STORY ONE, CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.
IN PERIL.
Hester turned shuddering away as she saw Laure's eyes fixed upon her,and soon began to tremble as she recalled a previous occasion when undera threat the Cuban exacted a promise from her, one that, believing herhusband's life at stake, she had given.
She tried to look in other directions, to devote herself to attendingupon poor, weak John Studwick; but it was impossible, and strive how shewould, her attention was constantly drawn back to the Cuban, who, with asmile upon his lip, watched her anxiety, and horrified her by coming towhere the tube ran from the air-pump over the side, and picking it upheld it in his hand as he glanced at her white face.
Then he threw it down again, and turning to the men about him, spokefirst to one and then to another, with the result that each of thescoundrels seemed placed upon his guard, and to be ready for anyemergency.
Laure, according to his custom, was armed to the teeth, carrying quite alittle arsenal in his belt, and, after going round to the men, headvanced to where Rasp was standing.
"Is that fellow working well?" he said aloud.
"Pretty well," growled Rasp, taking some snuff. "Getting a bit lazy,though. He don't work like he did when he was at it for himself."
Laure walked up and down the deck three or four times, and then stoppedshort by Hester, who shrank from his touch as he laid his hand upon herarm.
"When is pretty Hester Pugh coming to make amends for all her coldness?"he said, with a smile.
She did not speak, only cowered away, with her eyes fixed on his, like abird beneath the glance of a snake.
"I say, when is pretty little Hester going to reward me for all mypatience and perseverance?" he repeated. "No, no! don't run away,little timidity. I am very dreadful, am I not? I am a terrible fellowto seize upon the ship, and make the scoundrels who tried to rob me workfor my treasure. What--no answer?"
Hester could not have spoken had she wished, for her position seemed toparalyse her. An indignant word might cause the wretch who persecutedher to endanger once more her husband's life, and so she crouched theretrembling.
The doctor and Captain Studwick were at the pumps, but she dare notappeal to them lest more mischief should befall, and hence she sat theretrembling, feeling how thoroughly they were in the monster's power.
"She is coy and angry at our neglect," said Laure, sneeringly. "Well,well, we must excuse it, for we have been too busy even to think oflove. Let us apologise, then, and say that we love her more than ever;and now that the work is nearly done, we are going to seek our rewardhenceforward here, Hester."
He laid his hand once more upon her arm, but she shrunk shuddering away,and the Cuban walked angrily to the side, where, with the tube in hishand, he stood gazing down, and watching the action of Dutch as he movedfrom place to place far below in the pure water.
He glanced round once, and saw that Hester, with dilated eyes, waswatching his every movement, and feeling that he had, as it were, herheart-strings in his hand, he pretended to ignore her presence on theother side of the deck, and played with the tube that was the life ofDutch Pugh, now pinching it or bending it so that the supply of air wasslightly hindered, when Rasp, unobserved, signalled to those at theair-pump with one hand, causing them to accelerate their toil and sokeep up the supply.
Just then, though so weak that he could hardly walk, John Studwickcrossed the deck. Bessy would have accompanied him, but he hoarselytold her to keep back, and so soft and slow was his step that he had histhin white hand upon the Cuban's arm before the latter was aware of hispresence.
"You cowardly cur!" said John Studwick, glaring at him with hisunnaturally bright eyes, and with his hollow cheeks burning with ahectic flush. "I can hardly think it possible that God can let such avillain live."
Laure started as if he had been stung, and his hand sought one of thepistols in his belt.
"Pistols, yes," said John Studwick. "But pistols or no pistols, if Ihad the strength of a man instead of being a helpless wreck, one of usshould not leave this deck alive."
Captain Studwick and the doctor were intensely excited, but they darednot leave the air-pump lest the supply should fail for Dutch; but MrWilson drew nearer, and stood with parting lips and trembling handswatching the scene, while some of the armed crew now began to take aninterest in the affair.
"Go down to your berth--to your kennel--sick dog that you are," criedLaure savagely, as he showed his white teeth like the animal hementioned. "Speak to me like that again, and you shall not live longenough to see your pretty sister become my mistress, like Hester Pugh."
"You cowardly ruffian!" cried the young man, tottering on the brink ofthe grave as he was, and as he spoke he sprang at Laure's throat,clinging there with both hands, and in his surprise the Cuban staggeredback. But only for a moment; the next Laure had shaken him off, and asthe feeble man tottered away the ruffian drew a revolver, cocked itrapidly, and fired at the invalid as he fell.
The bullet flew up through the rigging, for Wilson struck up his arm,and Laure turned savagely upon him, while the captain and the doctorwere starting from the air-pump to go to Wilson's aid, when they wereparalysed by a shout from Rasp.
"Pump, pump! or you'll kill Dutch Pugh."
Hester uttered a wild shriek, and the handles flew round again as shedarted to the air-pump, and as if feeling that she could help herhusband, seized the tube.
This cry and her act saved Wilson's life, for Laure, not a yard fromhim, was taking deadly aim at his head, his furious countenance bearingplainly stamped on it the determination to slay. Seeing Hester's act,then, he lowered the pistol, stuck it in his belt, and, as if theopportunity had come, and an excuse for revenge, he drew the keen swordhe carried and with one cut divided the air-tube as it lay upon thedeck.
Hester uttered another cry, and then stood like the rest, paralysed, asthe tube writhed like a living creature, undulated, and then rapidly ranover the side, when the woman's whole nature seemed changed. From agentle, timid, shrinking creature she was transformed into one recklessof life and free from fear, and, throwing herself upon Laure, she caughtthe sword by the hilt, and tried to wrest it from his hand, while he,astonished at the change, gave way.
The cutting of the tube had set the two men free, or it would have gonehard with Hester. Captain Studwick flew to her help, armed with an ironscrew-hammer that he had caught up, while the doctor seized a lever andran to assist, but only to receive a heavy blow from behind, as, at acall from Laure, his men closed in, and the struggle became general.
Dutch the Diver; Or, A Man's Mistake Page 33