THE WHITE YAWL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 257, 3 November 1906, Page 11

THE WHITE YAWL.

By J. B. Harris Borland,

Author oi "Dacobra," "The Slack Motor Car," "Dr. Siles," etc.

CHAPTER Vl.—(Continued.) j Bitter were on the Up of the » man's tonjfw, but something iv J" oan ~. „ „,' the speaker made him pause th ' Vo, h,ut!?r,dM. f -ni. lie. looked hard b f Z bow«« head wiih its fflnrious 'Uraof auburn hair and at tho slenf! little form which scorned almost 100 •i for the toil and pain of everyday Sγ And ;>s ho looked ho was •til "ficr.'P longing to hold her in bis Inns and"fhield her from all sorrow-. "Uicc." l' p irsl ' rl fiercely. "I love ou " You cannot send mc from Li' 'ft* lhis - ' V' nm " 1 ° litay he, .'° • j help J" 0,1 ' 1! , v( '" r Li'oubift ■ riaterer il i ; - "° not : - >nd lno -™'ay, I tar you. I wunl to marry yn-j. Mieo, my dair est. look at mc." Ho spoke with the burnioe enthusiasm of a young lover, ,nd. as lie fpokf- he *<*•«* o1 "' nf lu ' r small white hands m '"< brown finpers. % dirt not nrifWcr him nr rai?o her lead. but -■'' f ' i ' i not wit,irlraw I' o,, h»nd from his cla?p. ~ , i ••You niu-t leave, arrc at once..' she; murmured. , ~. "ill, vps." he exclaimed, "it you do not . ]ow mc. If there i> no hope - ' "There i= no hope." f-hc replied, you do not love mc!" . She was silent, and tiien she slowly raised hed tear-stained face, and her eye= looked up into the eyes of the man who bad asked the questiou. "I do not love you.' .-he =aid slowly. But her face and tho look iji her eyes gave the lie to nor words and Birke.rdyke, flushed and triumphant, seized lior in his a nr.s (md kissed her passionately on the jjps. She did not vesii-t. hut did not respond to his kiW.s. She lay. limp and white-faced, with closed eye-, in his. embrace, a? thoujrh sill her will power had finished, and rhe was a mere puppet in {he hands of the man Mho loved her. •■'Ah, you love mc. you love mc," he cried passionately.. ki*Mnp her again and j again. "I will »o« 1 ,, *- you {jo. You are jjiiic. thank GodShe opened her eyes and looked again into his a= he bent over her upturned face. And this time ho only saw a look of piteoua terror, an appeal for mercy. "Let mc. jjn. , ' she pasped. almost in a vhisper- "'Leave me —tor pity's sake.' , "So.' , he answered fiercely, "you love pp—and you shall marry mc." 'I can never marry you." she murmnrti and then she si niggled to free herielffioni his grasp. But he only held her more closely to him. "Lcavft mc." Mv fried with a sudden buret of fury, "tuis cruel, cowardly. hi mc «n —iii once." The bitter tone of her voice froze Eic.kfrdTke's ardour n north wind freezes the dancing waters of a. lake, lie k<ved her, and she s-tapigered back from hi~ clasp. ; lcave hip!" she cried hysterically; "Leave mc! Don't come here again/ "Why cannot y p n marry mo?" he a?keddogeedly: "we love each other. 1 have money—"' "Leave mc. '■ pJie cried again, "or I phall T}.« tsal. lam .rning to marry another Uffl-a. IVMt, do you understand., , '■Another man!" he said quietly, and ihen .