by Guy Boothby
CHAPTER II
Four days later we reached England, and one of the most unpleasantvoyages I have ever made was at an end. Having seen everything righton board, I left the ship. Captain Harveston had not said good-bye tome, and for this reason I did not consider it necessary that I shouldgo out of my way to be civil to him. That the man intended doing me amischief I felt certain, but what form his enmity would take I couldonly conjecture. The entry was in the log-book, and some action wouldbe taken of it without a doubt.
From London I took the train to Salisbury, intending to walk out to myhome at Falstead, one of the loveliest if not _the_ loveliest of allthe Wiltshire villages with which I am acquainted. It was delightfulto think that in a few hours I should see Molly, my pretty sweetheart,again, and in her gentle company, and that of my dear old mother (myfather had been dead many years), endeavour to forget for a fortnightthe worries and troubles that had been my portion during the past twomonths. Molly, I must tell you, or Miss Mary Wharton, was a lady ofmuch importance at Falstead. She was an orphan, and her father hadbeen the Vicar of the hamlet for nearly fifty years. When her parentsdied she had received an offer of a home in London, but she could notfind it in her heart to leave the place in which she had been born, soshe remained on in the capacity of village schoolmistress andorganist, loved by the children, consulted by the mothers, andrespected by every one. My father had been the local medico, and I hadknown Molly all my life. We had played together as children, hadreceived our first lessons together, had fallen in love later, andwere engaged when I was twenty-three and she two years my junior.
It was nearly four o'clock when I reached Salisbury and started on myfive miles' tramp to the village. My luggage I left to be brought onnext day by the carrier, taking with me a small hand-bag containingsufficient for my immediate needs. I can remember the time when thosefive miles had seemed to me the longest walking in all the world; now,however, after so many weeks of sea, the green lanes, varied with openstretches of down, were beautiful beyond compare. Every turn of theroad brought to light some spot of interest. I crossed the old stonebridge at the entrance to the village, and noted the place where I hadcaught my first trout, and further on, as I passed a certain stile,upon which hundreds of initials had been carved, recalled the factthat it was there I had fought Nathaniel Burse, the village bully,and, unlike the heroes of most romances, had received a sound drubbingfor my pains.
About a quarter of a mile from my mother's cottage I overtook theworthy Vicar, who, as he informed me, had been to pay a visit to afarm on the Downs.
"Let me be the first to offer you a hearty welcome home," he said."You seem to have been away for a shorter time than ever this voyage."
"It has certainly not seemed so to me," I answered, and with aconsiderable amount of truth. "I am the more glad to be back. How isthe village?"
"By the village, I suppose you mean Miss Wharton, do you not?" saidthe old fellow with a chuckle. "She is wonderfully well, and I fancyis looking forward to your return. Your mother keeps well also, I sawher yesterday."
We walked on together until I could see ahead of us the littleivy-covered house in which I had been born. At the gate I bade thekindly old gentleman good-bye and entered, to be received on thethreshold by Molly and my mother. For the next few minutes I had tosubmit, and I will leave you to imagine whether I did so willingly ornot, to such a kissing and hugging as the average man seldom receives.Then I was escorted to the little drawing-room and given my favouritechair, while Molly made tea and my mother sat beside me andaffectionately stroked my hand. Could you have seen Molly at thatmoment, you would have declared her to be the true picture of anEnglish woman.
As you have probably observed by this time, I am not much of a hand atdescribing people, but I must endeavour to give you some idea of whatmy sweetheart was like. In the first place she was tall, possibly fivefeet nine inches. Her eyes were blue, and her hair a rich nut-brown.On the day of my arrival she was dressed in white, with a white beltround her shapely waist; while on the third finger of her left handwas the ring I had bought for her at Salisbury after our engagementwas announced. Even now, though ten years have elapsed, I can feel thejoy of that home-coming. I sat sipping my tea, and eating slice afterslice of real Wiltshire bread-and-butter in a whirl of enchantment.Of course Molly remained to supper with us, and if afterwards we wentfor a stroll down the shadowy lanes as far as Bellam Woods, where youcan stand on the hill and look down the valley to Salisbury, fivemiles away, who shall blame us?
