Nedra

  CHAPTER XXV

  THE COMING OF THE ENEMY

  A fever of queer emotions plagued Hugh's mind as he sought sleep thatnight. He lay awake on his couch of skins for hours, striving to putfrom himself the delightful conviction that had presented itself sosuddenly. Through all his efforts to convince himself that hisimpressions were the result of self-conceit or a too willing egotism,there persistently ran the tantalizing memory of her simple confession.When at last he slept it was to dream that a gentle hand was caressinghis forehead and loving fingers were running through his hair. For awhile the hand was Grace Vernon's, then it was Tennys Huntingford's,then Grace's, then the other's. Its touch brought a curve to his lips.

  While he lay awake in these wondering hours and slept through thechanging dream, the cause of his mingled emotions lay in the nextapartment, peacefully asleep from the moment her head touched thepillow, totally unconscious of the minutest change in her heart or intheir relationship, as contented as the night about her.

  The next morning he was speculatively quiet and she was brightlytalkative as they ate breakfast. He was awake when she took herrefreshing plunge in the pool, and heard her conversing learnedly withher attendants, as if they understood all that she said--which they didnot. It was then that he thought what a solitude life would be if shewere not a part, of it. There was nothing in her manner to indicate thatshe remembered their conversation of the night before. In fact, it wasapparent that she was wholly unconscious of the impression it had made.

  Two of her white-robed attendants stood in the doorway while they ate,another industriously fanning them. The flowing white robes wereinnovations of the past few days, and their wearers were pictures ofexpressive resignation. Robes had been worn only by Mozzos prior to therevolution of customs inaugurated by the white Izor, and there waswoeful tripping of brown feminine feet over treacherous folds.

  "Those ghastly gowns remind me that this is the day for our flagraising," said he. "I guess the banner is strong enough to stand thewinds that whistle around the tops of the gateposts, isn't it?"

  Her thoughts reverted to the white signal that floated from the summitof the big mount at whose base they had been cast up from the sea. Hugh,having completed the meal, went to the end of the room, where, stretchedalong the wall, hung a huge American flag. Days had been consumed by thewomen in the manufacture of this piece of woven grass. He had createdred stripes from an indelible berry stain. A blue background for thestars was ingeniously formed by cutting out spaces through which thesky could gleam. A strong pole lay on the floor and all was in readinessfor the raising of the Stars and Stripes over the Island of Nedra. Theirhope was that it might eventually meet the eye of some passingnavigator.

  "By the way, Hugh," she said, standing beside him, a trace of antagonismin her voice, "who discovered this island, a Briton or an American?"

  "Why I--an American, of course! Great Scott! I--I certainly did, didn'tI?" he exclaimed, aghast, gradually comprehending that she had a moralclaim, at least.

  "That is the question," she said simply.

  He walked over and sat down rather heavily on one of the stone blocks.

  "I saw it from the sea," he stammered.

  "And so did I."

  For some moments he sat gazing at the flag, actual distress in his eyes.She looked away and smiled faintly.

  "I didn't think, Tennys; truly I did not. You have as much right toclaim the discovery as I. Why have you not spoken of this before?"

  "You seemed so happy over the flag that I couldn't, Hugh," she said,still looking away.

  "Poor old flag! It's the first time you ever tried to wave dishonestlyor where there was a doubt of your supremacy." He came to her side."We'll have no flag raising."

  "What!" she cried, strangely disappointed.

  "Not until we have made a British flag to wave beside this one."

  "I was jesting, Hugh, just to see what you would say. The flag shall goup. You--you are the master, as you should be, Hugh."

  "You have as much right as I," he protested.

  "Then I'll be an American," she cried. "We'll raise our flag."

  "But you are not an American."

  "Granting that I was the first to see the island, was I not underprotection of an American? I have been under American protection eversince. What has Great Britain to do with the situation? I demand theprotection of the Stars and Stripes. Will you deny me?" Her eyes weresparkling eagerly. "Could the British have landed had it not been forthe American?"

