I meantthe other one?"
"I--What other one?"
Tish put her hand on Mr. McDonald's arm. "My dear girl," she said, "thisyoung man adores you. He's all that a girl ought to want in the man sheloves. I have done him a grave injustice and he has borne it nobly. Comenow--let me put your hand in his and say you will marry him."
"Marry him!" said the P.T.S. "Why, I never saw him in my life before!"
We had been so occupied with this astounding scene that none of us hadnoticed the arrival of the detective. He limped rapidly up thebank--having lost his heel, as I have explained--and, dripping withwater, confronted us. When a red-haired person is pale, he is very pale.And his teeth showed.
He ignored all of us but the P.T.S., who turned and saw him, and wentstraight into his arms in the most unmaidenly fashion.
"By Heaven," he said, "I thought that elderly lunatic had taken you offand killed you!"
He kissed her quite frantically before all of us; and then, with one armround her, he confronted Tish.
"I'm through!" he said. "I'm done! There isn't a salary in the worldthat will make me stay within gunshot of you another day." He eyed herfiercely. "You are a dangerous woman, madam," he said. "I'm going tobring a charge against you for abduction and assault with intent tokill. And if there's any proof needed I'll show my canoe, full of waterto the gunwale."
Here he kissed the girl again.
"You--you know her?" gasped Mr. McDonald, and dropped on a tree-trunk,as though he were too weak to stand.
"It looks like it, doesn't it?"
Here I happened to glance at Hutchins, and she was convulsed with mirth!Tish saw her, too, and glared at her; but she seemed to get worse. Then,without the slightest warning, she walked round the camp-fire and kissedMr. McDonald solemnly on the top of his head.
"I give it up!" she said. "Somebody will have to marry you and take careof you. I'd better be the person."
* * * * *
"But why was the detective watching Hutchins?" said Charlie Sands. "Wasit because he had heard of my Aunt Letitia's reckless nature? I am stillbewildered."
"You remember the night we got the worms?"
"I see. The detective was watching all of you because you stole theworms."
&nbs
p; "Stole nothing!" Tish snapped. "That's the girl's house. She's the MissNewcomb you read about in the papers. Now do you understand?"
"Certainly I do. She was a fugitive from justice because the cat founddynamite in the woods. Or--perhaps I'm a trifle confused, but--Now Ihave it! She had stolen a gold-mounted traveling-bag and given it toMcDonald. Lucky chap! I was crazy about Hutchins myself. You might tipher the word that I'm badly off for a traveling-case myself. But whatabout the P.T.S.? How did she happen on the scene?"
"She was engaged to the detective, and she was camping down the river.He had sent her word where he was. The red flag was to help her findhim."
Tish knows Charlie Sands, so she let him talk. Then:--
"Mr. McDonald was too wealthy, Charlie," she said; "so when she wantedhim to work and be useful, and he refused, she ran off and got asituation herself to teach him a lesson. She could drive a car. But herpeople heard about it, and that wretched detective was responsible forher safety. That's why he followed her about."
"I should like to follow her about myself," said Charlie Sands. "Do youthink she's unalterably decided to take McDonald, money and all? He'sstill an idler. Lend me your car, Aunt Tish. There's a theory there;and--who knows?"
"He is going to work for six months before she marries him," Tish said."He seems to like to work, now he has started."
She rang the bell and Hannah came to the door.
"Hannah," said Tish calmly, "call up the garage and tell McDonald tobring the car round. Mr. Sands is going out."
Tish: The Chronicle of Her Escapades and Excursions Page 20
