Commodore Junk Part 7

The elasticity was gone out of her step, as she slowly climbed the face of the huge scarped rocks which towered above the cottage--a risky ascent, but one to which she was, as it were, born; and, with her eyes fixed upon the pursuers and the fugitives, she trusted to her hands and feet to take her safely to the top, pa.s.sing spot after spot where one unused to climbing would have stopped and turned back, so giddy was the ascent. Higher and higher, past clinging ivy, fern, and cl.u.s.ters of yellow ragwort, with patches of purple heath and golden gorse, till the farther side of the rocky point was opened out, with the boat lying like a speck afloat beyond the line of foam.

Mary paused there with her sun-bonnet in her hand to watch the result; but there was no exultation in her eyes, only a look of stony despondency, for from where she stood she could see now that the effort of her brother and his companion was in vain.

They were still on ignorance as they ran on, for they were on the bay side of the point yet, toiling over the loose sand and shingle, where the washed up weed lay thick; but Mary had a bird's-eye view of what in the clear south air seemed to be close at her feet, as close almost as where the boat lay in shelter from the north and easterly wind.

The pursuers were now all together, and settled down to a steady trot, which pace they increased as Bart and Abel reached the rocks, and, instead of going right round, began to climb over some fifty yards from where the water washed the point.

"We're too many for him this time, Bart, my lad," cried Abel. "You weren't hit, were you?"

"Hit? No. Shot never went within a mile o' me."

"Then why are you dowsing your jib like that?"

"I were a-thinking about she, mate," said Bart, in a low growl.

"Curse her for a woman all over!" said Abel. "They take to a man, and the more he ill-uses 'em, they fight for him the more."

"Ay, lad; but to think of her putting them on to us! It don't seem like she."

"Curse them!" cried Abel, as he reached the other side of the point, and saw that which his sister had seen from the cliff behind the cottage.

"What for now?" said Bart, stolidly, as he reached his companion's side.

"Hum, that's it, is it?"

He looked round him for a fresh way of escape.

There was the sea, if they liked to leap in and swim; but they could be easily overtaken. The rocks above them were too overhanging to climb, and there was no other way, unless they returned, and tried to rush through their pursuers; for beyond the point the tide beat upon the cliff.

"No good, Bart; we're trapped," said Abel, stolidly. "I'll never forgive her--never!"

"Yes, you will," said Bart, sitting down on a rock, and carefully taking off his fur cap to wipe his heated brow. "You will some day. Why, I could forgive her anything--I could. She's a wonderful gell; but, I say, my hips is werry sore."

He sat staring down at the boat beyond the point, the anchor having been taken on board, and the oars being out to keep her off the rocks, as she rose and fell with the coming tide.

"No!" said Abel, bitterly. "I'll never forgive her--never!"

"Nay, lad, don't say that," said Bart, rubbing one side. "Hey, la.s.s!

There she is. Top o' the cliff. Look at her, mate."

"No," said Abel; "let her look--at her cowardly work."

"Now, then!" shouted the head constable, as he came panting up. "Is it surrender, or fight?"

For answer, Abel climbed slowly down to the sands, followed by Bart; and the next minute they were surrounded, and stood with gyves upon their wrists.

"Warm work," said the constable, cheerfully; "but we've got you safe now."

"Ay, you've got us safe," growled Bart; "but it wouldn't ha' been easy if Abel here had showed fight."

"Been no use," said the constable. "I said to Billy Niggs here: 'Niggs,' I said, 'them two'll make for their boat, and get away.' 'Ay, zhure, that they 'ool,' he said. Didn't you, Billy?"

"Ay, zhure, sir, that's just what I did say," cried a constable, with a face like a fox-whelp cyder apple.

"So I sent on two men to be ready in the boat. Come on, my lads."

The boat was pulled ash.o.r.e. The two constables in charge leaped out with the grapnel, and dropped it on the sand; and then in silence the party with their prisoners walked slowly back, and beneath the spot where Mary stood like a figure carved out of the rock, far above their heads, till they had gone out of sight, without once looking up or making a sign.

Then the poor girl sank down in the rocky niche where she had climbed first, and burst into an agonised fit of weeping.

"Father--mother--brother--all gone! Lover false! Alone--alone--alone!"

she sobbed. "What have I done to deserve it all? Nothing!" she cried, fiercely, as she sprang to her feet and turned and shook her clenched fists landward. "Nothing but love a cold, cruel wretch. Yes, love; and now--oh, how I hate him--and all the world!"

She sank down again in the niche all of a heap, and sat there with the sun slowly sinking lower, and the sea-birds wheeling round and round above her head, and watching her with inquisitive eyes, as they each now and then uttered a mournful wail, which sounded sympathetic though probably it was the gullish expression of wonder whether the crouching object was good to eat.

And there she sat, hour after hour, till it was quite dark, when she began slowly to descend, asking herself what she should do to save her brother and his friend, both under a misconception, but suffering for her sake.

"And I stay here!" she said, pa.s.sionately. "Let them think what they will, I'll try and save them, for they must be a prison now."

Mary was quite right; for as night fell Abel Dell and Bart his companion were partaking of a very frugal meal, and made uncomfortable by the fact that it was not good, and that they--men free to come and go on sea and land--were now safely caged behind a ma.s.sive iron grill.

"Well," said Bart at last, "I'm only sorry for one thing now."

"What's that--Mary being so base?"

"Nay, I'm sorry for that," replied Bart; "but what I meant was that I didn't give the captain one hard un on the head."

CHAPTER SEVEN.

GATHERING CLOUDS.

In spite of the declaration made by Captain Armstrong that he had identified his a.s.sailants by the heights, voices, and--dark as was the night--their features, Abel refused to be convinced. He had taken it into his head that Mary had denounced them to her former lover, and at each examination before the Old Devon magistrates he had sullenly turned away from the poor girl, who sat gazing imploringly at the dock, and hungering for a look in return.

The captain was not much hurt; that is to say, no bones were broken.

Pain he had suffered to a little extent, for there was an ugly slit in one ear, but he was not in such a condition as to necessitate his limping into court, supported by a couple of servants, and generally "got up" to look like one who had been nearly beaten to death.

All this told against Abel and Bart, as well as the fact that the captain was of good birth, and one who had lately formed an alliance with a famous old county family. In addition, the prisoners were known to the bench. Both Abel and Bart had been in trouble before, and black marks were against them for wrecking and smuggling. They were no worse than their neighbours, but the law insists upon having scarecrows, and the constables did not hesitate to make every effort to hang the son of a notorious old wrecker and his boon companion.

There was not a dissentient voice. Abel Dell and Bartholomew Wrigley were both committed for trial; and Mary made quite a sensation by rising in the court as the prisoners were about to be removed, and forcing her way to where she could catch her brother's hand.

"Abe," she cried, pa.s.sionately, "I didn't. I didn't, indeed. Say good-bye."

He turned upon her fiercely, and s.n.a.t.c.hed his hand away.

"Go to your captain," he said, savagely. "I shall be out of the way now."

An ordinary woman would have shrunk away sobbing; but as Mary was flung off, she caught at Bart's wrist, and clung to that.