by Max Brand
CHAPTER 39
They left her and walked from the hotel. At the door Harrigan turnedfiercely upon the Scotchman.
"Do what ye please for the five hours, McTee, but give me the room Ineed for breathin'. D'ye hear? Otherwise I'll be forgettin' mepromises."
"Do I hear ye?" answered McTee, snarling. "Aye, growl while you may.I'll stop that throat of yours for good--tonight."
He turned on his heel, and the two men separated. Harrigan struck witha long swing out over a road which led into the rolling fields near thelittle town. He walked rapidly, and his thoughts kept pace, for he wascounting his chances to win Kate as a miser counts his hoard of gold.Two pictures weighed large in his mind. One was of Kate at ease in thehome of the Spaniard. Such ease would never be his; she came fromanother social world--a higher sphere. The second picture was of McTeeclimbing down from the wireless house and calmly assuming command ofthe mutineers in the crisis. Such a maneuver would never have occurredto the Irishman, and it was only through that maneuver that the shiphad been brought to shore, for nothing save the iron will of McTeecould have directed the mutineers.
When the sun hung low, he turned and strode back toward the village,and despair trailed him like his shadow.
He began to see clearly now what he had always feared. She lovedMcTee--McTee, who spoke clear, pure English, when he chose, and whocould talk of many things. She loved McTee, but she dared not avow thatlove for fear of infuriating Harrigan and thereby risking the life ofthe Scotchman. It grew plainer and plainer. With the thought of Katecame another, far different, and yet blending one with another. When hereached the village, it was still a short time before sunset. He wentstraight to the British consulate and entered, for he had reached thesolution of his puzzle.
"My name's Harrigan," he said to the little man with the sideburns andthe studious eyes, "and I've come to know if the old country has sentfor volunteers. I want to go over."
"The old country," said the consul, "has called for volunteers, and Ihave discovered a means of sending our boys across the water; but"--andhere he examined Harrigan shrewdly--"but it's an easy thing to take anIrish name. How am I to know you're not a German, my friend? I've neverseen you before."
Harrigan swelled.
"A German? Me?" he muttered, and then, his head tilted back: "Ye littlewan-eyed, lantern-jawed, flat-headed block, is it me--is it Harrigan yecall a German? Shtep out from behind the desk an' let me see av you'rea man!"
Strangely enough, the consul did not seem irritated by this outburst.He was, in fact, smiling. Then his hand went out to the Irishman.
"Mr. Harrigan," he said, "I'm honored by knowing you."
Harrigan stared and accepted the hand with caution; there was stillbattle in his eyes.
"And can you send me over?" he asked doubtfully.
"I can. As I said before, we've raised a small fund for just thispurpose."
He drew out a piece of paper and commenced taking down the particularsof Harrigan's name and birth and other details. Then a shorttypewritten note signed by the consul ended the interview. He gaveHarrigan directions about how he could reach a shipping agent on theeastern coast, handed over the note, and the Irishman stepped out ofthe little office already on his way to the world war. He took nopleasure in his resolution, but wandered slowly back toward the hotelwith downward head. He would speak a curt farewell and step out of thelives of the two. It would be very simple unless McTee showed someexultation, but if he did--Here Harrigan refused to think further.
It was well after sunset when he crossed the veranda, and at the doorhe found McTee striding up and down.
"Harrigan," said McTee.
"Well?", growled Harrigan.
"Stand over here close to me, and keep your face shut while I'mspeaking. It won't take me long."
The words were insulting enough, but the voice which spoke them wassadly subdued.
"Listen," said McTee. "What I've got to say is harder for me to do thananything I've ever done in my life. So don't make me repeat anything.Harrigan, I've tried to beat you by fair means or foul ever since wemet--ever since you saved my hide in the Ivilei district of Honolulu.I've tried to get you down, and I've failed. I fought you"--here heground his teeth in agony--"and you beat me."
"It was the bucking of the deck that beat you," put in Harrigan.
"Shut up till I'm through or I'll wring your neck and break your back!I've failed to down you, Harrigan. You beat me on the Mary Rogers. Youmade a fool of me on the island. And on the Heron--"
He paused again, breathing hard.
"On the _Heron_, it was you who brought us food and water when we weredying. And afterward, when Henshaw died, I jumped out before themutineers and took command of them because I thought I could win backin Kate's mind any ground which I'd lost before. I paraded the deckbefore her eyes; I gave commands; I was the man of the hour; I wasdriving the _Heron_ to the shore in spite of the fire."
"You were," admitted Harrigan sadly. "It was a great work you did,McTee. It was that which won her--"
"But even when I was in command, you proved yourself the better man,Harrigan."
The Irishman leaned back against the wall, gasping, weak withastonishment.
McTee went on: "I paraded the deck; I made a play to make her admireme, and for a while I succeeded, until the time came when you werecarried up to the deck too weak to keep the men at work in thefireroom. Ah, Harrigan, that was a great moment to me. I said to Kate:'Harrigan has done well, but of course he can't control men--his mindis too simple.'"
"Did you say that?" murmured Harrigan, and hatred made his voice soft,almost reverent.
"I did, and I went on: 'I suppose I'll have to go down there and drivethe lads back to their work.' So down I went, but you know whathappened. They wouldn't work for me. They stood around looking stupidat me and left me alone in the fireroom, and I had to come back ondeck, in the sight of Kate, and rouse you out of your sleep and beg youto go back and try to make the lads keep at their work. And you got upto your knees, struggling to get back your consciousness! And youstaggered to your feet, and you called to the firemen who lay senselessand sick on the deck around you--sick for sleep--and when they heardyou call, they got up, groaning, and they reeled after you back totheir work in the fireroom, and some of them dragged themselves alongon their hands and knees. Oh, God!"