The next three days were about as happy, so far as I am concerned, asa man could wish to spend. Fortunately it was holiday time with Molly,and in consequence she and I were inseparable from morning untilnight. We fished together, went for long walks together, and on thethird day I borrowed the Vicar's pony-cart and drove her intoSalisbury. Alas! however, that day was destined to end in verydifferent fashion to what it had begun. Having returned the pony-cartto the vicarage, we strolled home together. My mother'smaid-of-all-work had brought in the letters that had arrived byevening mail, and on the little table in the hall was one addressed tome. I turned it over, to discover upon the back of the envelope themonogram of the Company--my employers. With a heart full offorebodings I opened it. It was very brief, and read as follows--
"DEAR SIR,
"I am desired by the Chairman to inform you that the Board will be glad if you will make it convenient to be present at their meeting on Friday next at three o'clock.
"I am, "Yours very truly, "J. HOPKINSON, Secretary."
"What does it mean, Dick?" Molly asked. "Why do they want to see you?I think it is very unkind of them to spoil your holiday by taking youaway when you only have such a short time at home."
"I am afraid it means trouble," I answered. "Captain Harveston and Idid not get on very well together, and I expect he has been makingcomplaints against me at head-quarters. He threatened to do so."
"Then he is a very unjust man," said my sweetheart, her eyes flashing."And I should like to tell him so!"
That the letter worried me a good deal I am not going to deny. Mybread-and-butter depended upon the Company's good opinion, and if Ilost that I should certainly lose my position too. On the appointedday I bade my dear ones farewell, walked into Salisbury, and caughtthe train to London, reaching the Company's offices, which were inLeadenhall Street, about a quarter of an hour before the meeting wasdue to take place. A liveried porter showed me into the waiting-room,where I remained for something like twenty minutes, kicking my heelsimpatiently, and wondering what the end of the business would be. Thenthe door opened and the Secretary entered.
"The Board will see you now, Mr. Helmsworth," he said, and Iaccordingly followed him to the room in which the meetings of theCompany took place. There I discovered a full Meeting. The Chairmanwas seated at the head of the table--a dignified, portlypersonage--while on either side of him were ranged the Directors, whoI could see regarded me with some curiosity as I entered.
"Mr. Helmsworth," said the Chairman, after the Secretary had returnedto his place, "we have requested your presence to-day in order toinform you that Captain Harveston has felt it his duty to make aserious complaint to us of your conduct during the voyage which hasjust ended. To be candid, he charges you with general neglect of duty,of insulting conduct towards himself, and, I regret to add, ofuntruthfulness. We thought it better that you should have anopportunity of hearing these charges, and giving you a chance ofdefending yourself, should you care to do so. It is needless for me toadd how much the Board regrets that such a report should have beenmade against you. What have you to say?"
"All I can say, sir," I replied, advancing to the bottom of the table,and taking up my position there, "is that the report has not a word oftruth in it. It is a malicious invention on the part of CaptainHarveston, and, if he were here, I should tell him so."
"Come, come, Mr. Helmsworth, you must not talk like that," said theChairman; "Captain Harveston has been a long time in our ser
vice, andwe have never known him act unjustly to any one. Would it not bebetter to admit that there is _some_ truth in what he says, and thento leave it to the clemency of the Board, to deal with as they mayconsider fair?"
"I am afraid, sir," I replied, "with all due respect to yourself andthe Board, that I cannot submit to being declared neglectful of myduties, or allow myself to be called untruthful when I know the chargeto be unjust. For some reason, I cannot say what, Captain Harvestontook a dislike to me before the voyage commenced, and this report isthe outcome of that dislike."
