The Beautiful White Devil

by Guy Boothby

  CHAPTER XVI.

  OUR MARRIAGE, AND THE SETTLEMENT AGAIN.

  I am drawing near the end of my long story now, and, when two morecircumstances connected with our flight have been reported, I shall beable to lay down my pen and feel that the story of the one and onlyromance of my life has been written.

  The first of the two circumstances to be recorded is my marriage. OnJuly 18th, seven days exactly after saying good-bye to England, wereached Madeira. Previously to sighting the island, Walworth, in aconversation with the captain, had allowed him to suppose that Aliewas a great heiress, and that ours was a runaway match. His nauticalspirit of romance was stirred, and he found early occasion to informme that he would do everything in his power to further the ends we hadin view.

  As soon, therefore, as we were at anchor in harbour, and the necessaryformalities had been complied with, I went ashore, hunted up theproper authorities, and obtained a special license. A parson was thenext person required, and when I had discovered him in the littlevicarage next door to his church, on the outskirts of the town, ourwedding was arranged for the following day at ten o'clock.

  Accordingly next morning after breakfast a boat was manned, and Alie,Janet, Walworth, the captain, and myself went ashore. To avertsuspicion we separated on landing, but met again at the church doorhalf an hour later. It was a lovely morning, a heavy dew lay upon thegrass, and when the sun came out and smiled upon us, the world lookedas if it were decked with diamonds in honour of our wedding.

  While we were waiting in the little porch and the clerk was openingthe doors, Walworth went off and hunted up the parson. Five minutesafterwards they returned together, and then, before the bare littlealtar, with the sun streaming in through the open door, George DeNormanville and Alie Dunbar were made man and wife. The register wasthen signed and witnessed, and having feed the clergyman and tippedthe clerk, we all went back to the town again. It had all been mostsatisfactorily managed, and I had not the slightest doubt but that thehalf-imbecile old clergyman had forgotten our names almost before hehad discarded his surplice in the vestry.

  An hour later we were back on board the yacht, which had by this timereplenished her supply of coal; steam was immediately got up, and bythree o'clock we were safely out of sight of land once more. Now wehad nothing to be afraid of save being stopped and overhauled by aman-of-war. But that was most unlikely, and even in the event of oneheaving in sight and desiring to stop us, I had no doubt in my ownmind that we possessed sufficiently quick heels to enable us to escapeit.

  But I am reminded that I have said nothing yet as to the joy andhappiness which was mine in at last having Alie for my wife. I havealso omitted, most criminally, to give you a full account of thewedding breakfast, which was held with becoming ceremony in the saloonof the yacht, as soon as we had got safely on our way once more. Thecaptain's attempt at speech-making has not been reported, nor have Itold you what a singular ass I made of myself, and how I nearly brokedown when I rose to reply to the toast of our healths. No! an accountof those things, however interesting to those who actually took partin them, could be of little or no concern to anyone else. So for thatreason, if for no other, I will be prudent and hold my tongue.

  Of the rest of the voyage to the Mascarenhas, there is little tochronicle, save, perhaps, that we sighted Table Mountain in duecourse, rounded the Cape of Good Hope safely--though we had somechoppy, nasty weather in doing so,--and passing into the Indian Ocean,eventually arrived off the island of Reunion an hour before daybreak.

  I was on deck before it was light, waiting eagerly for the first signsof day. Not a breath of wind was stirring and as we were only underthe scantiest sail our progress was hardly discernible. Then little bylittle dawn broke upon us, a clear, pearl-gray light, in which theworld appeared so silent and mysterious a place that one almost fearedto breathe in it. While I was watching, I heard someone come acrossthe deck behind me, and next moment a little hand stole into mine. Itwas Alie, my wife.

  "Can you discern any sign of the schooner?" she asked.

  Before answering I looked round the horizon, but there was not a signof any sail at all. To port showed up the dim outline of the island,with a few small fishing boats coming out to meet the rising sun, butin every other direction, there was nothing but grey sea softlyheaving.