-triding up to her \w c:\ught her wire more in his arm;-. 'Too skll BOt," he exelaimetl iiereely. '"By God, you shall not. You are. mine. »nd tie other man fan <ro to hell." He kissed her savagely on the brow, md lips, and check, and then he suddeulv loosed her. and they sprang apart, for they both henrd vok-es on the. other side of the hedge. Alice hastily dubbed her eyes aiid cheeks with a pocket handkerchief, and walking over to the- wall, prtendd to b snowing Mickerdvke the. fruit tree?. "Ah. Ihtp she ia_" evied a genial voice, t ]iere i? our little daughter—as I should ivisb to tod her— ninoiig the fmit and the. flowers.' . The two lovers turned rouiul and laced Mr. Tearle, who advaiiee.d at-ioss the grass wth v smile iliuminating his' fat fare. Hi> w;w dressed in tho ton hat and frock coat of rcspei-taMlity and looked singularly out o{ place, A few 'Paw? heliiud him stood his companion, a tall man of such extraordinary s=lunness that Ins clothes Kppmed to b« hangiogon a skelelon. His faco was burnt by the sun to the colour oi mahogany. his hair and moustache were nearly white, and formed a startling contrast io his brown skin. He was not ill-look-ing, and there Mas power in his resolute. chin and grave dark eye?. But his boily Wa » a mere caricature of the human frame. Rickerrlyke had never seen snuh a thin man outside a show and he kept fc countenaiK-i! with difliciiUy. Yet he '■ould see well enough that, this living skeleton was not n man to he. laughed at. u Ah, Mr. Bickerdyke." -aid Mr. Tearl<:. "what do you think of our purrltni—of °M little efforts in horticulture , ;' 1 always hoJd tliat- the worship of ilowers js one of the mo-i beautiful I raits in 'he human character.' , "Yes.-' replied Bickcrdyke shortly. j>is eyes were fixed on thp stranjrer who W crossed over to Alice. Huttoiu and lva s apparently engaged in a conversion of some interest. "Exwpt," continued .Mr. Teark, "the Worship of a dear sweet j."""l ■woman. «p they not. make a beautiful pair. .Mr. B terd.ykp':" •i pair?" the young man said with a "Wfl. -What do you meanr 4 iw nn<J Dick." Mr. Tenrle replied , ;.v> »™wl.v raising his voice nbove a jnispor. •■ii. i, a ~d , P ot (Tllo , OWi ,'"«■(.„ kno«s I ca,, in S)un . ( . i, f ,,._ i )ut i Jjjw thnt ulie will be in «00, l hands. 8 not too yoinjnr, but diseieel and r ° b «' ininJcl. a jewel oi ft (Vllow. Mr. *"«riykp. a jewf.l of a f.-110-.v." U t yon mea n you're pn\n<* to let r aarrv that scarecrow V exclaimed angrily. BoJ"". lan ?uago.-'' replied Mr. IVarlc 2t^- Mr ' Bi *erdvk e . His tn,^ he «» i^ , ™ is 8 little peculiar, but « nnot help that. and his heart is ou nt , f phr . ica| im quivered with r;,~e. and a Us to, Pr ° Pr ° aih ro « t» ihP tin of Pt been fatal to all his ve «ed by tiT Opes ~ Waa mercifully ~reas d the- Lr, ," eaT a PPi'oaeh of Alice h tt- lDe man who was going to marry C! >wl es r- , Charles Bickc-rdyke—kr. ridg? Richard Gutt" hn this , dld not trouble t0 iak* > a « r^ ard show of eourtesr, »<*ed hard at tho young man v