I then proceeded to explain what had happened; pointed out that whilethe dock workmen were engaged upon the ship, and she was of necessityin an untidy condition, Captain Harveston had complained of her lackof orderliness. I referred to the paint incident, and commented uponthe fact that he had charged me with concealing what had happenedfrom him. With regard to the ship being in an untidy state throughoutthe voyage, I stated that I was prepared to bring witnesses to provethat she was as perfect as it was possible for a ship to be. If alittle of the gloss had worn off by the time we reached the Thames, Iexplained that it was due to the fact that we had experienced veryrough weather in the Bay and also coming up Channel. The charge ofuntruthfulness I dismissed as being both petty and absurd. Towards theend of my remarks I had some difficulty in restraining my temper, forI could see that the Board was still inclined to side with the captainagainst me. Perhaps my manner was not submissive enough to pleasethem. At any rate when they asked me to withdraw for a few minuteswhile they discussed the matter, I began to feel that my case was, sofar as they were concerned, a hopeless one. After ten minutes' absenceI was recalled.
"Mr. Helmsworth," the Chairman began in his dignified way, polishinghis glasses with his pocket-handkerchief as he spoke, "we have mostcarefully gone into the matter, and have arrived at the conclusionthat, taking into consideration the length of time you have been inthe Company's service, and the fact that there have never been anycomplaints against you hitherto, we should be justified in permittingyou an opportunity of retrieving any little error you may havecommitted. If, therefore, you will agree to apologize to CaptainHarveston, and will promise to do your best in the future, I may sayon behalf of the Board, that we are prepared to allow this mostpainful matter to drop."
This was more than I had bargained for. I had at least hoped that theywould have given orders that I should be confronted with my accuser,and that I should be allowed to call witnesses in my own defence.
"With all due respect, gentlemen," I said, with perhaps more freedomthan I should have used, "I cannot submit to such a thing. CaptainHarveston has brought these charges against me for some reason bestknown to himself. It seems to me, if only in common fairness, that heshould be called upon to prove them, and if he is unable to do so, toapologize to me for the wrong he has done me. I declare mostemphatically that I am innocent, and, if you will allow me, I willprove it. I am sure my brother officers will be able to convince youas to my ability, and to the state of the ship. The DockSuperintendent should also be able to do the same."
"Unfortunately the Dock Superintendent has confirmed the captain'sopinion," said the Chairman.
To my chagrin, I remembered then that the Dock Superintendent and Ihad had a quarrel some years before, and also that he was a greatfriend of the captain's. It was not likely, therefore, that he wouldside with me.
"If the Dock Superintendent says that, I suppose I must submit," Ianswered. "Nevertheless, I contend that neither he nor CaptainHarveston is speaking the truth."
"Dear me, dear me," said one of the Directors, "this is really not thesort of behaviour to which we are accustomed. Why not take theChairman's advice, Mr. Helmsworth, and apologize to your captain? I amquite sure that he would bear no malice to you, and the matter couldthen be amicably settled."
This had the same effect upon me as the waving of a red flag is saidto have upon an angry bull.
"I shall certainly not apologize," I answered. "Captain Harveston isin the wrong, and I refuse to have anything more to do with him."
"In that case, I am afraid the consequences will be serious," said theChairman. "We should be loath to lose your services, Mr. Helmsworth,particularly after your long service, but unless you apologize toCaptain Harveston, we have no other course open to us."
"I shall not do that," I returned, "and in case of my dismissal Iassure you I shall immediately take what proceedings the law allowsme, in order to prove that I have been slandered most grossly."
The Board stared at me in amazement. Was it possible, they weredoubtless asking themselves, that a miserable chief officer dared tobeard them in this fashion?
"What proceedings you take against Captain Harveston are no concern ofours, after you have quitted our employment," said the Chairman, "butif you will be well advised, you will think twice before you invokethe assistance of the law."
"I am to understand, therefore," I said, "that I am dismissed."
"No, no," the Chairman replied; "we will not go as far as that, wewill call it a resignation."