He struck his clenched fist across his eyes.
"And all the time I was watching the awe and the wonder come up like afire in the eyes of Kate, while she looked after you."
Harrigan watched him with the same stupid amazement.
"Harrigan," said McTee at last, "you've won her. When I walked out bymyself today, I saw that I was the only obstacle between her and herhappiness. She doesn't dare tell you she loves you, for fear that I'lltry to kill you. So I've decided to step out from between--I _have_stepped out! I'm going back to Scotland and get into the war. If I havefighting enough, I can forget the girl, maybe, and you! I've talked tothe British consul already, and he's given me a note that will take meover the water. So, Harrigan, I've merely come to say good-by to you--and you can say good-by for me to Kate."
"Wait," said Harrigan. "There are a good many kinds of fools, but aScotch fool is the worst of all. Take that paper out of your pocket andtear it up. Ah-h, McTee, ye blind man! Can't ye see that gir-rl's beeneatin' out her hear-rt for the love av ye, damn your eyes? Can't ye seethat the only thing that keeps her from throwin' her ar-rms around yourneck is the fear of Harrigan? Look!"
He pulled out the note which the consul had given him.
"I've got the same thing you have. I'm going to go over the water. Itell you, I've seen her eyes whin she looked at ye, McTee, an' that'show I know she loves ye. Tear up your paper! A blight on ye! May yehave long life and make the girl happy--an' rot in hell after!"
"By God," said McTee, "we've both been thinking the same thing at thesame time. And maybe we're both wrong. Kate said she had something tosay to us. Let's see her first and hear he
r speak."
"It'll break my heart to hear her confess she loves ye, McTee--but I'llgo!"
They went to the sleepy clerk behind the desk and asked him to send upword to Miss Malone that they wished to see her.
"Ah, Miss Malone," said the clerk, nodding, "before she left--"
"Left?" echoed the two giants in voices of thunder.
"She gave me this note to deliver to you."
And he passed them the envelope. Each of them placed a hand upon it andstared stupidly at the other.
"Open it!" said Harrigan hoarsely.
"I'm troubled with my old failing--a weakness of the eyes," said McTee."Open it yourself."
Harrigan opened it at last and drew out the paper within. They stoodunder a light, shoulder to shoulder, and read with difficulty, for thehand of Harrigan which held the paper shook.
Dear lads, dear Dan and Angus:
As soon as you left me, I went to the British consul, and from him Ilearned the shortest way of cutting across country to the railroad. Bythe time you read this, I am on the train and speeding north to theStates.
I have known for a long time that the only thing which keeps you frombeing fast friends is the love which each of you says he has for me. SoI have decided to step from between you, for there is nothing on earthso glorious as the deep friendship of one strong man for another.
I fear you may try to follow me, but I warn you that it would beuseless. I have taken a course of training, and I am qualified as anurse. The Red Cross of America will soon be sending units across thewater to care for the wounded of the Allies. I shall go with one of thefirst units. You might be able to trace me to the States, but you willnever be able to trace me overseas. This is good-by.
It is hard to say it in writing. I want to take your hands and tell youhow much you mean to me. But I could not wait to do that. For your ownsakes I have to flee from you both.
Now that I have said good-by, it is easier to add another thing. I carefor both of you more than for any man I have ever known, but one of youI love with all my soul. Even now I dare not say which, for it mightmake enmity and jealousy between you, and enmity between such men asyou means only one thing--death.
I have tried to find courage to stand before you and say which of you Ilove, but I cannot. At the last moment I grow weak at the thought ofthe battle which would follow. My only resort is to resign him I carefor beyond all friends, and him I love beyond all other men.
I know that when I am gone, you will become fast friends, and togetheryou will be kings of men. And in time--for a man's life is filled withactions which rub out all memories--you will forget that you loved me,I know; but perhaps you will not forget that because I resigned youboth, I built a foundation of rock for your friendship.
You will be happy, you will be strong, you will be true to one another.And for that I am glad. But to you whom I love: Oh, my dear, it isbreaking my heart to leave you!
Kate
One hand of each was on the paper as they lowered it and stared intoeach other's face, with a black doubt, and a wild hope. Then of oneaccord they raised the paper and read it through again.
"And to think," muttered Harrigan at last, "that I should have ruinedher happiness. I could tear my heart out, McTee!"
"Harrigan," said the big Scotchman solemnly, "it is you she means. See!She cried over the paper while she was writing. No woman could weep forBlack McTee!"
"And no woman could write like that to Harrigan. Angus, you can keepthe knowledge that she loves you, but let me keep the letter. Ah-h,McTee, I'll be afther keepin' it forninst me heart!"
"Let's go outside," said McTee. "There is no air in this room."
They went out into the black night, and as they walked, each kept hishand upon the letter, so that it seemed to be a power which tied themtogether.
"Angus," said Harrigan after a time, "we'll be fightin' for the lettersoon. Why should we? I know every line of it by heart."
"I know every word," answered McTee.
"I've a thought," said Harrigan. "In the ould days, whin a great mandied, they used to burn his body. An' now I'm feelin' as if somethin'had died in me--the hope av winnin' Kate, McTee. So let's burn herletter between us, eh?"
"Harrigan," said McTee with heartfelt emotion, "that thought is wellworthy of you!"
They knelt on the little spot. They placed the paper between them. Eachscratched a match and lighted one side of the paper; the flames roseand met in the middle of the letter. Yet they did not watch theprogress of the fire; by the sudden flare of light they gazed steadilyinto each other's face, straining their eyes as the light died away asthough each had discovered in the other something new and strange. Whenthey looked down, the paper was merely a dim, red glow which passedaway as quickly as a flush dies from the face, and the wind carriedaway the frail ashes. Then they rose and walked shoulder to shoulder onand into the night.