  "No, darling," I answered, "I can see nothing of her. But we must notbe too impatient. There is plenty of time for her to put in anappearance yet."

  Five minutes later Walworth came up the companion ladder and joinedus. Alie turned to him.

  "I hope Captain Patterson thoroughly understood your instructions, Mr.Walworth?" she said.

  "I wired to him to be here a week ago," Walworth answered; "he was toexpect us to-day, but, in case of our non-arrival, to continuecruising about in these waters until the end of the month."

  "Then we need have no fear," she replied confidently; "we shall sighthim before very long, I feel sure."

  We then fell to pacing the deck together, talking of the future andall it promised for us.

  Half an hour later the lookout whom the captain had sent into the forecrosstrees to report anything he might see, sang out, "Sail ho!"

  "How does she bear?" cried the skipper from the deck.

  "Dead ahead, sir!" was the man's reply.

  "What does she look like?"

  "A big topsail schooner, painted white."

  "The _Lone Star_ for certain, then," said Alie, taking my hand again.

  As she spoke, the breakfast bell sounded and we went below to ourmeal. When we returned to the deck the distance between the two boatshad diminished considerably, and we could make out the schooner quitedistinctly. She was little more than five miles away now, and therecould be no possible doubt about her identity. Then, as we watched,she went slowly about and next moment we saw a string of signals breakout at her masthead.

  Walworth took up a glass from the deck chair and reported that shewas anxious to know our name and where we hailed from.

  "Shall I answer?" he inquired.

  "By all means," Alie replied; "did you bring the signals with you?"

  "I have them in my berth," he answered, and dived below, to reappear amoment later with a bundle of bunting under his arms.

  Having asked the skipper's permission, he bent them on to thehalliards and ran them up to the gaff end. They streamed out upon thebreeze, and as he watched them Walworth cried to Alie, with the firstand only sign of excitement I have ever known him show:

  "That will let them know that you are safe aboard!"

  "Do you wish me to bring the yacht as close alongside as I can?" askedour skipper, who had been made aware of our intention to say good-byeto him immediately we sighted the _Lone Star_.

  "If you will be so kind," I answered.

  The necessary manoeuvre was thereupon executed, and presently thetwo yachts lay less than half a mile apart.

  "What a lovely craft that is," said Janet, who had just come on deckand was watching her with increasing admiration.

  "That is the _Lone Star_," said Alie, putting her arm round Janet'swaist in her usual affectionate manner. "The boat which is to carry usto our home, dear Janet! May you be as happy on board as I have been."

  "I think," I said, taking the opportunity of a pause in theirconversation to make a practical suggestion, "if you ladies will allowme to say such a thing, it would be as well if we facilitated ourtranshipping by getting our luggage ready. If I mistake not,Patterson is piping a couple of boats away even now!"

  I was right, for as we looked the boats were descending from the portdavits.

  "George is ever practical, is he not, Alie?" said Janet in a teasingtone. "I fear there is not much romance in his constitution!"

  "I am not quite so sure of that," said Alie, with a roguish glance atme, "and, all things considered, I think I may claim to be a very goodjudge."

  "If I am to get the worst of it in this fashion," retorted Janet, witha great pretence of anger, "I shall go below and look
after myluggage."

  "Let us all go," said Alie, and down we accordingly went.

  By the time the necessary work was accomplished and the crew hadconveyed our luggage to the deck, the boats from the _Lone Star_ werealongside. They were in charge of Gammel, the third officer, who, whenhe came aboard, raised his hat respectfully to Alie; in return sheshook him warmly by the hand and expressed the joy it was to her tosee the _Lone Star_ again. The luggage was then conveyed down thegangway and put aboard one boat, which immediately set off for theschooner. At Alie's desire I then called the captain aft.

  "Captain Brown," I said, "before we leave the yacht I should very muchlike with your permission to say a few words to your crew."

  My request was granted, and the hands were immediately summoned aft.Then, having descended to the cabin for something I wanted, I preparedto make a little speech.

