by J. M. Barrie
CHAPTER XXX
END OF THE JACOBITE RISING
In the small hours of the following night the pulse of Thrums stoppedfor a moment, and then went on again, but the only watcher remainedsilent, and the people rose in the morning without knowing that they hadlost one of their number while they slept. In the same ignorance theytoiled through a long day.
It was a close October day in the end of a summer that had lingered togive the countryside nothing better than a second crop of haws. Beneaththe beeches leaves lay in yellow heaps like sliced turnip, and over allthe strath was a pink haze; the fields were singed brown, except where arecent ploughing gave them a mourning border. From early morn men, womenand children (Tommy among them) were in the fields taking up theirpotatoes, half-a-dozen gatherers at first to every drill, and by noon itseemed a dozen, though the new-comers were but stout sacks, now able tostand alone. By and by heavy-laden carts were trailing into Thrums,dog-tired toilers hanging on behind, not to be dragged, but for anincentive to keep them trudging, boys and girls falling asleep on topof the load, and so neglecting to enjoy the ride which was theirrecompense for lifting. A growing mist mixed with the daylight, andstill there were a few people out, falling over their feet with fatigue;it took silent possession, and then the shadowy forms left in the fieldswere motionless and would remain there until carted to garrets andkitchen corners and other winter quarters on Monday morning. There werefew gad-abouts that Saturday night. Washings were not brought in, thoughMr. Dishart had preached against the unseemly sight of linen hanging onthe line on the Sabbath-day. Innes, stravaiging the square and wynds inhis apple-cart, jingled his weights in vain, unable to shake evenmoneyed children off their stools, and when at last he told his beast togo home they took with them all the stir of the town. Family exercisecame on early in many houses, and as the gude wife handed her man theBible she said entreatingly, "A short ane." After that one might havesaid that no earthly knock could bring them to their doors, yet withinan hour the town was in a ferment.
When Tommy and Elspeth reached the Den the mist lay so thick that theyhad to feel their way through it to the _Ailie_, where they foundGavinia alone and scared. "Was you peeping in, trying to fleg me twathree minutes syne?" she asked, eagerly, and when they shook theirheads, she looked cold with fear.
"As sure as death," she said, "there was some living thing standingthere; I couldna see it for the rime, but I heard it breathing hard."
Tommy felt Elspeth's hand begin to tremble, and he said "McLean!"hastily, though he knew that McLean had not yet left the Quharity Arms.Next moment Corp arrived with another story as unnerving.
"Has Grizel no come yet?" he asked, in a troubled voice. "Tommy, hearkento this, a light has been burning in Double Dykes and the door swingingopen a' day! I saw it mysel', and so did Willum Dods."
"Did you go close?"
"Na faags! Willum was hol'ing and I was lifting, so we hadna time in thedaylight, and wha would venture near the Painted Lady's house on sic anight?"
Even Tommy felt uneasy, but when Gavinia cried, "There's somethinguncanny in being out the night; tell us what was in Mr. McLean's bottle,Tommy, and syne we'll run hame," he became Commander Sandys again, andreplied, blankly, "What bottle?"
"The ane I warned you he was to fling into the water; dinna dare tell meyou hinna got it."
"I know not what thou art speaking about," said Tommy; "but it's a queerthing, it's a queer thing, Gavinia"--here he fixed her with histerrifying eye--"I happen to have found a--another bottle," and stillglaring at her he explained that he had found his bottle floating onthe horizon. It contained a letter to him, which he now read aloud. Itwas signed "The Villain Stroke, his mark," and announced that thewriter, "tired of this relentless persecution," had determined to reformrather than be killed. "Meet me at the Cuttle Well, on Saturday, whenthe eight-o'clock bell is ringing," he wrote, "and I shall there makeyou an offer for my freedom."
The crew received this communication with shouts, Gavinia's cry of "Fiveshillings, if no ten!" expressing the general sentiment, but it wouldnot have been like Tommy to think with them. "You poor things," he said,"you just believe everything you're telled! How do I know that this isnot a trick of Stroke's to bring me here when he is some other gaitworking mischief?"
Corp was impressed, but Gavinia said, short-sightedly, "There's no signo't."
"There's ower much sign o't," retorted Tommy. "What's this story aboutDouble Dykes? And how do we ken that there hasna been foul work there,and this man at the bottom o't? I tell you, before the world's half anhour older, I'll find out," and he looked significantly at Corp, whoanswered, quaking, "I winna gang by mysel', no, Tommy, I winna!"
So Tommy had to accompany him, saying, valiantly, "I'm no feared, andthis rime is fine for hodding in," to which Corp replied, as firmly,"Neither am I, and we can aye keep touching cauld iron." Before theywere half way down the Double Dykes they got a thrill, for theyrealized, simultaneously, that they were being followed. They stoppedand gripped each other hard, but now they could hear nothing.
"The Painted Lady!" Corp whispered.
