CHAPTER XVII
IN NEED OF HELP
Mrs. Chatterton had no objections to Teneriffe, and so it came aboutthat one evening she and her niece, who had almost recovered her usualhealth, sat upon a hotel balcony in Santa Cruz, looking down upon thequaint Spanish city. It had lain basking under fierce sunlight all day,but now the cool shadow of the giant Canadas rested upon it, and itsolive-faced inhabitants came forth to breathe the freshness from theAtlantic. Garrison officers and somberly clad merchants with their wivesand daughters, strolled up and down the plaza beneath the balcony, whilelaughter and merry voices throbbed through the strains of an artilleryband. Near by, the Atlantic swell pulsed whitely on the lava reefs, andhigh above the great black cordillera heaved aloft its jagged pinnaclesagainst the sunset fires.
Lilian Chatterton, however, saw little of all this. She was looking outacross the shimmering Atlantic toward the blue peaks of Grand Canary,beyond which stretched the coast of Africa. A little black-funneledsteamer was creeping across the sea-plain between.
"That must be the African boat. The flag is going up above the agent'soffices," she said. "She may bring us news. It is a pity that my uncleis away. He seems distressed about the uncertainty concerning Hilton."
Perhaps Lilian's tone was less indifferent than she wished, for Mrs.Chatterton watched her keenly before she answered.
"It is hardly surprising. Your uncle is a just man, and never forgets abenefit. As you must have heard, it was an invention of Hilton's fatherwhich first started them, when both were struggling men, on the way tosuccess; but Dane died, and the widow, who was never cordial toward myhusband, drew her share out of the business against his advice. She diedcomparatively poor when Hilton was young, while your uncle, who stillconsiders he owes his dead partner a moral debt, tried several means ofdischarging it by benefiting his son. Hilton, of whom I am very fond, isnot, however, a person one can readily confer favors upon."
"No," said Lilian, with a trace of coldness in her tone. "You never toldme quite so much before. My uncle is not always quite judicious in theway he sets about accomplishing his benevolent intentions. But the boatwill soon be in."
Mrs. Chatterton smiled a little.
"He will certainly blame us if we allow any opportunity for obtainingnews to escape, and I must find somebody to take a note off to thepurser. You are tired, Lily, and had better remain here while I goacross to the agent's offices."
Lilian sat leaning back in a basket chair, shrouded from observation bytwo tall aloe plants, with her face still turned toward the cost ofAfrica. The silver shimmer faded from off the sea, the fires of sunsetdied out behind the cordillera, but Mrs. Chatterton did not return, andher niece waited with hands crossed idly in her lap. It was now sometime since the steamer's anchor had rattled down. Presently, because thelong windows behind her were open, she started at a voice in theadjoining room. It seemed the voice of one risen from the dead.
"It is impossible!" she thought.
"I have no baggage," the voice rose again. "Going on with theSouthampton boat, due to-morrow. Send across to the offices and book aberth for me."
Lilian, rising, stood in the open window, and the speaker stared at herin astonishment.
"I could hardly believe my eyes, Mr. Maxwell," she exclaimed.
Maxwell strode out into the balcony, but his surprise, which vanishedquickly, was surpassed by the girl's. His face was worn and hollow, andin the failing light he looked strangely frail. A great sense of pitycame upon her.
"You are ill, and I must not keep you standing! Please sit down, becausethere is so much I--we all--wish to know," she said, striving tosuppress her eagerness.
"I have been in the African forest," Maxwell replied simply, as thoughthat were sufficient explanation. "Thank you, but I would rather leanagainst the railing here."
As he spoke, he drew out the basket chair, and bent his head with agesture of invitation, while the girl, noticing the languidness of hismovements, showed her compassion in her eyes. Maxwell saw the pity, andsmiled wistfully; then as Lilian's gaze met his own, she glanced aside amoment with a sudden trace of color. She remembered their last meeting,and there was an awkward silence which Maxwell broke.
"We can at least return to our former status as good friends, can wenot?" he said. "I see you are anxious for my news, and it may be apainful story; but first I must ask you a question. What fortunateaccident brought you here?"