  "Captain Brown," I said, "officers and crew of this yacht, before weleave you to join yonder craft I wish, in my wife's name and my own,to thank you for the manner in which you have performed yourrespective duties. A pleasanter time than we have had aboard thisyacht during the past six weeks no one could desire, and now that weare leaving you I desire to hand you some little souvenirs of ouracquaintance. Accordingly I am presenting to your captain a sum ofmoney which will allow each man of you five pounds when he arrives inEngland, and to the captain and his chief officer these two goldchronometers, which I hope will remind them of our short but intimateacquaintance."

  When I had finished and had made the presentations, the captain, onbehalf of the ship's company, replied, and then, amid hearty cheers,we descended the gangway, took our places in the boat, and set off forthe _Lone Star_.

  When we came alongside we discovered the whole ship's company drawn upto receive us. Patterson was at the gangway, and, to my surprise,welcomed us with more emotion than I had previously thought hischaracter capable of exhibiting. I did not know until afterwards thathe had become aware by cable of the dangerous situation from which wehad rescued his leader.

  As soon as we were safely on board, the boats were hoisted to thedavits, sail was made, and after an exchange of salutations betweenthe two yachts we separated, each proceeding on our different ways.

  Of the voyage across the Indian Ocean there is little or nothing to betold; for the greater part of the distance fine weather accompaniedus. We sat on deck or in the saloon, read, related our experiences,"fought our battles o'er again," and watched the ever-changing ocean.

  It was our intention not to risk the China Sea, but to pass up throughthe Straits of Lombok and Macassar to the settlement.

  Just before sunset one evening, the dim outlines of the coast of Bali,with Agung Peak towering aloft, was sighted ahead, then Lombok Peak,on the island of the same name, came into view, and before darknessfell we were in the Straits themselves, choosing the eastern channelbetween Penida Island and the Cape of Banko as the safer of the two.Hereabouts the tides run very strong, and between us and the landthere was such a show of phosphorescent water that night as I neverremember to have seen elsewhere. We entered the straits at eighto'clock and were clear of them again by eleven.

  All next day we were occupied crossing the Java Sea, the water stillas smooth as glass, and the sun glaring down fiercely upon us.Naturally we were all most keen to arrive at the settlement and trulyrejoiced next day when Patterson informed us that by the evening ofthe day following we should be within easy reach of it.

  The next night passed, and sun-time (mid-day) once more came round.The heat was still intense, the brass work was too hot to touch, andthe pitch fairly bubbled in the seams. All the morning we panted inour deck chairs, and only left them to go below to lunch. One thingwas remarkable; now that we were almost within touch of safety, Aliehad grown strangely nervous, so much so that I felt compelled toremonstrate with her.

  "I cannot tell you why I am so frightened," she answered, "but do youremember that night on which we first met when we watched the moonrise and talked of the sea?"

  "Of course, I remember it perfectly," I replied, "but why do youallude to it now?"

  "Because I have that same feeling to-night about my fate being mixedup with the sea. I told you I should die at sea, and I have a strangeforeboding that, successful as this escape has proved so far, it willyet end in disaster."

  "My darling," I cried. "You must not talk like that. What on earth hasput such a notion into your head. No, no, my wife; having brought ussafely through so much, our luck will not desert us now."

  But she was still unconvinced, and no argument on the part of Janet ormyself could raise her spirits. Wonderful is the instinct of danger inthe human mind; for in a measure what Alie prophesied actually didcome true, as will be seen.

  Next morning, just after daylight, I was awakened by a loud thumpingat my cabin door.

  "Who is there?" I cried.

  "Walworth! We want you on deck at once."

  Pyjama clad though I was, I thrust my feet into slippers and ran upthe companion ladder. I found Patterson there anxiously awaiting me.

  "What is the matter?" I asked breathlessly. "Why did you send for me?"

  "If you want my reason," he said, pointing over our starboard side,"look there."

  I looked, and to my horror saw ahead of us, commanding the wholestrait, two enormous men-of-war. They were within six miles of us, andwere evidently making preparations for stopping us.

  "What's to be done?" I cried. "Another quarter of an hour and they'llblow us into atoms if we don't heave-to."

