Dick Merriwell Abroad; Or, The Ban of the Terrible Ten

by Burt L. Standish

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  DONATUS, THE SULIOTE.

  Amid the wild and rugged Grecian hills lay a sheltered and secludedvalley. Indeed, this valley was so secluded that a wandering travelermight chance upon it only by the rarest accident. All things favored theprobability that he would pass near without ever dreaming of itsexistence.

  It was night, and in this valley a fire burned, casting its shiftinglights on the faces of a small band of men. In all there were eight.Kirtled, bearded, unkempt, picturesque ruffians they were, every man ofthem fully armed and looking the thorough desperado and cutthroat.

  They lounged about the fire in various attitudes, with the exception ofone who, at a little distance, walked back and forth in front of theblack mouth of a cave. The latter was a guard.

  The night wind had a chill in it, and they drew their robes about them,moving yet a little nearer the fire.

  Two of them seemed unprepared to spend any time at night in lying beforea fire in the open air, for they were unprotected save by their ordinaryclothes. One was a man of forty-five, the other a youth of twenty-one.

  The first was Tyrus Helorus; the second Maro Veturia. Finally the youngman spoke to the other in a low tone.

  "It is now nightfall, and there can be no further danger that possiblepursuers might see us leaving this place. Let us be going."

  "Be patient," answered Tyrus, in the same guarded tone. "When he iswilling that we should depart, my friend, Donatus, will speak. He isburied in thought now."

  As he said this, he shifted his position slightly in order to observethe figure of a bearded man that reclined on his elbow almost oppositethem, gazing straight into the changing flames. The figure was massive,yet graceful. The curling beard was dark, as were the eyes. His face wasthat of one used to command. It was cruel, yet in a way strikinglyhandsome.

  This was the man who called himself Donatus and who dared lead hislawless band to the very gates of Athens. Indeed, for all of the priceon his head, it was said he often entered the city unaccompanied.

  Donatus was a Suliote, at one time a chief, but robbed of his power bythe government which refused to recognize his authority and whichdispersed and intimidated his followers. In vain he had sought to returnto the old ways of living. Being baffled, he became an outlaw indeed,preying on his fellow men. With the exception of Tyrus and Maro, thesewere his followers.

  "I like not that look on his face," muttered Maro. "I don't know why Ifancy it, but I'll swear he is thinking of my Flavia this minute."

  "Hush!" cautioned Tyrus, in alarm. "Be careful what you say, if youvalue your life!"

  Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, the dark eyes of Donatus werelifted and fastened inquiringly upon them.

  "Why speak in whispers, Tyrus, my friend?" he demanded, using the Romaicspeech, with which he did not seem wholly familiar. "If you haveanything to utter, you need not fear to speak out."

  Instantly Tyrus would have risen, but the chief made a gesture that badehim remain as he was.

  "We did not wish to disturb you, chief," asserted the elder Greek: "Itwas plain you were buried in thought."

  "I was. I was thinking of my youth and of my home far from this spot.For some time I have longed to return there, Tyrus; but I have notwished to go empty-handed."

  "By the stories they tell of you, you should have riches to-day."

  Donatus made a slight, careless gesture with his hand.

  "Who gets money as I have and keeps it?" he said. "It is a desperate andprecarious life, Tyrus, and the rewards do not compensate for thedangers. I came to Athens to seek certain men of influence to interposein my behalf and seek for me a pardon, with the understanding that Ishould forever abandon the life I have led in recent years. Chance threwme in with you, a friend who once concealed me when armed enemies wereclose on my track. I promised you then that if the opportunity ever cameDonatus would repay the debt. You appealed to me in your distress,saying the Englishmen had stolen your niece.

  "I called some of my followers, who in disguise had entered the citywith me. If you had advised it, we would have attacked the Englishmenthen and taken the girl from them. But you were afraid, Tyrus, that itwould create an uproar, and as a result that it must become generallyknown that you had consorted with Donatus, the outlaw. You said wait,and we waited. Fortune came our way, for the Englishmen fancied they sawtheir opportunity to escape with the girl, and they lost no time intrying it. We were watching every move, and they played the game to suitus when they hastened with the girl from the city. In the open countrywe could work, and we did work. One poor fool of an Englishman we lefton the road, permitting him to think he had deceived us, while, at yoursuggestion, we took the other one. He is now a prisoner in the caveyonder, where also the girl is safely stored.

  "I am sorry, Tyrus, that I could not please you and your young friend bycutting the young Englishman's throat. Had I known that was why youwished me to carry him off, I might have left him behind with the oldfool who played that he had been killed, when we took good care to killnothing save a horse. But now I am glad that we took the trouble, forone of my men tells me he is the son of an aristocrat and that the manwe left behind is rich. It is well. A satisfactory ransom must be paidbefore the young Englishman is set at liberty. Thus through a friendlyact I shall be able to turn an honest coin. Already I have dispatched afaithful fellow who bears a message to the other Englishman, statingthat when I have received ten thousand drachmas I will set my captivefree."

