Story 1--Chapter XXI.
The Shadow Darkened.
In the horror of those moments Hester Pugh felt nerveless, and after the first spasmodic attempt to shriek there was no necessity for the hand pressed so tightly over her lips as she was lifted by a strong arm and carried back a few paces, and then held firmly against the bulwarks.
The next moment, as with starting eyes she gazed wildly about in search of help, her captor’s lips were placed close to her, and words that seemed to scorch her brain were hissed into her ear.
“Have I not warned you sufficiently? But for the intense love I bear you, this moment would be your last. One plunge, and it would be impossible to save you in this darkness, and no one would realise who did the deed. Do you wish me to make use of the knowledge I gained to-day with those dynamite experiments; because, listen, I have not looked on in vain. One touch of a wire—one that I have laid—and this ship and all on board would be in fragments. That would have happened if you had gone forward to-night and betrayed me. Once more, listen; it is useless for you to fight against your fate, for I am not alone here; and when I cease watching you others take up the task. There. See, I release and trust you after what I have said.”
He took his hand from the trembling woman’s lips, but grasped her tightly still, lest she should sink down fainting.
“Now return quietly to your cabin,” he continued, “and remember this. You think to save Dutch Pugh and the rest by betraying me. Instead of that you will send them to their death. Now go back without a sound.”
Hester felt her arm released, and that she was free. Her first wild thought was to run forward, shrieking for help; her next that Lauré would keep his word, and, controlling herself she tottered with outstretched hands back to the cabin stairs, and reached the little cabin where Bessy was already asleep, and then, sinking on her knees, prayed for help in this time of need.
That night of agony seemed as if it would never pass away, for Hester crouched there sleepless and watching, starting at every sound, and trembling lest the Cuban should be already putting some diabolical scheme into action. At length the day broke, and quite exhausted she sank into a troubled slumber, from which she awoke affrighted with the feeling upon her that Lauré was bending down trying to read her face and tell whether she was going to warn her husband or not.
A smile of relief crossed her lips, though, as she saw that it was Bessy Studwick, and she listened calmly to her chidings, but refused to go to bed.
“It was so foolish,” said Bessy, “to sit there the night through. It is not the way to grow strong.”
From the noise on deck it was evident that preparations for diving were rapidly going on, and now another dread assailed Hester. She felt sure that Dutch would be one of the first to go down, and she shuddered as she thought of the sharks, and determined to make an effort to dissuade him.
She was on the point of going on deck when Lauré’s words stayed her. She was watched, and if she tried to communicate with her husband might he not interpret it as an attempt to betray him, and in an instant compass his destruction.
“If I only knew what to do?” she moaned. “If I could but warn him of the danger they might seize that villain in time. I will warn him at all hazards.”
She was ready to die to save Dutch from peril, but she was so circumstanced that her warning would compass his destruction, and she sank back feeling at last that she could not betray what she knew.
For the moment she was reassured by hearing Dutch’s voice, and directly after Bessy came to fetch her into the cabin to breakfast, where all save she were in high spirits, no one having a suspicion of the danger that threatened them. The talk was all of the treasure, and the specimen ingots that Lauré had shown them were mentioned, while to Hester’s horror she found that the Cuban was apparently forgotten.
It soon became evident to her that all the preparations had been made, and she followed the actors in the busy scene to be enacted on deck as soon as the hurried meal was at an end.
Dutch had glanced at her once, and her heart throbbed with pleasure as she read his look as one more of sorrow than anger, and this last determined her to speak to him at all hazards.
The air-pump was ready, with Rasp dictating and ordering the men about; and had Hester felt any hesitation before, the sight of Dutch drawing on the heavy india-rubber suit determined her to act.
“I don’t think their teeth would go through this,” he said coolly to Mr Parkley, “if they come; but we’ll do what we said, and that will keep them off.”
He went on with his preparations, and twice over, as she saw him nearing readiness, Hester approached, but, each time on glancing round, she saw that the Cuban had his eyes fixed upon her, and she shrank away.