CHAPTER Vl— (Continued.)

uuujtii De were looking at some new pecimen of sea. anemone. Friend of Mr. Lowry'af lie asked uietly. '"Yes," Bickerdvke replied. The man's lords implied insult, and Biekcrdyke 3Dgcd to dash his fist into the dark u'O. But he re.st.i.ined himself. "Yes, -, c repeated defiantly. "I am proud io be If. Lowry's friend." '"You may well he that,' , Guttridge aid with a laugh. '"He is clever enough a command admiration. Have you curd the latest V , '•No. , ' ''Well, it will amuse you and add to our pride in youv friend. Four days ago wo yachts loft Pillhaven. One the Elsie, ias making for Southlund-on-Sea: the ■thor ihe Curlew, intended to return to or mooring;-;. Neither hns been heard i since. ■' '"That is a most interesting piece of lews," P.iekerdyke replied with a sneer. They are probably both stuck on a mud iank." "A clover rogue. I fear.' , said Mr. rwirle, shaking his head. "Very clever," , retorted Bickerdyke: 'he. ha» not even got a boat this time, suppose the Beetle is still at her aoorings.' , Mr. Guttridge smiled contemptuously. "There are other boats,"' he said, '"eveu >etter suited for his purpose.'' "Poor fellows, poor fellows*,' , cric:l Tearle. •■.Are there not enough icrils for those who go flown to the sea n ?hips without this new nnd fearful Linger—this dragon lurking in the deep, j ocking whom he may devour? How i • hankful I am that , I am not a sou of he sea, that my path of life, does not '■ad mc iuto its peril-, that " "Yes," interrupted Mr. Guttridge ■udely, "you'd rut a forry figure on a racht. I'd like to see you reefing down :he mainsail in a squall." '•Doubtless I should do my duly,"' Mr. l>nrle replied meekly. "I should not ; ju.-iil. -Mr. Guttridge.'' j "Xo. you'd be .-.ick." was the sharp retort, not spoken in the spirit, of a jc*t. iiit with undisguised contempt. Bickerlyko gUnccd at the speaker with :-ouie surprise, and i hen scrutinised Mr. I'carle's wliife fare .V single glance explained the situation. Mr. Tearle had i|uiv< red under the lash of the other man's tongue, but he wa« afraid to show his anger. Tt was evident, for some miaou or other, (hat be was i$ Guttridge's power. 'Biekerdyke saw from these few scraps of unimportant conversation why Alice Hutton wus going to marry a man she did not love. "The brute!"' he said to himself, nnd there and then he resolved tv pick a quarrel with him at the first opportunity. He had not long to wait. Alice Hutton. who had flushed at the tone of Guttridge's voice, and who had .-ecu (he dangerous look in her lover's eyc~, at once changed the conversation to another subject. But Guttridgo would Jiave. none of it. and harked back lo the question of Lowry nnd the mis.~mg boats. ■We'll eatoh Ihe fellow yet." he said abruptly, while the others were discussing (hi; merits of various strawberries. "V.-s. ye.-, of course," said -"Mr. Tuarle hazily, "■but talking of thosu Queen KαL'rnis, Alice. 1 really think ——"' •■Damn your Queen Regents." said Criittridge, "can't you talk sense. Here we are in the midst of matters of life and death, and you talk of—strawberries." ••["jion my soul, this is too inuc-h,"cried Bickerdyke, striding forward till he was within a yard of Guttridge. "Arc you ivrare. sir. that there is a lady present?" "Yes,"' the man replied coolly, "and also an ass. and also an impertinent boy." "Apologise to Miss Hutton at onoe for your language.' , Oultvidge laughed, and looked ai Alice, whose face was crinmon with shame. "Miss Hutton doe.-, not need your protection." he .said with a sneer. "Are you going to apologise., " saiij Bickerdyke quietly. His hands were clenched and all the, muscles of his boiT\ rigid as steel. There was an ugly glar( , in his eyes, but Guttvidge did not. flinch and looked at him as a man might look at a -wild beast behind the bars of a. cage. | "Gentlemen, gentlemen, ,, exclaimed Mr | Tetirlo. "this is not respectful: it is not Christian: it is not dignified. Mr. Bickerdyke. please remember that you are speaking lo my guest, to n <lear friend of mine. Mr. Guttridge is a sailor, and not accustomed to pick his words, lie speaks what h>> feels, and be was very iu>lly annoyed at my referring to strawberries when lie wanted to talk of inure serious things —though strawberries, i must confess?, are works of God, even as yon or T. Dick GuttTidge. But their. Mr. Bickfrclykr will apologise for his hasty words. Mc knows well enough (hat no offence was meant, and that we rough, honest, hearted chaps sometimes Vt 'slip an oath or two unaware?, eh, (iutt ridge ? v Alice had taken advantage of her stepfathn* ,- long-Avinilcrl speech to crn,?s the lawn and vanish through ihe archway in the yew hedge. Guttridge would have followed her hut his insolent pride forbade, him io move lest J'-ickexdykh should think that he wished to avoid on unpleasant scene. F.ickerdyki' saw that the woman he lovad had disappeared, and lie gave a free rein to liis tongue. "Mr. Guttridge is a cad." he said alow]v. "aud if he doc Mii apologise lo MLs* Hutton. I'm going In give him tl good hiding." Mr. Gultridgc put hit* hand* into the pocket of his blue serge coat and smiled. | Mr. Tearle's eyes opened wide with hor- I ror. and he foamed, or rather spluttered, , at Ihe mouth. "Sir. sir." he cried, "you have insulted my guest. Please, take your departure. l" have never —never in all my life '" "Don't be an ass. Tearle," interrupted Mr. Guttridge "The i>oy means well. He'« been reading some romance. Ife funciis himself the hero." "Are you going to apologise to Miss Hutton V" repeated Bickerdyke.. speaking SO slowly that each separate word rang out like the blow of a hammer. "What right have you to ask mc the question ?'' "The right of every gentleman who sees insult offered, to a lady. Are you going to apologise or not?" "I am not," Guttridge replied with a laugh. Bickerdyke sprang forward and dealt the man a swinging blow across the