"Stroke!" Tommy replied, as cautiously. He was excited rather thanafraid, and had the pluck to cry, "Wha's that? I see you!"--but noanswer came back through the mist, and now the boys had a double reasonfor pressing forward.
"Can you see the house, Corp?"
"It should be here about, but it's smored in rime."
"I'm touching the paling. I ken the road to the window now."
"Hark! What's that?"
It sounded like devil's music in front of them, and they fell back untilCorp remembered, "It maun be the door swinging open, and squealing andmoaning on its hinges. Tommy, I take ill wi' that. What can it mean?"
"I'm here to find out." They reached the window where Tommy had watchedonce before, and looking in together saw the room plainly by the lightof a lamp which stood on the spinet. There was no one inside, butotherwise Tommy noticed little change. The fire was out, havingevidently burned itself done, the bed-clothes were in some disorder. Toavoid the creaking door, the boys passed round the back of the house tothe window of the other room. This room was without a light, but itsdoor stood open and sufficient light came from the kitchen to show thatit also was untenanted. It seemed to have been used as a lumber-room.
The boys turned to go, passing near the front of the empty house, wherethey shivered and stopped, mastered by a feeling they could not haveexplained. The helpless door, like the staring eyes of a dead person,seemed to be calling to them to shut it, and Tommy was about to stealforward for this purpose when Corp gripped him and whispered that thelight had gone out. It was true, though Tommy disbelieved until they hadreturned to the east window to make sure.
"There maun be folk in the hoose, Tommy!"
"You saw it was toom. The lamp had gone out itself, or else--what'sthat?"
It was the unmistakable closing of a door, softly but firmly. "The windhas blown it to," they tried to persuade themselves, though aware thatthere was not sufficient wind for this. After a long period of stillnessthey gathered courage to go to the door and shake it. It was not onlyshut, but locked.
On their way back through the Double Dykes they were silent, listeningpainfully but hearing nothing. But when they reached the Coffin BrigTommy said, "Dinna say nothing about this to Elspeth, it would terrifyher;" he was always so thoughtful for Elspeth.
"But what do you think o't a'?" Corp said, imploringly.
"I winna tell you yet," replied Tommy, cautiously.
When they boarded the _Ailie_, where the two girls were very glad to seethem again, the eight-o'clock bell had begun to ring, and thus Tommy hada reasonable excuse for hurrying his crew to the Cuttle Well withoutsaying anything of his expedition to Double Dykes, save that he had notseen Grizel. At the Well they had not long to wait before Mr. McLeansuddenly appeared out of the mist, and to their astonishment Miss Ailiewas leaning on his arm. She was blushing and smiling too, in a waypretty to see, though it spoilt th
e effect of Stroke's statement.
The first thing Stroke did was to give up his sword to Tommy and toapologize for its being an umbrella on account of the unsettled state ofthe weather, and then Corp led three cheers, the captain alone decliningto join in, for he had an uneasy feeling that he was being ridiculed.
"But I thought there were five of you," Mr. McLean said; "where is thefifth?"
"You ken best," replied Tommy, sulkily, and sulky he remained throughoutthe scene, because he knew he was not the chief figure in it. Havingthis knowledge to depress him, it is to his credit that he bore himselfwith dignity throughout, keeping his crew so well in hand that theydared not give expression to their natural emotions.
"As you are aware, Mr. Sandys," McLean began solemnly, "I have comehere to sue for pardon. It is not yours to give, you reply, the Queenalone can pardon, and I grant it; but, sir, is it not well known to allof us that you can get anything out of her you like?"
Tommy's eyes roved suspiciously, but the suppliant proceeded in the sametone. "What are my offences? The first is that I have been bearing arms(unwittingly) against the Throne; the second, that I have broughttrouble to the lady by my side, who has the proud privilege of callingyou her friend. But, Sandys, such amends as can come from an erring manI now offer to make most contritely. Intercede with Her Majesty on mybehalf, and on my part I promise to war against her no more. I amwilling to settle down in the neighboring town as a law-abiding citizen,whom you can watch with eagle eye. Say, what more wouldst thou of theunhappy Stuart?"
But Tommy would say nothing, he only looked doubtfully at Miss Ailie,and that set McLean off again. "You ask what reparation I shall make tothis lady? Sandys, I tell thee that here also thou hast proved toostrong for me. In the hope that she would plead for me with you, I havebeen driven to offer her my hand in marriage, and she is willing to takeme if thou grantest thy consent."
At this Gavinia jumped with joy, and then cried, "Up wi' her!" wordswhose bearing the school-mistress fortunately did not understand. Allsave Tommy looked at Miss Ailie, and she put her arm on Mr. McLean's,and, yes, it was obvious, Miss Ailie was a lover at the Cuttle Well atlast, like so many others. She had often said that the Den parade wasvulgar, but she never said it again.
