by E. W. Howe
CHAPTER X.
TUG WHITTLE'S BOOTY.
After resting a while, and looking carefully around to make sure thatthey were not watched, Tug and Silas crawled cautiously back to the bankwhich overlooked the boat and its singular occupant, and after warninghis companion to remain where he was by shaking his hand at him like aclub, Tug began to climb down the bank, feeling every step as he wentwith the cunning stealth of a tiger. Gradually he worked his way to thewater's edge; so careful was he, that even Silas, watching him withbreathless interest above, could not hear his step, and at last he stoodon the brink of the water. The boat was in an eddy, floating easilyabout, and when it came within Tug's reach, he clapped the handkerchiefover the woman's mouth, tied it in a knot at the back of her head, andcame clambering up the bank with her on his shoulders. Without saying aword, he started to retrace his steps, only stopping once or twice tosee that his booty was not smothering, when, finding the little womanall right, he went on over the fences and sloughs, and through thealleys and yards, until he entered his own door.
"Now then, sister," he said, putting the woman on her feet, andbreathing heavily from his exercise, "Tell us who you are. Davy, make alight."
Silas came lagging in about this time, and did as he was told, though hewas a long time about it, for the matches were damp, and the flame slowin coming up. Everything seemed to be damp in Davy's Bend, and it was nowonder that the matches were slow and sleepy, like the other inhabitantsof the town; therefore they came to life with a sputtering protestagainst being disturbed. While Silas was rubbing them into good humor,Tug was closely watching the little woman with his great eye, andgetting his breath; and when the light was fairly burning, he went overto her side, and removed the handkerchief from her mouth.
"Gentlemen!" she cried out, in a weak voice, as soon as she could."Gentlemen! In the name of God! I appeal to you as gentlemen!"
"Don't gentleman me," Tug said, bringing the light over to look at thewoman's face. "I'm not a gentleman; I'm a thief, and I've stolen awoman. Nor is _he_ a gentleman," pointing to Davy, and holding his headto one side to get a bead on him. "He's the greatest scoundrel that everlived. Look at the audacious villain now! Look at him! Did you ever seea person who looked so much like the devil? And he _is_ the devil, whenhe gets started. He's keen to get at you now, and I'll have trouble withhim if you are at all unreasonable."
Davy looked like anything but a villain as he meekly watched the pairfrom the other side of the room; indeed, he was thinking that Tug wascarrying the matter entirely too far, and was becoming alarmed. But Tugdid not share this feeling of apprehension, for he seemed desperately inearnest as he held the lamp close to the woman's face, who tried toshield it from his sight with her thin, trembling hands, and cried outin the same weak voice: "Gentlemen! In the name of God! I appeal to youas gentlemen!"
A very small woman, with shrivelled face and sharp features, was Tug'sbooty, and she trembled violently as she piteously held out her hands tothe two men. Tug thought of her as the key to the problem he had beenattempting to solve, so he stood between her and the door to preventescape. But Silas felt sure that the woman had but lately risen from asick bed; for she was weak and trembling, and from sitting long in thedamp river air, there was a distressed and painful flush in her face.
"Come now, sister," Tug said, seating himself in front of her, andfrowning like a pirate. "Tell us what you know, and be carried back toyour boat. If you refuse to do it, we will take you on a journey to theHedgepath graveyard, in the woods over the river, where we will erect astone Sacred to the Memory of an Obstinate Woman. Which will you have?Use your tongue; which will you have?"
But the woman made no other reply than to appeal to them as gentlemen,in the name of God, and cry, and wring her hands.
"In case you ever see that foxy companion of yourn again, which isextremely doubtful, for I have a companion who murders for the love ofit--(Here, now, take your hand off that knife, will you," Tug said, byway of parenthesis to Silas, looking at him sharply. Then going over tohim, he pretended to take a knife out of Davy's inside coat pocket, andhide it in the cupboard). "If you ever see your friend Sneak again, sayto him that I intend to get his head. He is bothering a friend of mine,and I intend to create a commotion inside of him for it."
Tug walked over to the table where the lamp stood, and, taking thepackage of poison from his pocket, carefully divided it into two doses;a large one for a man, and the other for a smaller person, probably awoman. He also took occasion, being near to Davy, to whisper to him thatthe woman reminded him of his wife's sister Sis.
"You are evidently a married woman, sister," the bold rascal said,seating himself in front of his captive, and looking at her in thedignified manner which distinguished him. "I suppose you were veryhandsome as a girl, and the men fell desperately in love with you, andwere very miserable in consequence. But I will let you into a secret;you are bravely over your beauty now. I suppose your mother braided yourhair, and did all the work, that your hands might be as pretty as yourface; and certainly she believed that while the boys might possibly failin life, _you_ would be all right, and marry a prince, and repay her forher kindness. Your poor mother rented a pianow for you, too, I reckon,and hired you a teacher; and when you could drum a little, she thoughtyou could play a great deal, and felt repaid for all her trouble,believing that you would turn out well, and make your brothers feelashamed of themselves for being so worthless. And while I don't know it,I believe that she paid five dollars to somebody to make you a artist,and that you painted roses and holly-hocks on saucers and plates, whichyour poor mother, in the kindness of her heart, recognized, and greatlyadmired. I shall believe this as long as I live, for you _look_ like apainter and a pianowist out of practice."