  "You really don't care?"

  "This is our flag, Hugh," she said seriously. "It will make me unhappyif you continue to take my jest as an earnest. We made it and I shall beproud to have it wave over me."

  A few hours later the Stars and Stripes floated high over a new islandof the sea, far from the land of its birth.

  "How good and grand it looks," she cried as they saw it straighten tothe breeze. "After all, it may be waving over its own, Hugh. The UnitedStates bought several thousands of islands in this section of theworld, I've heard," she added, with a touch of irony.

  "It's the flag I love," he cried. "May God let me kiss once more thesoil she calls home. Dear America!"

  From that day he never looked at the dancing, wriggling stripes withouta surge of emotion. Its every flaunt seemed to beckon brave worshippersfrom far across the sea to the forlorn island on which it waspatiently waving.

  An uneventful week passed. A Nedrite who had escaped from the Island ofOolooz brought word to King Pootoo that the enemy was completingpreparation for a stupendous assault, but a close watch on the seafailed to reveal signs of the approach. Ridgeway and his eager followerswere fully prepared for the assault. The prospect was now assuming theappearance of a European war cloud--all talk and no fight. But as KingPootoo insisted in vague earnestness that the informer was trustworthy,precautionary measures were not relaxed at any time. Hugh was now thepossessor of a heavy sword made of the metallic-like wood. It had twoedges and resembled an old-fashioned broadsword.

  "I feel like a Saumeri," he announced.

  When he found that fairly sharp blades could be wrought from thistimber, he had knives and hatchets made for private use, his own trustypocket knife being glorified by promotion. He whetted the blade to thekeenest possible edge and used it as a razor. Tennys compelled him toseek a secluded spot for his, weekly shave, decreeing that the morals ofthe natives should not be ruined in their infancy by an opportunity toacquire first-class, fully developed American profanity.

  Many of their evenings, delightfully cool in contrast with the intenseheat of the day, were spent on the river. The largest canoe of thevillage was fitted out with a broad, comfortable seat in the stern, uponwhich it was possible to recline lazily while several strong-armednatives paddled the craft through the shimmering, moonlit waters abovethe rapids.

  One evening, a month after the raising of the flag, they came from theriver, the night having been the most perfect they had seen, dark,sombre, picturesque. The moon was hidden behind the banks of clouds,which foretold the coming of rain, yet there was a soft, exquisite glowon land and water, as if blue-black tints were being cast from aloft bysome mysterious, experimenting artist among the gods. It had been aquiet, dreamy hour for both. As they walked slowly across the littleplain, followed by the oarsmen, they became cognizant of anextraordinary commotion in the village. Pootoo and a dozen men camerunning toward them excitedly.

  "What's up, I wonder?" cried Hugh.

  "It is the enemy. I know they have been sighted," she exclaimedbreathlessly.

  And she was right. Just before sunset the guard at the top of thegatepost had sighted the canoes of the invaders, far to the north.According to the king, to whom the flying messenger had come, there weremyriads of canoes and they were headed for a part of the beach aboutthree leagues north of the village. It was the best place for landingalong the entire coast and was, besides, the point nearest the home ofthe coming foe. It was evident that the enemy had miscalculated. Theycame
within eye range of the island before darkness set in. A half anhour later and it would have been impossible to discern the boats in thegloom. By merest chance their arrival was betrayed.

  "Thank God, they can't surprise us," cried Hugh after he had learnedall. He was mad with excitement, burning with eagerness for the fray.

  The possibility of defeat, did not enter his head, so sure was he thathe and his warriors could overthrow the invaders. His brain was filledwith the hope that he might some day tell the story of this battle tothe fellows at his club in Chicago. He could imagine himself sittingwith his heels on the window seat, relating to envious listeners thedetails of the fight in the pass, the repulsing of the enemy, the chaseto the shore; the annihilation and--but no time was to be lost indreaming of the future when the imperative present demanded so muchof him.