It was unexpected news to Tommy, but that was not what lowered his headin humiliation now. In the general rejoicing he had been nigh forgotten;even Elspeth was hanging on Miss Ailie's skirts, Gavinia had eyes fornone but lovers, Corp was rapturously examining five half-crowns thathad been dropped into his hands for distribution. Had Tommy given anorder now, who would have obeyed it? His power was gone, his crew wouldnot listen to another word against Mr. McLean.
"Tommy thought Mr. McLean hated you!" said Elspeth to Miss Ailie.
"It was queer you made sic a mistake!" said Corp to Tommy.
"Oh, the tattie-doolie!" cried Gavinia.
So they knew that Mr. McLean had only been speaking sarcastically; of asudden they saw through and despised their captain. Tears ofmortification rose in Tommy's eyes, and kind-hearted Miss Ailie sawthem, and she thought it was her lover's irony that made him smart. Shehad said little hitherto, but now she put her hand on his shoulder, andtold them all that she did indeed owe the supreme joy that had come toher to him. "No, Gavinia," she said, blushing, "I will not give you theparticulars, but I assure you that had it not been for Tommy, Mr. McLeanwould never have asked me to marry him."
Elspeth crossed proudly to the side of her noble brother (who couldscarcely trust his ears), and Gavinia cried, in wonder, "What did hedo?"
Now McLean had seen Tommy's tears also, and being a kindly man hedropped the satirist and chimed in warmly, "And if I had not asked MissAilie to marry me I should have lost the great happiness of my life, soyou may all imagine how beholden I feel to Tommy."
Again Tommy was the centre-piece, and though these words were aspuzzling to him as to his crew, their sincerity was unmistakable, andonce more his head began to waggle complacently.
"And to show how grateful we are," said Miss Ailie, "we are to give hima--a sort of marriage present. We are to double the value of the bursaryhe wins at the university--" She could get no farther, for now Elspethwas hugging her, and Corp cheering frantically, and Mr. McLean thoughtit necessary to add the warning, "If he does carry a bursary, youunderstand, for should he fail I give him nothing."
"Him fail!" exclaimed Corp, with whom Miss Ailie of course agreed. "Andhe can spend the money in whatever way he chooses," she said, "what willyou do with it, Tommy?"
The lucky boy answered, instantly, "I'll take Elspeth to Aberdeen tobide with me," and then Elspeth hugged him, and Miss Ailie said, in adelighted aside to Mr. McLean, "I told you so," and he, too, was wellpleased.
"It was the one thing needed to make him work," the school-mistresswhispered. "Is not his love for his sister beautiful?"
McLean admitted that it was, but half-banteringly he said to Elspeth:"What could you do in lodgings, you excited mite?"
"I can sit and look at Tommy," she answered, quickly.
"But he will be away for hours at his classes."
"I'll sit at the window waiting for him," said she.
"And I'll run back quick," said Tommy.
All this time another problem had been bewildering Gavinia, and now shebroke in, eagerly: "But what was it he did? I thought he was agin Mr.McLean."
"And so did I," said Corp.
"I cheated you grandly," replied Tommy with the audacity he found souseful.
"And a' the time you was pretending to be agin him," screamed Gavinia,"was you--was you bringing this about on the sly?"
Tommy looked up into Mr. McLean's face, but could get no guidance fromit, so he said nothing; he only held his head higher than ever. "Oh, theclever little curse!" cried Corp, and Elspeth's delight was as ecstatic,though differently worded. Yet Gavinia stuck to her problem, "How didyou do it, what was it you did?" and the cruel McLean said: "You maytell her, Tommy; you have my permission."
It would have been an awkward position for most boys, and evenTommy--but next moment he said, quite coolly: "I think you and me andMiss Ailie should keep it to oursels, Gavinia's sic a gossip."
"Oh, how thoughtful of him!" cried Miss Ailie, the deceived, and McLeansaid: "How very thoughtful!" but now he saw in a flash why Mr. Cathrostill had hopes that Tommy might carry a bursary.
Thus was the repentant McLean pardoned, and nothing remained for him todo save to show the crew his Lair, which they had sworn to destroy. Hehad behaved so splendidly that they had forgotten almost that they werethe emissaries of justice, but not to destroy the Lair seemed a pity, itwould be such a striking way of bringing their adventures in the Den toa close. The degenerate Stuart read this feeling in their faces, and hewas ready, he said, to show them his Lair if they would first point itout to him; but here was a difficulty, for how could they do that? For amoment it seemed as if the negotiations must fall through; but Sandys,that captain of resource, invited McLean to step aside for a privateconference, and when they rejoined the others McLean said, gravely, thathe now remembered where the Lair was and would guide them to it.
They had only to cross a plank, invisible in the mist until they wereclose to it, and climb a slippery bank strewn with fallen trees. McLean,with a mock serious air, led the way, Miss Ailie on his arm. Corp andGavinia followed, weighted and hampered by their new half-crowns, andTommy and Elspeth, in the rear, whispered joyously of the coming life.And so, very unprepared for it, they moved toward the tragedy of thenight.