This train of thought amused Mr. Whittle so much that he paused as if tolaugh; but he apparently thought better of it, though his scalp crawledover on his forehead,--an oddity which distinguished him when he wasamused.
"Did your poor mother get to sleep peacefully at night, after workingall day for you?" inquired Mr. Whittle fiercely. "You don't answer; butyou know she didn't. You know she spent the night in wrangling with yourfather to induce him to give her money that she might buy you moreribbons and millinery and dry goods; and kid gloves, probably, althoughyour brother Bill was out at his toes, and hadn't so much as a cottonhandkercher; and how your mother went on when your husband came courtingyou! He wasn't good enough for you _then_, whoever he was; though I'llbet he thinks he's too good for you _now_, whoever he is; and what atime you must have had borrowing silverware and chairs for the wedding!I've been married, and I know. Your tired mother hoped that when herchildren grew up they would relieve her, and love her, and be good toher; but I'll bet you find fault because she didn't 'do' more for you;and that your brother Bill, who ran away because you had all the pie inthe house, is taking care of her, providin' she aint dead from botherand too much work, which is likely. And after all this trouble in yourbehalf, look at you now!"
The little woman seemed to be paying some attention to what he wassaying, for she looked at him timidly out of the corners of her blackeyes a few times, and occasionally forgot to wring her hands and cry.
"Look at you now, I say! Your health has gone off after your beauty, foryou seem to have neither with you, and I find you wandering around atnight with a Thief. A great fall you've had, sister, providin' you everwere young and pretty, for I was never acquainted with a worse-lookingwoman than you are; and if you knew my wife you would be very indignant,for she has the reputation of being a Terror for looks. When I wasyounger I fell in love with every girl I met, and had no relief untilthey married; _then_ I soon got over it, for you ought to know how theyfade under such circumstances; but you are worse than the rest of them;you are so ugly that I feel sorry for you. Honestly, I wonder that youdo not blush in my presence; and I am not handsome, God knows. I reallyfeel sorry for you, but in connection with your friend Prowler you areannoying an amiable and a worthy gentlema
n, who happens to be a friendof Mr. Blood's, the party sitting opposite you; and I fear he does _not_feel sorry for you. A little less of that word 'gentlemen,' sister, ifyou please."
The woman was appealing to them again as before: "Gentlemen! In the nameof God! I appeal to you."
"Promise to take your friend Prowler, and leave this country," Mr.Whittle continued, "and never return, and you shall go free; but if yourefuse--Blood!"
Tug sprang up and glared savagely at his meek little partner, at thesame time advancing toward him.
"You sha'n't satisfy that devilish disposition of yourn by shooting awoman in the back when _I'm_ around, you cut-throat," he said. "Haven'tI always been ready to join you in putting men out of the way, andhaven't I enjoyed the pleasure of it with you? Then why do you want totake the credit of this job to yourself, and enjoy it alone? You mustwait, Blood, until she speaks. We _may_ forgive her, providin' shespeaks up cheerful and don't attempt to deceive us."
Again Tug pretended to take a dangerous weapon from his companion,standing between Davy and the prisoner while about it; after which heregarded him for a few moments in contemptuous silence.
"It's your tongue, sister, and not your tears, as will do you good inthis difficulty," Tug said, in answer to a fresh burst of grief from thewoman. "I'll give you five minutes to decide between tongue and tears.At the end of that time, if it's tears, the cravings of that bad man inthe corner shall be satisfied. Blood, where is the watch you took fromthe store? Hain't got it? My guess is that you've lost it gambling, asusual. Well, I'll count three hundred seconds, sister, since we have nowatch. One, two, three; here we go."
Tug looked reverently up at the ceiling; and appeared to be engaged incounting for two or three minutes, occasionally looking at the woman andthen at Silas, who thought Tug had been counting at least half an houralready.
"Two hundred and twenty-one, two hundred and twenty-two, two hundred andtwenty-three," he counted aloud. "Fifth call, sister, the time is going;two hundred and twenty-four, two hundred and--"
At this moment there was a strange interruption to the proceedings. Atall man wearing a rubber coat, which reached below his knees, openedthe door, and, leaving it open, stood just upon the inside, carrying apistol in his right hand, which hung by his side.
"The shadow!" both men thought at once; and very determined and uglylooked the shadow, with his long, sallow face, and dark moustache.
"Alice," he said to the woman, "come out."
The woman quickly jumped up, and hurried outside. The shadow followed,backing out like a lion-tamer leaving a cage, and closing the door afterhim. But while he stood inside the door, although he was there only amoment, both men noticed a strange peculiarity. The upper part of hisleft ear was gone,--cut off clean, as if with a knife; and thispeculiarity was so unusual that they remarked it more than his face. Thecircumstance gave them both an impression that the shadow was adesperate man, and that he was accustomed to fierce brawls.
Tug and Silas looked at each other in blank dismay a long time after themysterious pair had disappeared, not venturing to look out, fearing itmight be dangerous; but finally Tug said,--
"Silas, I must have a gun. Do you happen to have one?"
Silas shook his head.
"Then I must steal one, for I need a gun. The shadow looks so much likean uncle of my wife's that I am more determined than ever to kill him."
Whereupon he went over to the table, emptied the two packages of poisonon to the floor, and went to bed.