  "Will you inform your wife, and then, perhaps, we had better hold acouncil of war," answered Patterson.

  Without another word I went below and told Alie. In the presence ofthis definite danger she was a new woman.

  "I will dress and come on deck at once," she said.

  I went off to my own cabin and, hastily clothed myself; having done soI returned to the deck to find Patterson looking through his glass atsomething astern.

  "We're nicely caught," he said on becoming aware of my presence."There's another of them behind us."

  I took the glass and looked for myself; what he reported was quitecorrect. We were caught like rats in a trap. Just as I returned theglass to him Alie appeared and joined our group.

  "This is bad news, gentlemen," she said quite calmly. "I suppose therecan be no doubt they _are_ after us. What have you to suggest?"

  "It is difficult to say," answered Patterson. "Two things, however,are quite certain."

  "What are they?"

  "The first is that unless we are prepared to run the schooner ashore,we must go backwards or forwards. There is no middle course. In eithercase the result will be the same."

  "Have you sent word to the engine-room to get up steam?"

  "We have had a full pressure this hour past."

  Alie turned to me.

  "What do you advise, my husband?"

  "There is nothing else for it," I answered, "but to run the gauntletof them. We must try and get through."

  "Very good, then--run it shall be! Are you satisfied, Mr. Patterson?"

  "Quite. I agree with Dr. De Normanville it is our only chance."

  "Then let us get as close to them as we can, and directly theirsignals go up, race for it! We shall probably be hit, but we mustn'tmind that."

  The wind was blowing from the most favourable quarter, and everymoment was bringing us nearer to our enemies. So far they had made nosign, but it was evident now that they were drawing closer to eachother.

  When we were within easy range the second officer reported that thelarger of the two cruisers was signalling.

  "What does she say?" asked Patterson.

  The officer put up his glass again and, having looked, studied theAdmiralty book lying upon the hatchway.

  "Heave-to and let me examine you."

  "Very kind, indeed," said Alie. "But we're not to be caught in thatway. No, no! my friend, if you want us you will have to use sternermeasures than that."

  Pa
tterson gave an order and presently a stream of bunting was flyingfrom our own gaff end.

  "What are you saying?" I asked when the signals had unrolled andcaught the wind.

  "I'm asking him why he wants to stop us?" answered Patterson.

  All this time we were creeping up between them. Once more a signalbroke out, and again the officer reported. This time it ran, "Heave-toand I'll send a boat." But this was equally unregarded.

  For ten minutes there was no change save that we had now come up levelwith them. Then down fluttered the string of flags, and at the sameinstant a flash of fire came from the nearest vessel followed by acloud of white smoke. Almost at the same instant a sharp reportreached our ears.

  "A blank cartridge to show that they mean business," I answered.

  "Hadn't we better go ahead?" Alie remarked.

  "I think so," said Patterson, and rang the telegraph. The needle flewround to "Full steam ahead," and off we went.

  "Give her every ounce she can carry," shouted Patterson down thespeaking tube, and the engineers proved fully equal to the occasion.Before very long the whole fabric of the vessel trembled under thepressure. She quivered like a frightened stag, and cut through thegreen water at a furious pace. Then, seeing our ruse, the cruiserfired. But, either intentionally or because they had not accuratelygauged our distance, the ball went wide.

  "We're in for it now," said Alie; "this looks as if it will be themost exciting flight in the _Lone Star's_ history."

  "If only we could give them one in return," I said longingly."However, we can't stop for that. So go on, little barkie!" I criedenthusiastically, patting the bulwark with my hand, as if to encourageher, "you know how much depends upon you."

  As if she were really aware of it, the gallant little craft dashedon--throwing off the foam in two great waves from her cutwater, andsending the spray in clouds above her bows. The pace was terrific, andit seemed already to have dawned upon the cruisers that if they wantedto catch us they must be quick about it. By this time we had runbetween them, and therefore they had to turn round before they couldpursue us, which meant a start for us that was of the utmostimportance in our race for freedom.