At last, however, Dutch was ready, all but having the great copper diving-helmet screwed on. A stout leather belt was round his waist, heavy leaden-soled boots upon his feet; square weights of lead hung from the copper gorget round his neck and breast and back; the long tube was attached to helmet and air-pump, and a keen handy axe and a long sharp double-edged knife lay ready for placing in his belt, side by side with a heavy iron bar.
A stout wooden ladder, in joints, had been fitted together and secured to the gangway, its foot being within a few inches of the sand that lay in the midst of the sunken wreck, which, seen through the clear water, seemed, although five fathoms down, but a very little distance from the keel of the schooner.
There too was the signalling rope ready for placing round the diver; and to make the preparations more complete, the galvanic battery was charged, and half-a-dozen little dynamite cartridges, attached to as many thin wires, lay ready for hurling in the direction of any approaching shark and exploding in the water. This, it was considered, might kill it, but would certainly scare it away, while the size was not large enough to injure the diver, protected by his helmet. A careful investigation had resulted in not one of the monsters being seen, and all hoped that the explosions of the previous day had killed and scared all that they need fear for the present.
Very good theories all these, but those on board forgot that a good deal of refuse food was thrown overboard by ’Pollo every now and then, and that this floated away slowly on the current, and might act as an attraction to the fish some distance away.
The air-pump was tried, and proved, thanks to Rasp, in excellent condition. Such of the crew as were not to work at the pump were in good places for observation, partly to satisfy their own curiosity, for the novelty of the coming experiment quite excited them, partly to keep watch for sharks and give ample warning; while a portion of the deck was marked off, where the apparatus was placed, and no one but those at work was allowed to pass the ropes. Here Rasp had arranged his coils with mathematical exactness; the rope for signalling was as carefully arranged, and men stationed at the pump, to the use of which he had drilled them; and in addition a stouter coil with a spring hook was ready, the spring being held in Rasp’s hand.
“I think you had better have it attached, Pugh,” said Mr Parkley.
“Nonsense!” replied Dutch, smiling; and as his countenance lit up Hester thought he had never looked so true and brave before. “Why, anyone would think I was a novice, who had never been down.”
“’Taint that, Mr Pug,” said Rasp, “it’s on account of those long-nosed sharks. You just have it on, and if we sees one o’ the warmint coming we’ll haul you up in a way such as’ll startle him.”
“I’m not afraid of the sharks,” said Dutch, taking up and feeling the point of the great dagger-like knife. “A man can but the once.”
“My dear Pugh,” exclaimed Mr Parkley, “don’t talk in that cynical way. Of course, a man can only die once; but do you think I want to go to the end of my days feeling that I had murdered you by my neglect. My dear boy, I would not exchange your life for twenty sunken ship-loads of treasure.”
“Thank you, Parkley,” said Dutch, taking and wringing his hand, “I believe you.”
“Then, come, you will have the rope attached?”
“No, no, it will only be in the way.”
“My dear fellow, it will not. It is not as if you were going down the hold of a ship. All is clear; there is not even a rock in your way, only a few upright ribs that you can easily avoid.”
“But it is such a childlike preparation,” said Dutch, petulantly. “Here, give me the helmet, Rasp.”
“Yah, you allus was as obstinate as a mule, Mr Pug,” said the old fellow, handing the great casque with its barred visor. “If you don’t have the rope, I won’t give you a good supply of wind—there!”
“I’m not afraid of that, Rasp,” said Dutch, laughing; and then, as he stood with the helmet on his arm, he turned cold and stern again, for he saw Hester approach, and as she did so the others involuntarily drew away.
“What is it?” he said, coldly.
“Dutch,” she whispered, as she laid her hands upon his shoulders, “your true, faithful wife, who has never wronged you in thought or deed, implores you to take the precaution they ask.”
“Pish!” he exclaimed, contemptuously.
“You do not believe me, dear,” she continued, with the tears streaming down her cheeks; “but God is my judge that I speak the truth. Oh, Dutch, Dutch!” she continued, as she saw his face begin to work, “some day you will know all, and your heart will bleed for the agony you have caused me.”
“Hester,” he said, in the same low tone, “I’d give twenty years of my life to have back the same old trust in you, but it is gone, gone for ever.”
