CHAPTER XV. THE RESCUE
AFTER Byrne had dropped the lifeless form of his enemy to the ground heturned and retraced his steps toward the island, a broad grin upon hisface as he climbed to the girl's side.
"I guess I'd better overhaul this gat," he said, "and stick around home.It isn't safe to leave you alone here--I can see that pretty plainly.Gee, supposin' I'd got out of sight before he showed himself!" And theman shuddered visibly at the thought.
The girl had not spoken and the man looked up suddenly, attracted by hersilence. He saw a look of horror in her eyes, such as he had seen thereonce before when he had kicked the unconscious Theriere that time uponthe Halfmoon.
"What's the matter?" he asked, alarmed. "What have I done now? I had tocroak the stiff--he'd have got me sure if I hadn't, and then he'd havegot you, too. I had to do it for your sake--I'm sorry you saw it."
"It isn't that," she said slowly. "That was very brave, and verywonderful. It's Mr. Mallory I'm thinking of. O Billy! How could you doit?"
The man hung his head.
"Please don't," he begged. "I'd give my life to bring him back again,for your sake. I know now that you loved him, and I've tried to do all Icould to atone for what I did to him; just as I tried to play whitewith Theriere when I found that he loved you, and intended to be on thesquare with you. He was your kind, and I hoped that by helping him towin you fairly it might help to wipe out what I had done to Mallory.I see that nothing ever can wipe that out. I've got to go through liferegretting it because you have taught me what a brutal, cowardly thing Idid. If it hadn't been for you I'd always have been proud of it--but youand Theriere taught me to look at things in a different way than I everhad learned to before. I'm not sorry for that--I'm glad, for if remorseis a part of my punishment I'll take it gladly and welcome the chance toget a little of what's coming to me. Only please don't look at me thatway any more--it's more than I can stand, from you."
It was the first time that the man ever had opened his heart in any suchwhole-souled way to her, and it touched the girl more than she wouldhave cared to admit.
"It would be silly to tell you that I ever can forget that terribleaffair," she said; "but somehow I feel that the man who did that was anentirely different man from the man who has been so brave and chivalrousin his treatment of me during the past few weeks."
"It was me that did it, though," he said; "you can't get away from that.It'll always stick in your memory, so that you can never think of Mr.Mallory without thinking of the damned beast that murdered him--God! andI thought it smart!
"But you have no idea how I was raised, Miss Harding," he went on. "Notthat that's any excuse for the thing I did; but it does make it seem awonder that I ever could have made a start even at being decent. Inever was well acquainted with any human being that wasn't a thief, ora pickpocket, or a murderer--and they were all beasts, each in his ownparticular way, only they weren't as decent as dumb beasts.
"I wasn't as crafty as most of them, so I had to hold my own by bruteforce, and I did it; but, gad, how I accomplished it. The idea offighting fair," he laughed at the thought, "was utterly unknown to me.If I'd ever have tried it I'd have seen my finish in a hurry. No onefought fair in my gang, or in any other gang that I ever ran up against.It was an honor to kill a man, and if you accomplished it by kicking himto death when he was unconscious it detracted nothing from the glory ofyour exploit--it was WHAT you did, not HOW you did it, that counted.
"I could have been decent, though, if I'd wanted to. Other fellows whowere born and raised near me were decent enough. They got good jobs andstuck to them, and lived straight; but they made me sick--I looked downon them, and spent my time hanging around saloon corners rushing the canand insulting women--I didn't want to be decent--not until I met you,and learned to--to," he hesitated, stammering, and the red blood creptup his neck and across his face, "and learned to want your respect."
It wasn't what he had intended saying and the girl knew it. There spranginto her mind a sudden wish to hear Billy Byrne say the words that hehad dared not say; but she promptly checked the desire, and a momentlater a qualm of self-disgust came over her because of the weakness thathad prompted her to entertain such a wish in connection with a person ofthis man's station in life.
Days ran into weeks, and still the two remained upon their little islandrefuge. Byrne found first one excuse and then another to delay the marchto the sea. He knew that it must be made sooner or later, and he knew,too, that its commencement would mark the beginning of the end of hisassociation with Miss Harding, and that after that was ended life wouldbe a dreary waste.
Either they would be picked up by a passing vessel or murdered by thenatives, but in the latter event his separation from the woman he lovedwould be no more certain or absolute than in her return to her ownpeople, for Billy Byrne knew that he "didn't belong" in any society thatknew Miss Barbara Harding, and he feared that once they had regainedcivilization there would be a return on the girl's part to the oldhaughty aloofness, and that again he would be to her only a creature ofa lower order, such as she and her kind addressed with a patronizing airas, "my man."
He intended, of course, to make every possible attempt to restore her toher home; but, he argued, was it wrong to snatch a few golden hours ofhappiness in return for his service, and as partial recompense for thelifetime of lonely misery that must be his when the woman he loved hadpassed out of his life forever? Billy thought not, and so he tarried onupon "Manhattan Island," as Barbara had christened it, and he lived inthe second finest residence in town upon the opposite side of "RiversideDrive" from the palatial home of Miss Harding.