  "If you get it, you will not return empty-handed to your home," saidTyrus.

  "It was not of money I was thinking when I spoke thus," assertedDonatus. "I am getting on in years. Long have I dreamed of an ideal whoshould make my home complete by sharing it with me. This day I saw her."

  "A woman?"

  "The flower of Greece! I was thinking of her as I gazed into the fire."

  The hands of Maro suddenly closed and a wild light came into his eyes.He rose to his feet.

  "Chief," he said, boldly addressing the Suliote, "if we do not return toAthens ere another dawn, suspicion will fall on us. We must be going."

  "Would you depart so soon? Shall I send one of my men to conduct you andshow you the way?"

  "If you will."

  The brigand leader rose. There was a pantherish grace in every move, inspite of the fact that he was a large man. He spoke to one of the band,and the fellow sprang up.

  "Bion, bring horses for my friends and conduct them on the way untilthey are safely on the road to the city."

  In a few minutes Bion returned from the darkness, leading two saddledhorses. The chief explained that the man would accompany them on foot,being a fleet runner.

  Maro had become very nervous. Now he demanded:

  "Where is the third horse?"

  "The third?" questioned Donatus. "There are but two of you."

  "You have forgotten Flavia?"

  "Indeed not. I have remembered her well."

  Maro was pale, holding his excitement in check with difficulty.

  "Then I will walk and she shall ride," he said. "Have her brought."

  Barely a moment did Donatus hesitate, and then he gave the order thatthe girl be brought.

  Soon one of the men conducted her from the cave before the mouth ofwhich the guard paced. She was almost deathly white. Her eyes were widewith fear, but she pressed her lips together and tried to retain commandof herself.

  Never in all her life had Flavia looked more beautiful than at thatmoment. Donatus folded his arms on his broad chest and gazed at her witha singular expression in his eyes.

  "Maid," he said, "your uncle and your lover are about to depart. Yourlover has demanded that you shall accompany him. Are you ready to go?"

  "Come, Flavia!" cried Maro, holding out his hands to her.

  She shrank from him.

  "No!" she cried; "I do not wish to go with you! I will not go with you!"

  With a single stride Donatus reached her and placed his left arm abouther with a
lmost crushing fierceness. His other hand he flung out towardMaro.

  "You have her answer!" he said. "She remains, and you go without her!"

  With a cry of terror, Flavia tried to break from the powerful arm thatclasped her. This she could not have accomplished of her own strength,but Donatus released her, and she reeled away.

  Maro sprang forward to support her, but she saw him and whirled in atwinkling, rushing back to the protection of the brigand chief, whosmiled as he again clasped her with his arm.

  "She has made her choice," he said. And then in a voice unintelligibleto them he added: "I shall not return empty-handed to my home!"

  Maro was distracted. He clutched Tyrus by the arm, panting:

  "Is this your friend? Is this the man whose life you saved? See how herepays you!"

  Tyrus was greatly agitated.

  "Donatus," he said entreatingly, "have you forgotten? She is my niece.It is I who have the right to take her."

  "For years," said the chief, "I have dreamed of her face. To-day I sawit for the first time."

  "But it is not because of you she chooses to stay. She does notunderstand. She does not know you mean to keep her for yourself. It isthe Englishman of whom she thinks."

  "She will forget him soon when he is gone. With the money I shall securethrough him I may buy my pardon. She shall be mine!"

  Now Flavia did understand, and once more she struggled for her freedom,crying out in her horror of them all.

  At this juncture, from some distant part of the valley, came startlingsounds. Several pistol shots were fired in rapid succession. In atwinkling every brigand was on his feet, their weapons ready.

  Donatus had wheeled toward the sounds, which ceased as suddenly as theybegan.

  Behind the chief's back Maro seized the girl, hissing into her ear:

  "Foolish Flavia! Will you give yourself up to this brigand? Do not thinkhe will let the Englishman have you. He means to keep you for himself."

  She stood like one turned to stone, unable to decide what should bedone. In that moment she seemed so beset and entangled that there was nopossible escape for her. She could not depart and leave Cavendish inthat dark hole, yet if she remained she might be forced to become thebride of Donatus, the brigand.

  Maro was likewise in a fearful state of mind. Suddenly he snatched out apistol and threatened her with it.

  "I had rather kill you with my own hand than leave you to either ofthem!" he hissed.

  She clutched the pistol in his hand with both of her hands and sought towrest it from him. In the struggle it was discharged.

  Donatus, the Suliote, gave a great start and then his legs buckledbeneath him and he fell prone to the ground.

