Commodore Junk Part 74

There they remained in silence as if listening for pursuit; and the deep, hoa.r.s.e breathing of both sounded painfully loud in the utter darkness.

Humphrey essayed to speak again and again, but he felt that he could not trust himself to utter words.

It was his companion who broke the painful silence as she still clung to his hand.

"I ought to have acted sooner," she said bitterly. "I might have known it would come to this; but in my cruel selfishness I could not speak--I could not let you go. Do not blame me--do not reproach me. It was my madness; and now the punishment has come."

"I do not understand you," he said huskily.

"You do," she said gently. "But it is no time to think of this.

Listen! These men will search every spot to find and slay me--and you; but you shall escape. Now, listen? Below this old place there is a rock chamber, known only to me and Bart--who lies wounded yonder and helpless; but he will not betray the secret, even if he thinks that you are there. You will go to the end of your couch, press heavily with your shoulder against the corner, forcing it in this direction, and then the great stone will move upon a pivot. There is a way down--"

"You need not tell me," said Humphrey at this point. "I know."

"Thank Heaven!" she e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed. "Keep in hiding there till the wretches are off their guard; and then cautiously make your way by night down to the landing-place, and by some means seize a boat. There will be no guard kept when I am gone."

"And my people--my poor fellows?"

"Gone," she said quietly. "They seized a boat and escaped long ago.

All has been confusion here since--since I have been mad," she added piteously.

"Escaped!"

"Yes; and you will escape. And in the future, when you are away--and happy--don't curse me--think of me as a poor lost woman, driven by fate--to what I am--but who saw and loved you, Humphrey Armstrong, as woman has seldom loved before."

"Oh, hush!" he said huskily. "For Heaven's sake don't speak like that!"

"No," she said gently, after listening for a few moments; but all was still. "I will not speak. It is nearly over now. You will forgive me?"

"Forgive you--yes!"

She uttered a low sigh, full of thankfulness, as she still clung to his hand.

"It is enough," she said. "Now, go! You know the way. Be cautious, be patient, and bide your time; and then Heaven speed you safely home!--He has forgiven me," she sighed to herself, and the pressure upon his hand seemed to increase.

"Well," she said after a few moments' pause, "why do you stay?"

Her voice startled him in its intensity, for it seemed to echo through the place; and his hand had, as it had been for many minutes past, grasped hers with crushing force as the tide rose to its fullest height and bore him on.

"And you!" he said. "What will you do?"

"I!" she said with a faint laugh; "I shall wait here until they come."

"Wait here!" cried Humphrey. "They will kill you!"

"Yes," she said softly.

"Then why not share my flight? Come with me now while there is time. I will protect you and take you where you will. I cannot leave you like this!"

"Not leave me?" she said with a sob.

"No. Do you think me such a cur that I could leave you to the mercy of these wretches?"

"It is too late," she said. "Go!"

"Go?"

"Yer, while there is time."

"But you can hide as well as I!" he cried excitedly. "Come!"

"It is too late," she said, and he felt her hand tremble in his grasp.

"And leave you?" he cried. "I would sooner die!"

"Then you do love me?" she cried wildly, as she half rose from the altar, but sank back.

"Love you!" he cried pa.s.sionately. "I have fought with it, I have battled with it till I have been nearly mad! Love you, Mary, my brave, true heroine! I love you with all my heart!"

She uttered a wild cry of joy as he threw himself upon his knees and clasped her to his heart, his face buried in her breast and her two arms clung tightly round his neck, as she uttered a low moan of mingled joy and pain.

"Love you!" he whispered, as he raised his face, and his lips sought hers; "my darling! words will not tell my love! Come, what is the world to us? You are my world, my own, my love! Come!"

She clung to him pa.s.sionately for a few moments.

"At last!" she said softly, as if to herself; "the love of one true n.o.ble man! Ah!"

A low deep sigh escaped her, and then, as if roused to a sense of her position, she thrust him back and listened.

"Hark!" she said, as a low shout arose. "They are coming back--they will be here soon! Quick! lose no time! You must escape!"

"And you?" he said, wildly.

She took his hand and laid it slowly upon her bosom, to press it there, so that he could fool the heavy dull throb of her heart.

For a moment even then he did not realise what she meant. Then, with a wild cry he leaped to his feet, for his hand was wet with the warm blood which welled from a terrible wound.

"You are hurt?" he cried.

"To the death, Humphrey. Oh, my love, my love! Take me in your arms once more and hold me to your heart. Tell me that you will remember me, and then lay me here, upon this old stone, with your kiss wet upon my lips. Death will be easy then!"

"Death easy! I leave you! If you must die it shall be together!" he panted, as he once more enfolded her in his arms.

"This is madness," she whispered, as she struggled feebly in his embrace. "Go, for pity's sake--go!"

"My place is here!" he said in a low fierce voice, as he took up the sword she had let fall upon the pavement. "We shall not die alone.

Whose cowardly hand inflicted that wound?"