“No,” she replied, with a bright look beaming in her face, “it is not: the truth is coming—coming soon, and when it does, Dutch, you will come back to my heart with the knowledge that your little wife has forgiven you your injustice from the first, that she loves you more dearly than ever.”
“You forgive me?” he said bitterly.
“Yes, the wrong you have done me, Dutch. You have nothing to forgive me but for keeping my secret for your sake.”
There was such an air of candour and truth in her countenance that had they been alone he would have clutched her to his breast, but he knew that they were watched by many eyes, and restraining himself he said quietly:
“It is enough now. Tell me this—will you—when I return—”
“You’re a-going to have on that rope, ain’t you, Mr Dutch?” said Rasp, interrupting them.
“Yes. You can get it ready,” replied Dutch.
“God bless you for that,” whispered Hester earnestly.
“Now, go back,” he said quietly; “there must be no scene here. You need not be afraid for me; I shall incur no risks now, in the hope that, as you say, you can make all clear between us. You will explain all—everything to me when I come up.”
With a wild look of delight she was about to say yes, when she quailed and shrank away, for at a little distance behind Dutch she saw Lauré apparently busy arranging the rope there around the deck, but evidently hearing all that was said.
“You promise?” said Dutch sternly.
“Spare me, oh, my darling,” she moaned. “I dare not—oh I dare not speak.”
“What,” he whispered, “is this your truth?”
“It is for your sake,” she moaned, “for your sake,” and with drooping head she crept away.
“Come, come, little woman,” said Mr Parkley, taking her hand; “be firm, be firm; he shall not come to harm.”
“Not he, mum, while old Tom Rasp is alive to help,” growled the old fellow.
“Perhaps you’d better go below, my dear,” said Mr Parkley.
“No,” said Hester firmly, and drawing herself up; “I shall stay.”
“Then you shall, my dear; but,” he added, with a smile, “woman for ever! You’ve won the day: he’s going to have the life-rope.”
The old doubts, which had been growing fainter and which would, no doubt, have been entirely swept away by an explanation, came back more strongly again at Hester’s refusal, and with a feeling of rage and bitterness Dutch raised the helmet, placed it upon his head, and signed to old Rasp to come and screw it on.
This the old fellow did after securing the extra life-line to his belt, but not before Dutch had had a few words with Mr Parkley as to the management of the dynamite and wires.
The men on the look-out could see no sharks, all being apparently quite clear, and at last, when with hatchet and knife in his belt, and the wheel of the air-pump beginning to clank, Dutch moved towards the gangway, trailing after him the long india-rubber tube, there was a loud cheer, and everyone leaned forward in eager excitement.
“Now to solve the problem, Studwick,” said Mr Parkley, who was evidently excited, and who dabbed his face to get rid of the dripping perspiration. “Is it to be luck or ill-luck?”
“That I’ll tell you by-and-by,” said the captain, smiling; and like Mr Wilson and the doctor, he stood up on the bulwarks to help to keep a good lookout for sharks.
“Now look here, Mr Parkley,” said Rasp, who had assumed the management, and dictated as if everything belonged to him, “just you place Mr Jones the mate, here with three men to let that there life-line run softly through their hands when it’s pulled, and to heave in the slack when it isn’t; but when I give the word they’re to run it in with all their might—take hold of it, you know, and run along the deck.”
Hester Pugh’s breath caught, as now, with dilating eyes, she watched her husband, who, as calmly as possible, stepped on to the ladder, and began to descend step by step, till his shoulders were immersed, when he paused for a moment to alter the way in which the tube hung from his helmet; then Rasp, passing it through his hands, and giving a word or two of advice to the men at the pump, the helmet disappeared beneath the surface, and in place of the hissing noise heard as the air escaped from the valve, there came foaming up a continuous stream of bubbles through the limpid water.
The men gave another cheer, and the Cuban, who had crept round close to Hester, looked down over the bulwark, full of curiosity to see what would follow.
Down, down, down went Dutch, armed with a small sharp shovel, made in the shape of the ordinary spade of a pack of cards, and so bright was the water that his every motion was perfectly plain to those on deck, as he stepped from the ladder to the bed of the old vessel, and, after taking care that the tube should be clear of the ladder, walked slowly between the black ribs of the old galleon towards what had evidently been the stern.