CHAPTER 24
He went off toward the forecastle hitching at his trousers andwhistling an old English song of the Spanish Main. As for Black McTee,he remained staring after Hovey with a rising thought of perjury. Theloot of the _Heron_ was a deep temptation, and his pledged word to thebos'n was a strong bond, for as Hovey had said, the honor of BlackMcTee, in spite of his other failings, was respected throughout theSouth Seas. For one purpose, however, he would have sacrificed allhopes of plunder and a thousand plighted words, and that purpose wasthe undoing of Harrigan in the eyes of Kate.
She had grown into a necessity to him. Though were she twice asbeautiful, he would never have paid her the dangerous honor of a secondglance under ordinary conditions, but their life together on the islandand his rivalry with Harrigan for her sake had made her infinitely dearto him.
Seeing the opportunity to destroy all her respect for Harrigan, heschemed instantly to betray his word to Hovey. Like Harrigan earlier inthe day, he had no purpose to reveal the planned mutiny at once. TheIrishman waited because he did not know to whom he could confide thedangerous information; McTee delayed in the hope of nippinginsurrection in the bud at the very instant when it was about toflower. It would be far more spectacular. Moreover, he saw in this amanner of enlisting Kate on his side.
Shortly before four bells in the afternoon he went to her cabin andknocked at the door. When she opened it to him, she stood with one handupon the knob, blocking the way and waiting silently for an explanationof his coming. That quiet coldness banished from his mind the speechwhich he had prepared.
He said at last: "Kate, I want you to talk with me for a few minutes."
She considered him seriously--without fear, but with such a deepdistrust that he was startled. He had not dreamed that matters hadprogressed as far as that. At length she stepped back, and without aword beckoned him to come inside. He entered and then his eyes raisedand met her glance with such a deep, still yearning that she wasstartled. No woman can see the revelation of a man's love without beingmoved to the heart.
She said: "You are in trouble, Angus?"
The hunger of his eyes came full in her face.
"Aye, trouble."
"And you have come to me--" she asked; and before she could finish hersentence, McTee broke in, pleadingly:
"For help."
He saw her lips part, her eyes brighten; he knew it was his despairwhich was winning her.
"Tell me!" And she made a little gesture with both hands toward him.
"I have seen it for days. I have lost all hope of you, Kate."
Her glance wandered slightly, and his hope increased.
"Because of Harrigan," he said.
She was remembering what Harrigan had said: "How to stop McTee? Makeyourself old and your skin yellow, and your hair gray, and take thespring out of your step."
"Why do you keep the whip over him, Angus? He has saved your life, andyou his. Why will you not treat him as one strong and generous manwould treat another?"
"Because I love you, Kate."
"Angus, would you stop if you knew I loved him?"
"Is that a fair question, Kate? Even if you said you loved him, I couldnot stop, because I would have to do my best to save you fromyourself."
She looked her query silently.
"He is not worthy of you, Kate. Because he seems generous and simple,do not be deceived. He is capable of things which even Black McTeewould turn from. I know it, for I know his type. But I, Kate--your headis turned; do you hear me?"
She rose and cried: "Why have you both thought from the first that Imust choose between you? Are there no other men in the whole world?"
He answered doggedly: "You will never find another who will love you aswe do. To one of us you must finally belong."
"And that is why you go ahead with your schemes to torture Harrigan,certain that when he is finished I will be helpless?"
"No, I am certain of nothing. But I am absolutely sure that Harriganstands between you and me, and I will have him done for."
"Let me think, Angus. You have pulled my old world about my ears, andnow I am trying to build another kingdom where force is the only god.Can there be such a place?"
Four bells sounded. He wondered if Hovey would bring Harrigan at thetime they had agreed upon. And she stood with her hands pressed againsther eyes, trembling.
"In one thing at least you spoke the truth, Angus. There are only twomen left for me in the world. I must choose between you and Harrigan."
"Until that time comes, I must fight for you, Kate, in the only way Iknow how to fight--with both my hands, trying to kill the things thatstand between us--Hush!"
For he heard the rumble of two deep voices near the door.