Nearly two months had passed before Billy's stock of excuses anddelay ran out, and a definite date was set for the commencement of thejourney.
"I believe," Miss Harding had said, "that you do not wish to be rescuedat all. Most of your reasons for postponing the trip have been trivialand ridiculous--possibly you are afraid of the dangers that may liebefore us," she added, banteringly.
"I'm afraid you've hit it off about right," he replied with a grin."I don't want to be rescued, and I am very much afraid of what liesbefore--me."
"Before YOU?"
"I'm going to lose you, any way you look at it, and--and--oh, can't yousee that I love you?" he blurted out, despite all his good intentions.
Barbara Harding looked at him for a moment, and then she did the onething that could have hurt him most--she laughed.
The color mounted to Billy Byrne's face, and then he went very white.
The girl started to say something, and at the same instant there camefaintly to them from the mainland the sound of hoarse shouting, and ofshots.
Byrne turned and started on a run in the direction of the firing, thegirl following closely behind. At the island's edge he motioned her tostop.
"Wait here, it will be safer," he said. "There may be white menthere--those shots sound like it, but again there may not. I want tofind out before they see you, whoever they are."
The sound of firing had ceased now, but loud yelling was distinctlyaudible from down the river. Byrne took a step down the bank toward thewater.
"Wait!" whispered the girl. "Here they come now, we can see them fromhere in a moment," and she dragged the mucker down behind a bush.
In silence the two watched the approaching party.
"They're the Chinks," announced Byrne, who insisted on using this wordto describe the proud and haughty samurai.
"Yes, and there are two white men with them," whispered Barbara Harding,a note of suppressed excitement in her voice.
"Prisoners," said Byrne. "Some of the precious bunch from the Halfmoondoubtless."
The samurai were moving straight up the edge of the river. In a fewminutes they would pass within a hundred feet of the island. Billy andthe girl crouched low behind their shelter.
"I don't recognize them," said the man.
"Why--why--O Mr. Byrne, it can't be possible!" cried the girl withsuppressed excitement. "Th
ose two men are Captain Norris and Mr. Foster,mate of the Lotus!"
Byrne half rose to his feet. The party was opposite their hiding placenow.
"Sit tight," he whispered. "I'm goin' to get 'em," and then, fiercely"for your sake, because I love you--now laugh," and he was gone.
He ran lightly down the river bank unnoticed by the samurai who hadalready passed the island. In one hand he bore the long war spear ofthe head-hunter he had slain. At his belt hung the long sword of OdaYorimoto, and in its holster reposed the revolver of the Count deCadenet.
Barbara Harding watched him as be forded the river, and clambered up theopposite bank. She saw him spring rapidly after the samurai and theirprisoners. She saw his spear hand go up, and then from the deep lungs ofthe man rose a savage yell that would have done credit to a whole tribeof Apaches.
The warriors turned in time to see the heavy spear flying toward themand then, as he dashed into their midst, Billy Byrne drew his revolverand fired to right and left. The two prisoners took advantage ofthe consternation of their guards to grapple with them and possessthemselves of weapons.
There had been but six samurai in the party, two had fallen beforeByrne's initial onslaught, but the other four, recovered from theirfirst surprise, turned now to battle with all the terrific ferocity oftheir kind.
Again, at a crucial moment, had Theriere's revolver missed fire, and indisgust Byrne discarded it, falling back upon the long sword with whichhe was no match for the samurai. Norris snatched Byrne's spear from theground, and ran it through the body of one of the Japs who was pressingByrne too closely. Odds were even now--they fought three against three.
Norris still clung to the spear--it was by far the most effective weaponagainst the long swords of the samurai. With it he killed his antagonistand then rushed to the assistance of Foster.
Barbara Harding from the island saw that Byrne's foe was pressing himclosely. The white man had no chance against the superior swordsmanshipof the samurai. She saw that the mucker was trying to get past the Jap'sguard and get his hands upon him, but it was evident that the man wastoo crafty and skilled a fighter to permit of that. There could be butone outcome to that duel unless Byrne had assistance, and that mightyquickly. The girl grasped the short sword that she constantly wore now,and rushed into the river. She had never before crossed it except inByrne's arms. She found the current swift and strong. It almost swepther off her feet before she was halfway across, but she never for aninstant thought of abandoning her effort.
After what seemed an eternity she floundered out upon the mainland, andwhen she reached the top of the bank she saw to her delight that Byrnewas still on his feet, fighting. Foster and Norris were pushing theirman back--they were in no danger.
Quickly she ran toward Byrne and the samurai. She saw a wicked smileupon the brown face of the little warrior, and then she saw his gleamingsword twist in a sudden feint, and as Byrne lunged out awkwardly toparry the expected blow the keen edge swerved and came down upon hishead.
She was an instant too late to save, but just in time toavenge--scarcely had the samurai's sword touched the mucker than thepoint of Oda Yorimoto's short sword, wielded by the fair hand of BarbaraHarding, plunged into his heart. With a shriek he collapsed beside thebody of his victim.