"I was unwell and ordered south to escape the spring." Seeing theanxiety in the man's face, Lilian added quickly, "I have recovered now.My aunt will be here in a few minutes, but Mr. Chatterton has goneacross the island. An Englishman he met invested some money in asugar-mill the Spaniards are reconstructing, and he could not resist thetemptation of joining him. My uncle has a weakness for showing otherpeople how to manage machinery. It is your turn now, but first, where isyour partner?"
In spite of Lilian's intention the last question was put with asharpness which surprised the listener.
"He is alive and well, I hope," he answered gravely. "My story will belonger, but I will try to tell it to you clearly."
The waltz the band played in the plaza below formed a curiousaccompaniment to such a tale. After the first few sentences neither ofthem, however, heard the music, and Lilian leaned forward with the colorchanging in her intent face as she listened. Maxwell suppressed the mostgruesome details, but the narrative would have been startling to any oneof the girl's upbringing. The thunder of the sunset gun brought it to anabrupt conclusion, and as the long reverberations rolled among thehills, Lilian rose suddenly and turned upon the speaker. There wasscorn, as well as horror, in her eyes.
"And you left him in that pestilence-stricken camp to be murdered by thetribesmen--you coward!"
They were equally off their guard, and, for there are occasions whenhuman nature mocks at all conventional restraint, both had dropped themask. When once before they spoke openly it was Maxwell who had laidbare his heart, and now, though he made a valiant effort, he could notconceal his astonishment.
"And I never guessed," he said under his breath.
So for a few seconds they stood, with inmost thoughts laid open, face toface. Maxwell, having revealed the less, first recovered himself.
"I am afraid I have told my story badly, Miss Chatterton," he said. "Yousee there was gold enough to excite most men's cupidity lying within oursight, and that was why we drew lots to determine which should go outand seek help to secure it. Dane was, for a reason he did not mention,not only willing, but anxious, to stake his life on the chance ofturning that gold into currency, and the lot fell to me. Being unable toraise the necessary funds by cable, I am now on my way to England, tosell my last possessions and pledge whatever in the future may be mine.Then, if I have to go alone, I am going back into the Leopards' countryto bring my comrade help."
It is possible that few men under the circumstances would have framedtheir answer as Maxwell did; but he was in all things loyal, as hislistener recognized. She was once more mistress of herself, but she didnot look at the man as she answered him.
"You must forgive me. What you had to tell must have dissipated my poorsenses. It is even more startling than anything I had imagined," shesaid.
"I can hardly forgive myself for telling it so badly," Maxwell answeredgravely. "You had already, I gather, received some news that we werenot exactly prospering. How did it reach you?"
Lilian mentioned the newspaper paragraph, and Maxwell's face grew dark.
"It was evidently the work of our enemy, and done to divert suspicionfrom himself in case the tribesmen overwhelmed us, as he hoped. It isanother reason for haste, and if you will excuse me I will go on to thesteamship office to make sure of my berth."
An inspiration dawned upon Lilian.
"I want you to promise that you will not sail without seeing me again,"she said quickly.
"It is a conditional promise. While I would do anything to please you,Miss Chatterton, so much depends on my speed that wha
tever happens Imust catch the steamer. She will land me in England three days beforethe West Coast boat, and is expected early to-morrow."
He moved away, and Lilian was left alone, plunged in a whirl ofthoughts, with her eyes still turned toward Africa. But as she sat thereone purpose grew into definite shape, and at last she rose sharply, andset out in search of Mrs. Chatterton, with determination stamped uponher face. Lilian was shrewd; she saw that Maxwell might well arrive toolate unless she could hasten the starting of the relief expedition. Shefound Mrs. Chatterton presently in the bustling plaza, and the elderlady turned aside from her English companions after a glance at herniece. The girl came straight toward her with swift, resolute steps.
"Mr. Maxwell was on board the steamer," she said, with a calmness thatpuzzled her aunt. "He has told me all about the expedition, and leftHilton in deadly peril. Money is needed to extricate him, and Maxwellis going home to-morrow to obtain it; but I think my uncle would find ithard to forgive us if we did not let him know immediately. No--we haveno time to waste with these people now. Turn back with me."
The girl passed the friends who advanced to greet her as though she didnot see them, and by the time they reached the door of the hotel Mrs.Chatterton realized the need for haste.
"My husband must certainly know at once, but it is twenty odd miles toOratava alone, and several more from there to the sugar-mill," she said."The telegraph office is closed, and you say the mailboat should sailearly to-morrow. It is very unfortunate, but what can we do?"
