CHAPTER XIV
A GIRL TO THE FRONT
The days were getting very long at Spanish Town, although there were nomore hours of sunlight than was usual at the season; and even theoptimism of Dame Charter was scarcely able to brighten her own soul,much less that of Kate Bonnet, who had almost forgotten what it was tobe optimistic. Poor Mr. Delaplaine, whose life had begun to cheer upwonderfully since the arrival of his niece and her triumphant entry intothe society of the town, became more gloomy than he had been since themonths which followed the death of his wife. Over and over did he wishthat his brother-in-law Bonnet had long since been shut up in some placewhere his eccentricities could do no harm to his fellow-creatures,especially to his most lovely daughter.
Mistress Kate Bonnet was not a girl to sit quietly under the tremendousstrain which bore upon her after the departure of the Badger. How couldshe be contented or even quiet at any moment, when at that moment thatheartless Captain Vince might have his sword raised above the head ofher unfortunate father?
"Uncle," she said, "I cannot bear it any longer, I must do something."
"But, my dear," he asked, looking down upon her with infinite affection,"what can you do? We are here upon an immovable island, and your fatherand Captain Vince are sailing upon the sea, nobody knows where."
"I thought about it all last night," said Kate, "and this is what I willdo. I will go to the Governor; I will tell him all about my father. I donot think it will be wrong even to tell him why I think his mind hasbecome unsettled, for if that woman in Bridgetown has behaved wickedly,her wickedness should be known. Then I will ask him to give me writtenauthority to take my father wherever I may find him, and to bring himhere, where it shall be decided what shall be done with him; and I amsure the decision will be that he must be treated as a man whose mind isnot right, and who should be put somewhere where he can have nothing todo with ships."
This was all quite childish to Mr. Delaplaine, but for Kate's dear sakehe treated her scheme seriously.
"But tell me, my dear," said he, "how are you going to find your father,and in what way can you bring him back here with you?"
"The first thing to do," said Kate, "is to hire a ship; I know that mylittle property will yield me money enough for that. As for bringing himback, that's for me to do. With my arms around his neck he cannot be apirate captain. And think of it, uncle! If my arms are not soon aroundhis neck, it may be the hangman's rope which will be there. That is, ifhe is not killed by that revengeful Captain Vince."
Mr. Delaplaine was troubled far more than he had yet been. His sorrowingniece believed that there was something which might be done for herfather, but he, her practical uncle, did not believe that anything couldbe done. And, even if this were possible, he did not wish to do it. If,by some unheard-of miracle, his niece should be enabled to carry out herscheme, she could not go alone, and thoughts of sailing upon the sea,and the dangers from pirates, storms, and wrecks, were very terrible tothe quiet merchant. He could not encourage this night-born scheme of hisniece.
"But there is one thing I can do," cried Kate, "and I must do it thisvery day. I must go to the Governor's house, and I pray you, uncle, thatyou will go with me. I must tell him about my father. I must make him dosomething which shall keep that Captain Vince from sailing after himand killing him. How I wish I had thought of all this before. But it didnot come to me."
It was not half an hour after that when Kate and her uncle entered thegrounds of the Governor's mansion.
Kate Bonnet: The Romance of a Pirate's Daughter Page 14