"Allow me then to wish you good-day, gentlemen," I said, and bowing Iwalked out of the room. "You will, doubtless, hear from me later."
"A pretty market I have brought my pigs to," I said to myself, as Iwalked down Leadenhall Street, after leaving the offices of theCompany. "Poor little Molly, this will be a sad blow to her. It looksas if my marriage is now further off than ever."
How little I guessed then that the interview I had just had, hadbrought it closer than if the trouble with Harveston had neveroccurred. Acting on the resolve I had made while waiting for theBoard's decision, I made my way in the direction of High Holborn. Theold lawyer who had conducted what little legal business my father hadrequired, and who had arranged my mother's affairs after his death,had an office in one of the curious old Inns of Court in thatneighbourhood. I determined to lay the case before him and to actaccording to the advice he gave me. On reaching the office I had thesatisfaction of finding him at home. The clerk, who received me, wasas old as his employer, and I believe had served him for upwards offorty years. His memory for faces must have been a good one, for herecognized me at once, although several years had elapsed since I hadlast called upon him.
"Mr. Winzor is in his office, Mr. Helmsworth," he said, "and, if youwill be good enough to wait for a moment, I will place your namebefore him." He disappeared, and presently returned and requested meto follow him.
The old lawyer received me most cordially and invited me to take aseat. He asked after my mother's health, then took a pinch of snuff,looked at me fixedly, and then took another. After this he inquired inwhat way he could serve me. I thereupon placed the case before him.
"This is a matter," he said, after a pause of about a minute, "thatwill require very careful consideration. It is plain that the captainin question is a vindictive man. His reason for being so bitteragainst you is difficult to understand, but we have the best ofevidence before us that it does exist. It's one thing, however, to beunjustly treated, and quite another to go to law about it. In asomewhat lengthy career, it has always been my endeavour to impressone thing upon my clients--Don't go to law if you can possibly avoidit. Doubtless were you to take the case into court we could producesufficient evidence from your brother officers and the petty officersof the ship to prove that you did your duty, and also that you were aconscientious officer. But, even supposing you won the day, how wouldyou stand?"
"I should have reinstated my character," I replied somewhat sharply,for the old man's manner grated upon me.
"And apart from the question of character, how much better off wouldyou be?" he asked. "The fact of your calling the officers of the shipwould put the Company to a considerable amount of inconvenience andexpense, which they would naturally resent. It would also have theeffect of putting them in an antagonistic attitude towards yourself,which, at present, they do not appear anxious to take up. The casewould attract some attention, the various shipping companies wouldread it, and,
should you apply to them for a position, I fear youwould find them averse to taking an officer who, you must forgive myplain speaking, was ready to invoke the aid of the law to settle hisdisputes with his captain and his employers. Do you see mycontention?"
"Yes, I see it," I replied; "but, surely, you don't mean to say that Iam to have this injustice done me and say nothing about it?"
"I am afraid I do not see what else to advise you to do," he replied."I think you have been badly treated, but, upon my word, though if Iwere in your place I should doubtless feel as you do, I should dropthe matter, and, to quote a familiar Stock Exchange expression, 'cutthe losses.'"
This was not at all what I had expected, and boiling over as I was,the advice he gave me was most unpalatable. He must have seen this,for he tapped me gently on the arm.
"Master Richard," he said, as if he were talking to a school-boy, "Iam an old man and you are a young one. Youth is proverbiallyhot-headed, while Age is apt to stand off, and looks at things fromafar. I pledge you my word that, in giving you this advice, I amacting as I deem best for your welfare. There is an old saying to theeffect that 'there are as good fish in the sea as ever came out ofit,' and I fancy the same remark can be made to apply to the vesselssailing upon that sea. Now will you leave the matter in my hands?"
"Most willingly," I replied, "provided I am not going to continue tobe suspected of being a malingerer and a liar."