"There is only one thing possible," declared Lilian. "No one could trusta Canario with so urgent a message. We must start at once ourselves. Weneed not go all the way round by Oratava. There is a bridle-path acrossthe hills."
"But you are hardly strong enough for such a journey, and we might notget a carriage to take us there to-night."
"The carriage is entering the plaza now," said Lilian. "Can you not seethat if Mr. Maxwell goes to England he may be too late."
Mrs. Chatterton looked hard at her niece. Lilian's face was veryresolute, but she bore the scrutiny calmly, and the elder lady was notwholly astonished.
"I will be ready in five minutes," she said, and Lilian, moved by someimpulse, kissed her swiftly.
The five minutes had hardly expired when, with the Canario drivershouting in warning, a two-horse carriage rolled out of the plaza, andwent rattling up the narrow street. Accustomed as they were to theeccentricities of British visitors, the sleepy citizens stared at itsoccupants, when, with unusual agility, they had leaped out of its way,for the driver stood upright, lashing his horses until they broke into aheadlong gallop, and the crazy vehicle lurched and bounced over theuneven stones.
Night had closed in now, and a vault of velvety indigo spangled withmany stars, hung over the long rows of sun-baked walls, which rolledaway behind. A full moon rose slowly over the Atlantic. In front wastesof scoriae, maize fields, vineyards, rolled upward, ridge beyond ridge,toward the Titanic wall of lava, nine thousand feet above; but theclimbing road was broad and good, and, if the string-patched harnessheld, they might bring Thomas Chatterton news in time.
Lilian retained but a blurred impression of that part of the journey.They swept past climbing mule teams, and, sometimes on two wheels only,swung round many curves. Blinding clouds of dust rolled up, and, drivenforward by the breeze from the Atlantic, whirled about them. There wereodd gleams of light, and a howling of dogs, as white-walled dwellingsswept by, then only the clang of iron on lava, and creaking of thevehicle to break the silence of the desolate hillside, until the driverhowled again as they clattered into old-world Laguna, just sinking intoearly sleep. The carriage lurched over the cobbles, sparks blazed up,white walls and glimmering lattices raced by, and Lilian glanced at herwatch as, while the lathered team swung into swifter stride upon thelevel, Laguna receded into the night. Branches of eucalyptus met above,the road was checkered with shadow, but it was straight and good, andthe driver evidently meant to win the guerdon promised him.
It was cool on the higher levels. The fresh night wind stirred thepassengers' blood, and while the stinging whip-cuts roused the horses tofurther effort, the eucalyptus gave place to sugar-cane, vineyards,cork-trees, and, looming black in the moonlight on the bare hillshoulders, gnarled pines.
"We have lost no time so far," said Lilian, bending her head over themoonlit dial of her tiny watch, and almost resenting the attention whenher aunt drew the wrappings closer about her. "Still, it is passingfast."
The driver was certainly doing his utmost. He stood upright, for themost part, shouting as he lashed his horses, for the Castilian is not asa rule merciful to his beasts, and as the road had been lately mended inplaces with broken lava the carriage jolted painfully. Lilian, making nocomment, only held fast the tighter, but once her aunt screamed, and itwas fortunate that, startled by her cry, the man checked his horses.There was a steep grade before them, and when the beasts broke into awalk he stopped them altogether, and leaped down from his perch. Heglanced at one of the wheels, then cast his hat into the road and kickedit several times, shook his fist at the surrounding country, and fornearly a minute poured forth a torrent of sonorous Castilian. It waswell that neither of the listeners wholly understood him.
"What is the matter, and what can he be saying?" asked Mrs. Chatterton,almost appalled by the man's vehemence; and Lilian answered with ashudder.
"I am not quite certain, but I fancy that a wheel is coming off."
"_Lo creo_," interjected the Canario. "_Mal rayo!_ I spik good Ynglez.This jimcraky wheel, which is made of a lost carpenter, she is comeright off."
Putting his shoulder against the vehicle he hurled the wheel downcrashing upon the lava, and then flung one arm aloft, with a tragicgesture.
"Stop him at once, Lily!" begged Mrs. Chatterton. "The wretched man isbeginning again, and his language positively frightens me!"