  Before they attempted to turn, however, both decided on letting usknow their tempers, and two guns crashed out almost simultaneously.Again the ball from the bigger of the two fell wide, but that from herconsort was more scientifically aimed, and our foretop mast came downwith a crash.

  "That's the first blood drawn," I said to Alie, as the crew sprangaloft to clear away the raffle. "I wonder what the next will be."

  "If we can continue this pace we shall soon be out of range," sheanswered.

  "But can we continue it?" I asked. "The strain must be enormous. Doyou feel how every timber is quivering under it?"

  As I spoke Alie turned and I saw that Janet had come on deck. With awhite face she looked at the two vessels behind us and asked whattheir presence meant.

  "It means," said Alie, going to her and assuming possession of herhand, "that England is determined to try and have the Beautiful WhiteDevil after all."

  "But she shan't," said Janet loyally, "not if I have to keep her offwith my own hands."

  "Bravo, my sister," I cried enthusiastically, "that's the sort ofspirit we boast aboard this boat. Never fear, we'll slip them yet;won't we, Alie?"

  The girl answered me with a smile that went to my heart, so brave andyet so sad was it.

  By this time the men-of-war had turned and were in full pursuit of us;but we had the advantage of a start and were momentarily increasingour lead. Again one ship fired, but as we were all steaming too fastfor correct aiming, the ball did no damage. After that they savedtheir powder, and concentrated all their energies on the task ofcatching us. All the morning we steamed on, and by three o'clock werea good ten miles ahead.

  "If we can only keep this pace up till dusk I think we may manage togive them the slip after all," said Alie, going to the taffrail andlooking behind her at the pursuing ships.

  Their commanders seemed to realise this too, for they once more beganto try long shots at us. But though two fell very close, no harm wasdone.

  About half-past three Patterson left the bridge and came down to wherewe were sitting aft. He held a chart in his hand, and when he came upwith us he knelt down and pinned it to the deck.

  "May I draw your attention to this chart?" he said, as soon as hispreparations were complete. "You will remember that the first time wewere ever chased, it was in this very place! Well, on that occasion wemanaged to escape by taking this channel between these two reefs. Ourpursuer, as doubtless you have not forgotten, drew too much water andcould not follow us. Now, if you are willing to chance it, we mighttry the same plan again."

  "What do you think?" asked Alie, turning to me. "It is a desperaterisk to run, but then we must remember that we are in a desperateposition."

  I knelt down upon the deck and carefully examined the chart. It showeda long, straggling reef shaped something like a wriggling snake withan opening in the middle, just wide enough, if the measurements wereto be depended upon, to permit our vessel to pass through. One factwas self-evident, and that was that if we did get through we should besaved.

  "I am for chancing it," I said, after I had given the matter properconsideration.

  "Then we will follow your advice," said Alie. "We will try thepassage."

  "Very good," Patterson answered quietly, and, having rolled up thechart, returned to the bridge.

  After that for nearly half-an-hour we raced on at full speed, thewarships coming after us as fast as their steaming capabilities wouldpermit.

  Then our pace began somewhat to abate, and looking ahead I coulddistinguish in the gathering dusk what looked like an unbroken line ofbreakers stretching away for miles to port and starboard, from far outin the open sea almost to the ragged coast line on our left. Ourcourse had long since been altered and now we were steering directlyfor the troubled water. The pace was still terrific, but we wereslowing down perceptibly.

  "We are close to the opening now," said Alie, leading the way up ontothe bridge. "If we make a mistake and touch, we shall go to pieces infive minutes. Let us therefore keep together, husband mine."

  We stood to windward of the binnacle and watched what was about tohappen. The breakers were scarcely half a mile ahead, the warshipsperhaps six miles astern.

  Then two men crawled into the chains and set the leads going--thesecond officer was sent forrard to reconnoitre and Patterson,dismissing the steersman, took the wheel himself. The third officerwas stationed at the telegraph.

  Suddenly Patterson drew himself up, spun the spokes with apreliminary twist to see that all was in working order, and thenturned to his subordinate at the telegraph.

  "Stop her!" he cried.