"Sir Alexander Godfrey, the Chairman of the Company," he went on, "isa personal friend of my own, and if you will allow me, I will make apoint of calling upon him to-morrow in order to have a chat with himupon the subject. I cannot promise, but I think I shall be able toinduce him to persuade his brother Directors to either look over thematter, or at any rate to make sure that you leave the Company'sservice without any stain upon your character."
"But to do that I must be proved innocent."
The old man smiled a crafty smile.
"When you are as old as I am," he said, "you will have discovered thatthere are ways and ways of doing things. Leave it to me to arrange andI fancy you will be satisfied with the result."
"Let it be so, then," I replied.
"I am not a vain man," he said, "but I will say that I do not thinkyou could do better. Now tell me how the pretty Miss Molly is."
"She is very well indeed," I replied, "but I fancy this news will be adisappointment to her."
"Not a bit of it," he answered. "It's just at such times as these thatthe real woman comes out. Egad! you youngsters think you understandwomen, but, bless my heart, you don't! And now you just trot back toWiltshire, and give my kindest remembrances to your mother, and, well,if you like, you can give a kiss to Miss Molly for me. Tell her not tobother herself; that I will see you out of this affair all right. I amvery glad, my lad, that you came to me. When you are in trouble I hopeyou will always do so. Your father and I were old friends, and--well,I am not going to say anything further, but I'll tell you this; if Ihad met your mother before your father did----"
He stopped suddenly and tapped his snuff-box upon the table, then herose from his chair, shook me by the hand, and told me he would writeme immediately he had anything of importance to tell me.
I took this as a signal for dismissal, and thanking him for hisadvice, left him. Twenty minutes later I caught the three o'clockexpress at Waterloo, and in something under two hours was back inWiltshire once more.
Molly met me half-way out of Salisbury, and her loving sympathycheered me more than anything else could have done.
"Don't be miserable about it," she said, when I had told hereverything; "there are plenty of ships in the world, and lots ofowners who will value your services more than this Company seems tohave done. Remember, I believe in you with my whole heart, dear, andif it is decreed that we are not to be married for some time to come,then we must wait with all patience until that happy day shall dawn.When you've had a little more holiday, you can begin to look about youfor something else."
Could any man have wished for a braver sweetheart? Alas! however,matters were not destined at first to turn out as happily as she hadprophesied. I applied to firm after firm, but my efforts in every casewere entirely unsuccessful. At last I began to think that if my luckdid not mend very soon, I should have to pocket my pride and ship assecond or third officer, hoping by perseverance and hard work to getback to my old position later on. This eventually I decided to do, buteven then I was not successful. The only line which could offer meanything was in the Russian grain trade, and the best berth they hadvacant was that of third officer. As may be supposed, this was a bitof a come-down for my pride, and before accepting it, for I had run upto London to interview the firm in question, I returned to Falstead totalk it over with my sweetheart. On my reaching home my mother greetedme with an air of importance.
"A gentleman has been to see you this afternoon," she said, "a tall,handsome man. He did not leave his name, but he said you wouldprobably remember him, as he had met you on board the _Pernambuco_. Heis staying at the George, and is most anxious to see you."
"I met a good many people on board the _Pernambuco_," I said a littlebitterly. "A lot of them were tall and handsome. I wonder who he canbe?"
She shook her head.
"You say that he is staying at the George," I continued. "Very well,when I have had my tea, I will go down and find out who he is."
In due course I reached the little inn at the end of the villagestreet. The proprietress, old Mrs. Newman, had known me since I was sohigh, and upon my entering her carefully-sanded parlour, she bustledout of her little room at the back to greet me. I inquired whethershe had a strange gentleman staying in the house, and she answered inthe affirmative.
"He is smoking a cigar in the bower at the end of the garden," sheanswered. "If you want to see him you will find him there."
I knew the place in question, and, passing through the house, made myway down the garden towards the little summer-house in question.Seated in it, looking just the same as when I had last seen him, wasthe Spaniard, Don Guzman de Silvestre.