Barbara Harding threw herself beside Byrne. Apparently life was extinct.With a little cry of horror the girl put her ear close to the man'slips. She could hear nothing.
"Come back! Come back!" she wailed. "Forgive me that cruel laugh. OBilly! Billy! I love you!" and the daughter of old Anthony Harding,multimillionaire and scion of the oldest aristocracy that Americaboasts, took the head of the Grand Avenue mucker in her arms and coveredthe white, bloody face with kisses--and in the midst of it Billy Byrneopened his eyes.
She was caught in the act. There was no escape, and as a crimson flushsuffused her face Billy Byrne put his arms about her and drew her downuntil their lips met, and this time she did not put her hands upon hisshoulders and push him away. "I love you, Billy," she said simply.
"Remember who and what I am," he cautioned, fearful lest this greathappiness be stolen away from him because she had forgotten for themoment.
"I love you Billy," she answered, "for what you ARE."
"Forever?"
"Until death do us part!"
And then Norris and Foster, having dispatched their man, came runningup.
"Is he badly hurt, madam?" cried Captain Norris.
"I don't know," replied Miss Harding; "I'm just trying to help him up,Captain Norris," she laboriously explained in an effort to account forher arms about Billy's neck.
Norris gave a start of surprise at hearing his name.
"Who are you?" he cried. "How do you know me?" and as the girl turnedher face toward him, "Miss Harding! Thank God, Miss Harding, you aresafe."
"But where on earth did you come from?" asked Barbara.
"It's a long story, Miss Harding," replied the officer, "and theending of it is going to be pretty hard on you--you must try to bear upthough."
"You don't mean that father is dead?" she asked, a look of terror comingto her eyes.
"Not that--we hope," replied Norris. "He has been taken prisoner bythese half-breed devils on the island. I doubt if they have killedhim--we were going to his rescue when we ourselves were captured. He andMr. Mallory were taken three days ago."
"Mallory!" shouted Billy Byrne, who had entirely recovered from the blowthat had merely served to stun him for a moment. "Is Mallory alive?"
"He was yesterday," replied Norris; "these fellows from whom you sobravely rescued us told us that much."
"Thank God!" whispered Billy Byrne.
"What made you think he was dead?" inquired the officer, looking closelyat Byrne as though trying to place him.
Another man might have attempted to evade the question but the newBilly Byrne was no coward in any department of his moral or physicalstructure.
"Because I thought that I had killed him," he replied, "the day that wetook the Lotus."
Captain Norris looked at the speaker in undisguised horror.
"You!" he cried. "You were one of those damned cut-throats! You the manthat nearly killed poor Mr. Mallory! Miss Harding, has he offered youany indignities?"
"Don't judge him rashly, Captain Norris," said the girl. "But for himI should have been dead and worse than dead long since. Some day I willtell you of his heroism and his chivalry, and don't forget, Captain,that he has just saved you and Mr. Foster from captivity and probabledeath."
"That's right," exclaimed the officer, "and I want to thank him; but Idon't understand about Mallory."
"Never mind about him now," said Billy Byrne. "If he's alive that'sall that counts--I haven't got his blood on my hands. Go on with yourstory."
"Well, after that gang of pirates left us," continued the captain, "werigged an extra wireless that they didn't know we had, and it wasn'tlong before we raised the warship Alaska. Her commander put a crew onboard the Lotus with machinists and everything necessary to patch herup--coaled and provisioned her and then lay by while we got her inrunning order. It didn't take near as long as you would have imagined.Then we set out in company with the warship to search for the'Clarinda,' as your Captain Simms called her. We got on her trackthrough a pirate junk just north of Luzon--he said he'd heard from thenatives of a little out-of-the-way island near Formosa that a brigantinehad been wrecked there in the recent typhoon, and his description of thevessel led us to believe that it might be the 'Clarinda,' or Halfmoon.
"We made the island, and after considerable search found the survivors.Each of 'em tried to lay the blame on the others, but finally they allagreed that a man by the name of Theriere with a seaman called Byrne,had taken you into the interior, and that they had believed you deaduntil a few days since they had captured one of the natives and learnedthat you had all escaped, and were wandering in some part of the islandunknown to them.
"Then we set out with a company of marines to find you. Your
father,impatient of the seeming slowness of the officer in command, pushedahead with Mr. Mallory, Mr. Poster, and myself, and two of the men ofthe Lotus whom he had brought along with us.
"Three days ago we were attacked and your father and Mr. Mallory takenprisoners. The rest of us escaped, and endeavored to make our way backto the marines, but we became confused and have been wandering aimlesslyabout the island ever since until we were surprised by these natives afew moments ago. Both the seamen were killed in this last fight and Mr.Foster and myself taken prisoners--the rest you know."
Byrne was on his feet now. He found his sword and revolver and replacedthem in his belt.
"You men stay here on the island and take care of Miss Harding," hesaid. "If I don't come back the marines will find you sooner or later,or you can make your way to the coast, and work around toward the cove.Good-bye, Miss Harding."
"Where are you going?" cried the girl.
"To get your father--and Mr. Mallory," said the mucker.