by W. W. Jacobs
Produced by David Widger
NIGHT WATCHES
by W.W. Jacobs
THE VIGIL
"I'm the happiest man in the world," said Mr. Farrer, in accents ofdreamy tenderness.
Miss Ward sighed. "Wait till father comes in," she said.
Mr. Farrer peered through the plants which formed a welcome screen tothe window and listened with some uneasiness. He was waiting for thefirm, springy step that should herald the approach of ex-Sergeant-MajorWard. A squeeze of Miss Ward's hand renewed his courage.
"Perhaps I had better light the lamp," said the girl, after a longpause. "I wonder where mother's got to?"
"She's on my side, at any rate," said Mr. Farrer.
"Poor mother!" said the girl. "She daren't call her soul her own. Iexpect she's sitting in her bedroom with the door shut. She hatesunpleasantness. And there's sure to be some."
"So do I," said the young man, with a slight shiver. "But why shouldthere be any? He doesn't want you to keep single all your life, doeshe?"
"He'd like me to marry a soldier," said Miss Ward. "He says that theyoung men of the present day are too soft. The only thing he thinksabout is courage and strength."
She rose and, placing the lamp on the table, removed the chimney, andthen sought round the room for the matches. Mr. Farrer, who had twoboxes in his pocket, helped her.
They found a box at last on the mantelpiece, and Mr. Farrer steadied herby placing one arm round her waist while she lit the lamp. A suddenexclamation from outside reminded them that the blind was not yet drawn,and they sprang apart in dismay as a grizzled and upright old warriorburst into the room and confronted them.
"Pull that blind down!" he roared. "Not you," he continued, as Mr.Farrer hastened to help. "What do you mean by touching my blind? Whatdo you mean by embracing my daughter? Eh? Why don't you answer?"
"We--we are going to be married," said Mr. Farrer, trying to speakboldly.
The sergeant-major drew himself up, and the young man gazed in dismay ata chest which seemed as though it would never cease expanding.
"Married!" exclaimed the sergeant-major, with a grim laugh. "Married toa little tame bunny-rabbit! Not if I know it. Where's your mother?"he demanded, turning to the girl.
"Upstairs," was the reply.
Her father raised his voice, and a nervous reply came from above. Aminute later Mrs. Ward, pale of cheek, entered the room.
"Here's fine goings-on!" said the sergeant major, sharply. "I go for alittle walk, and when I come back this--this infernal cockroach has gotits arm round my daughter's waist. Why don't you look after her? Doyou know anything about it?"
His wife shook her head.
"Five feet four and about thirty round the chest, and wants to marry mydaughter!" said the sergeant-major, with a sneer. "Eh? What's that?What did you say? What?"
"I said that's a pretty good size for a cockroach," murmured Mr. Farrer,defiantly. "Besides, size isn't everything. If it was, you'd be ageneral instead of only a sergeant-major."
"You get out of my house," said the other, as soon as he could get hisbreath. "Go on Sharp with it."
"I'm going," said the mortified Mr. Farrer. "I'm sorry if I was rude. Icame on purpose to see you to-night. Bertha--Miss Ward, I mean--told meyour ideas, but I couldn't believe her. I said you'd got more commonsense than to object to a man just because he wasn't a soldier."
"I want a man for a son-in-law," said the other. "I don't say he's gotto be a soldier."
"Just so," said Mr. Farrer. "You're a man, ain't you? Well, I'll doanything that you'll do."
"Pph!" said the sergeant-major. "I've done my little lot. I've been inaction four times, and wounded in three places. That's my tally."
"The colonel said once that my husband doesn't know what fear is," saidMrs. Ward, timidly. "He's afraid of nothing."
"Except ghosts," remarked her daughter, softly.
"Hold your tongue, miss," said her father, twisting his moustache. "Nosensible man is afraid of what doesn't exist."
"A lot of people believe they do, though," said Mr. Farrer, breaking in."I heard the other night that old Smith's ghost has been seen againswinging from the apple tree. Three people have seen it."
"Rubbish!" said the sergeant-major.
"Maybe," said the young man; "but I'll bet you, Mr. Ward, for all yourcourage, that you won't go up there alone at twelve o'clock one night tosee."
"I thought I ordered you out of my house just now," said the sergeant-major, glaring at him.
"Going into action," said Mr. Farrer, pausing at the door, "is one thing--you have to obey orders and you can't help yourself; but going to alonely cottage two miles off to see the ghost of a man that hangedhimself is another."
"Do you mean to say I'm afraid?" blustered the other.
Mr. Farrer shook his head. "I don't say anything," he remarked; "buteven a cockroach does a bit of thinking sometimes."
"Perhaps you'd like to go," said the sergeant-major.
"I don't mind," said the young man; "and perhaps you'll think a littlebetter of me, Mr. Ward. If I do what you're afraid to do--"
Mrs. Ward and her daughter flung themselves hastily between thesergeant-major and his intended sacrifice. Mr. Farrer, pale butdetermined, stood his ground.
"I'll dare you to go up and spend a night there alone," he said.
"I'll dare you," said the incensed warrior, weakly.
"All right; I'll spend Wednesday night there," said Mr. Farrer, "andI'll come round on Thursday and let you know how I got on."
"I dare say," said the other; "but I don't want you here, and, what'smore, I won't have you. You can go to Smith's cottage on Wednesday attwelve o'clock if you like, and I'll go up any time between twelve andthree and make sure you're there. D'ye understand? I'll show youwhether I'm afraid or not."
"There's no reason for you to be afraid," said Mr. Farrer. "I shall bethere to protect you. That's very different to being there alone, as Ishall be. But, of course, you can go up the next night by yourself, andwait for me, if you like. If you like to prove your courage, I mean."
"When I want to be ordered about," said the sergeant-major, in amagnificent voice, "I'll let you know. Now go, before I do anything Imight be sorry for afterwards."
He stood at the door, erect as a ramrod, and watched the young man upthe road. His conversation at the supper-table that night relatedalmost entirely to puppy-dogs and the best way of training them.
He kept a close eye upon his daughter for the next day or two, but humannature has its limits. He tried to sleep one afternoon in his easy-chair with one eye open, but the exquisite silence maintained by MissWard was too much for it. A hum of perfect content arose from thefeature below, and five minutes later Miss Ward was speeding in searchof Mr. Farrer.
"I had to come, Ted," she said, breathlessly, "because to-morrow'sWednesday. I've got something to tell you, but I don't know whether Iought to."
"Tell me and let me decide," said Mr. Farrer, tenderly.
"I--I'm so afraid you might be frightened," said the girl. "I won'ttell you, but I'll give you a hint. If you see anything awful, don't befrightened."
Mr. Farrer stroked her hand. "The only thing I'm afraid of is yourfather," he said, softly.
"Oh!" said the girl, clasping her hands together. "You have guessedit."
"Guessed it?" said Mr. Farrer.
Miss Ward nodded. "I happened to pass his door this morning," she said,in a low voice. "It was open a little way, and he was standing up andmeasuring one of mother's nightgowns against his chest. I couldn'tthink what he was doing it for at first."
Mr. Farrer whistled and his face hardened.
"That's not fair play," he said at last. "All right;
I'll be ready forhim."
"He doesn't like to be put in the wrong," said Miss Ward. "He wants toprove that you haven't got any courage. He'd be disappointed if hefound you had."
"All