  At his side hurried the distressed, trembling young Englishwoman, herheart almost paralyzed with fear. Two or three times she tried to speakto him; once she timidly, though frantically, sought to grasp his handto stay him in his excited rush toward the temple. Up to this moment shehad been brave, even confident; now a weakness assailed her and everyvestige of courage was gone. But one thought filled her mind: thepossibility of disaster befalling Hugh Ridgeway.

  They reached the temple and he dashed inside, going direct to his room,where the sword and daggers hung. She sank weakly upon one of the bigblocks in the long corridor, leaning her head against the partition,breathing heavily, hopelessly. He, unconscious of the pain she wassuffering, began to whistle joyously as he bustled about.

  "Tennys," he called, "do you know what has become of my shield?"

  "It is out here," she answered shrilly, her voice pitched high with thetension imposed. He came forth, tossing his sword on the ground at herfeet, hastily taking the shield from a peg in the wall.

  "Say, we won't see a live Ooloozer for a hundred years after the fight,"he exploded exuberantly. "Is my army out there in front?"

  "Hugh," she said piteously, following him about in the hall, "it isn'tnecessary for you to accompany them."

  "Oh, great Scott! I wouldn't miss it for a million. I'm the biggest pigin the puddle," stopping to look at her in amazement.

  "But it isn't your--our war, Hugh. Why do you risk so much? They maykill you and then--then what will become of me?"

  In an instant his hilarity subsided and deep solicitude came in itsstead, every particle of tenderness in his heart asserting itself inresponse to the rueful appeal. There was a queer rushing of blood to hishead, a dizziness, a great thrumming against, the drums of his ears,from all of which sprung, like lightning, the remembrance of hissuspicions concerning her feelings toward him.

  "You are not worried, are you? Why, there's no danger, not theslightest. We've got them whipped before the fight. I didn't think you'dlose courage. You've been so brave and confident all the time." He tookher hands in his own and looked tenderly down into the wavering eyesof blue.

  "It is dreadful, Hugh. I never knew how dreadful until now. I cannotbear to see you go out there to-night, perhaps never to come back. Ishall die if you go!"

  "But I must go, Tennys," he said firmly. "I'd rather die than be acoward. Your fears are utterly ridiculous."

  His rather petulant speech caused her to withdraw her hands, her wideeyes sending a glance of wounded pride up into his. That look ofreproach haunted him the whole night long. Even in the next moment hesought to withdraw the unintentional sting from his words by the gentlereminder that he would come back to her a victor and that she would beproud of him. Still the hurt eyes looked into his.

  "I--I did not mean to interfere, Hugh. You must pay no attention to me.I was selfish and absurdly afraid," she said, a trace of coldness in hervoice, her manner entirely altered.

  "Any woman might well be afraid at such a time," he said quickly.

  "I am not afraid for myself. It is not the kind of cowardice you thinkit is."

  "You just now wondered what would become of you if I were killed," heventured.

  "I know what will become of me if the worst should come. But I must notkeep you standing here. There is much for you to do and much for me todo. You shall never again say that I am not brave. Go and fight, Hugh,and when you bring home the wounded I shall have a place to care forthem all." All this was spoken rapidly and in high-pitched tones. Hemoved slowly toward the door, not knowing what to say or how to actat parting.

  "I'll be back all right, Tennys," he said at last. "Would you care verymuch if--if I never came back?"

  "Oh, Hugh!" was her wail. "How can you ask? What would it mean to me tobe left here all alone? If you would have me brave, do not ask suchquestions. Go, Hugh. Good-by!"

  He grasped her hand, wrung it spasmodically, glanced once in her eyesand was off toward the horde of warriors congregating in the field.

  Lady Tennys steadied her swaying figure against the doorpost and lookedout upon the preparations for departure. The light in her eyes had died.