"You mustn't!" said Lilian severely, as the Canario's tongue, which hadapparently been dipped in brimstone unloosed itself again. "Stopimmediately! Instead of all that nonsense, try to think of what you cando!"
"I do nothing. No man do nothing. On three wheel this coche she is notcan go." The driver's gesture expressed despair. "We stop here for allnight, _puede ser_ all to-morrow. We stop a here forever."
"That is absurd," said Lilian sharply. "Is there no blacksmith atLaguna? Blacksmiths--_hombre de hierro, entiende_? Take one of thosehorses out and go for him immediately!"
"_No possible_, _senorita_. The black-a-smeet he sleep at night,"explained the Canario, hopelessly.
Lilian stamped one little foot.
"It is _no possible_ to waken him? _Escucha Vd_, and please try tocomprehend. If I reach the sugar-mill too late you will be paid exactlywhat the Alcalde at Oratava says is your due. If I get there in time,and not otherwise, you will receive what I promised you. Now take outone of those horses, and I will help you."
The driver rubbed his forehead, and kicked his hat again. Then hedeclaimed a little further; and finally, while Mrs. Chatterton protestedagainst Lilian's helping him, he proceeded to act upon her suggestion.The girl struggled with rusty buckle and raw-hide patched with string,and at last tethered one horse to a branch, while the Canario clatteredoff toward Laguna on the other. He had neither saddle nor stirrups, butthat did not matter much to a man of his race.
The two women were left standing in the middle of the lonely road.
"I wish we had never come," wailed Mrs. Chatterton. "Mind that horsedoes not bite you, Lily."
"Poor beast," said the girl, stroking the creature's scraggy neck. "Hedid his best, and a great deal still depends on him. If that wretchedman does not return soon the waiting will drive me mad."
Mrs. Chatterton found a seat by the wayside. Lilian paced to and fro,halting only to listen and gaze down the long dusty road. An hour passedslowly. Still only the rustle of the sugar-cane and the sighing of darkbranches broke the stillness. There was no light visible; and save forthe horse, the two anxious Englishwome
n seemed the only living thingsupon the mountain-side.
"Can you hear nothing, auntie?" the girl asked; but the elder lady heardonly the drowsy gurgle of water in a distant barranco, and the moan ofthe breeze.
"No. There is no sign of any one coming yet; and I am afraid we shouldbe almost too late if we started now," she said.
Twice again the girl paced up and down in a fever of impatience, thenstood rigidly still, leaning forward a little, for a faint thuddingsound came out of the shadows.
"He is coming at last!"
The man came up at a gallop, with a hammer and a bag of tools, and,talking volubly, remounted the wheel. Then he lashed his horsesviciously, and they were off, pressing on at a gallop almost to thedivide, where, partly bathed in silver light by the moon, and partlywrapped in black shadow by the mighty peak, the great horseshoe vale ofOratava sloped to the Atlantic. Here the driver turned.
"The brake of this coche is also broke. I have ten children, senoras,and all very small, and if we must go down at the full speed it will beone more ten shillings for the risk."
Mrs. Chatterton, glancing down toward the lights that twinkledapparently vertically beneath her, and the glimmering plain of theAtlantic very far below, somewhat naturally hesitated, and was about tospeak, when Lilian thrust a gold coin into the man's brown palm.
"You shall have more when I come back from Tampena. Only lose no time!"she urged.
The driver, who had been deluded on various occasions by Britishemigrants bound for the Cape, first prudently bit the coin, then piouslycrossed himself, after which he lashed the horses, and the carriagebegan the long descent like a run-away locomotive or a thunderbolt, asMrs. Chatterton afterward said. The road was good, but it dipped inzig-zags down the steep hillside, and they went round the bends madlywith two wheels in the air; while twice the elder lady held her breathas a straggling mule team rushed past. She prayed spasmodically that theancient harness might not break.
The walnuts gave place to fig-trees, the figs in turn to vines, andstill the straining gear held fast, and the bouncing vehicle hungtogether behind the lathered beasts. Then the terraced vines werereplaced by maize, and when the broad leaves of bananas raced up, as itwere, to meet them under the moon, the driver, shouting his loudest,reined his team in outside a little hill posada.
"Horses and a trusty guide for the sugar-mill!" he roared, beating onthe door. "Here are two mad English senoras with a purse of gold!"