  The bell tinkled in the engine-room and answered on the bridge. Thethrobbing of the propeller ceased as if by magic, and next moment wewere only moving forward by our own impetus. Almost before one couldthink, we were among the breakers, but still going forward. I glancedat Patterson out of the corner of my eye. He was standing as erect andpassionless as a marble statue, looking straight before him. On bothsides the breakers dashed and roared--the spray rising into our facesand falling upon the decks like rain. There was a slight grindingnoise for a second or two, and then Patterson gave a shout:

  "Full steam ahead!"

  The bell answered like magic and instantly the schooner shot forward._Next moment we were through the reef in smooth water, and safe._

  Looking behind us we could see that the cruisers had stopped andturned, they knew too well what the result would be if they attemptedto follow us.

  An hour later a large island hid us from sight of the reef and ourpursuers. But still, in the gathering gloom, we steamed ahead as fastas our propellers could drive us.

  At seven o'clock the gong sounded for dinner, and after a last lookround we went below to it. When we remembered how hopeless it hadappeared at the beginning, it was difficult to believ
e that we hademerged so safely from our awkward scrape.

  During the meal I could hardly eat for looking at Alie and thinking ofall the events which had occurred since first I sat at that table withher. She must have been thinking something of the same kind, for atthe end of dinner, just as we were about to go on deck, she bade thesteward charge our glasses and proposed this toast:

  "I drink to the _Lone Star_ and those who have saved us to-day."

  We drank the toast with enthusiasm and set our glasses down again. Butjust as we did so, there was a loud crash, a trembling of the entirevessel, a curious pause, and then another awful crash.

  "We have struck something!" I cried, springing to my feet. Then, as ifby instinct, I said, "Run to your cabins and get your shawls!"

  They did so, and, by the time they emerged again, the hubbub wasdeafening; the sound of rending and tearing could only be described asawful. Then there was sudden and complete silence which was almostworse than the noise. We ran on desk and made our way as fast as wecould to the bridge.

  "What has happened?" I cried to Patterson, who was issuing orders asfast as his tongue could utter them.

  "We have struck a rock that is not on my chart," he said. "And I havereversed the engines to pull her off."

  I could see that we were going astern--but even a child could havetold by the way the schooner moved that it was a hopeless case withher.

  Even while he was speaking she was sinking perceptibly.

  "There is no hope," he said at last, "we must leave her."

  All the hands by this time were at their stations, and the boats werelowered with exquisite care and precision. Fortunately they had beenthat very day uncovered and equipped, in case of accident, so thatthere was no possible cause for delay.

  Keeping Alie and Janet by my side I descended to the boat allotted tous and we took our seats in the stern. By the time we had pulled to adistance of about a hundred yards, the deck of the yacht was levelwith the water. Five minutes later the gallant but ill-fated _LoneStar_ tipped up on end, gave a sullen plunge, and disappeared beneaththe waves to be no more seen by mortal man. I slipped my arm roundAlie's waist and drew her closer to my side. She was tremblingviolently.

  "Be brave, dear love," I whispered. "For all our sakes, be brave."

  She turned her head in the direction where the poor yacht haddisappeared and said, almost under her breath:

  "Good-bye, _Lone Star_, good-bye."

  Then she stooped forward and buried her face in her hands.

  To divert her thoughts, I turned to the boat nearest us, which wascommanded by Patterson, and asked what he thought we had better do.

  "Sail up the coast as fast as we can," he answered. "My boat will takethe lead, the rest had better follow in single file. If this windholds we shall fetch the settlement, or be somewhere thereabouts, bydaybreak."

  The wind _did_ hold and we _did_ make the settlement by the time hespecified. Then passing behind the great doors which, as I have saidbefore, concealed the entrance to the canal so cleverly that even fromthe close distance of a mile I had not been able to detect where theimitation began and the real cliff ended, we pulled inside. Then, tocheer us, standing before them all, I unbared my head, and cried,perhaps a trifle theatrically:

  "Gentlemen! the queen has come back to her own again!"

  As the cheers that greeted my announcement died away we left the canaland entered the little landlocked harbour.