  Instantly Maro relaxed his hold on the pistol and sprang away. When thebrigands who remained by the fire turned to look they saw their chiefstretched on the ground, while the smoking pistol was clutched in thehands of the horror-stricken girl.

  Instantly they were upon her. They wrested the weapon from her andpinned her arms at her side. One knelt beside the chief and made a hastysearch for the wound.

  "Kill her!" snarled a little ruffian, flourishing a knife. "Cut herthroat! She has slain Donatus!"

  He made a slash with the gleaming blade, as if he would sweep it acrossthe throat of the girl.

  It was the voice of Donatus that checked them and kept them from doingher fatal harm. He had lifted himself to his elbow.

  "Hold!" he commanded, in the tone none dared disobey. "Hold her fast,but harm no hair on her head. Where is Ruteni? Let him see how badly Iam wounded. Place her in the cave and guard her well."

  Then Flavia managed to drag those who had clutched her until she wasnear enough to sink on her knees beside the wounded and bleedingbrigand.

  "Oh, I did not mean to do it!" she sobbed. "Believe me, I did not meanit! I tried to wrest the weapon from Maro, and it was discharged."

  The face of Donatus, outcast and wretch that he was, lighted with agreat look of relief. With an effort, he lifted a hand and touched hertangled hair.

  "I believe you, Flavia," he said. "You shall not be harmed. You shallremain with the Englishman."

  Then he gave a few low-spoken orders, and Maro saw Flavia led awaytoward the cave.

  "Where is Ruteni?" again demanded Donatus. "Am I to bleed to death forneed of a little care?"

  Soon the man called for came running from the darkness and droppedbeside the chief. He carried on his person a leather case, containingsome instruments and bandages, and he began at once to look after thewound by the light of the camp fire.

  "What was the firing I heard, Ruteni?" asked the chief.

  "Some one succeeded in passing the guards at the entrance to the valley,chief."

  "Succeeded?" said Donatus, as if he could not believe it. "How many ofthem?"

  "Only one. He was crawling on his stomach like a serpent when they sawhim and fired. He sprang up and ran."

  "Into the valley?"

  "Into the valley, chief. But he is only one, and he cannot escape. Theywill capture him."

  "Who could it be? Who would dare attempt such a thing? Ruteni, how badlyam I wounded?"

  "I fear it is serious," was the answer.

  Water had been brought, and a few of Donatus' band were watching thework of Ruteni, seeming benumbed and dazed by what had happened. Thechief saw them and said:

  "Go! Help search for the one who entered the valley. Bring him hither,dead or alive. I am still your chief, and shall be as long as Ibreathe."

  The men obeyed at once, and besides Donatus and Ruteni only Maro andTyrus were left by the fire.

  The guard still paced before the dark mouth of the cave, in which Flaviahad once more been placed.

  "It is now our time!" whispered Maro, in the ear of Tyrus. "I haverecovered my pistol, and you are armed. Here are the saddled horses.Donatus is helpless. If necessary, we can slay Ruteni and the guard, andwe can be away with Flavia before the others return."

  Tyrus grasped the wrist of his desperate companion.

  "I think too much of my life to try it," he declared. "If you attemptthat, you do it alone, and you will be slain. Do not be a fool!"

  Finally there was a great commotion in another portion of the valley. Asingle shot was fired, but shouts of triumph came faintly through thedarkness.

  "They have captured the spy!" said the chief, with a smile ofsatisfaction on his ashen face. "Are you done, Ruteni?"

  "I have done everything possible, chief. The wound is in your lung. Ifyou do not bleed internally----"

  "If I do--what?"

  "I fear you'll not see the rising of another sun," was the frank answer.

  "And to-day, for the first time, I gazed on the face of the maid of mydreams. Do all dreams end in disappointment? Ruteni, roll me acigarette."

  The man had placed a robe, on which Donatus reclined. Ruteni rolled acigarette and placed it between the bearded lips. Then he struck a matchand lighted it.

  Donatus drew in a whiff of smoke and coughed. A fleck of blood appearedon his lips.

  "Take it, Ruteni," he said sadly, surrendering the cigarette. "Throw itaway. I cannot smoke. To-day I found the one of my dreams. Am I to diethus soon by her hand?"

  Some of the brigands came marching out of the darkness, bringing intheir midst a prisoner, his hands made fast behind his back. He was amere boy, with a tanned and rugged face and a fearless manner.

  "Is this the spy?" asked Donatus, in surprise, as the captive stood nearthe fire. "Who is he?"

  "I know who he is!" cried Maro furiously. "Only for him and that otherAmerican all this trouble would not have come, for we should havecaptured Flavia this morning. I entreat the privilege of slaying himwith my own hand!"

  The captive was Brad Buckhart.