mouth -with the back of his hand, but before he could strike again he found himself looking into the ugly little muzzle, of a revolver. As an Englishman he. regarded it at first sight as an idle threat, but a- second glance told him the sort of customer he had to deal with. He stepped back and shrugged his shoulders.

"Not used to this, eh ?" said Guttridge quietly. "Well, I am. We don't H'-rateh and claw each other like beasts in the parts I've come from. It's a clean job or none at all."

'"Leave here at once, Mr. Bickerdyke." said Mr. Tearlc. "and please don't "come here again."

Bickerdyke. bowed., aud then turned to Guttridge.

'•'l'll meet you sonic other day. Mr GuUridge." he said.

"Most likely, but don't trust to your fists. Good afternoon.''

Biekerdyku left them and returned through the intricate mazes of the garden. Before lie was in sight of the house, however, he met Aliec Ilutton. She was pale and trembled as he took her in his arm*.

""Good-bye, darling." he whispered, '"I cannot come here again. I've struck him in the face. But remember 1 love you. and that if you want help route to mc for it."

"Good-bye." she answered softly. Then she raised her face to his. and he kissed it passionately.

■'You must riot marry this man."' he said, sternly. ''I don't know the ins and outs of the business, but I can see why yon are going to sacrifice yourself. Promise mc you will not marry him." She was silent, and then they heard the sound of voices wrangling on the far side of some tall shrubs.

•"Promises mc/ he cried. ''I can promise nothing, except that I love you. Good-bye."

Mr. Tearle and Sir. Guttridge appeared round a corner and Bickerdyke disappeared from sight. When ho reached his lodgings he found old Prayling standing at the door, pipe. in month, and a puzzled expression on hi? wrinkled old face.

"Well. Prayling.'' he asked cheerfully what's tho news?"'

"I've seen summut as may bell intor-p'-t you. sir.' , the. fisherman replied, '"and if 1 may make so hold. T'd like to tell ye the whole yarn, so as yell not miss anything/ "'Come in niirl have a smoke," s-iid Bii-kerdvkc "and tnke your time about it."

CHAPTER Vlr. VRAYI.ING'S TARN. ', "I'm ju-t toinr hack from tho Lowway Banks, sir.'" ho ?nid. as ho tilled his pipe from Biekerdykp's proffered pouc'.i; "ju>;, come, bock from tho ]>nuway Bank, [ !tf.vo, and F've seen il rum thing, I have. | I ain't suid a word about it 10 no one I yot. aod. my lad, he'll not speak if ho i hoyies t<i keep his jnb. A real serious '■ thing , I've seen, sir. and I airTt fixed up ( the rights nf it yot. I ain't." I ■"Well, well." =»aid Bickordyke impatiently, '"let's have it. Prayling. Br tli<* bye. j suppose you'vp honrd about the : and the Curlew? ,, "I've hoard,'' Prayling ropliod, "and 1 wouldn't be surprised to hear anything of them a? vails the Curlew. Shocking bad hand? iv a boat, they are." "But the Elsie? Mr. Trenam tho smartest sailor iiiiyuin're about. You couldn't teach him much, Billio.' , "Mebbe I know sirmmat 'bout tho F.lsio. As I was saj'ing just now. I and the boy 'vo been out on tho Lowwav BankfWe left yesterday morning. You knows 'era. of course. .They nin't banks in a proper way of speaking, t'> boats like your'n and mine. Three, fathom of waler on 'cm at low spring tides —close agin the channel where the big boats go. The. (. arosia got on 'em last autumn. I doubt you'll remember how '' ■'Oh. yes." Bickerdyke interrupted angrily, ""but get on with your yarn, Billie, for heaven 7 .-; pake.' , "Well. a=> 1 was saying. , ' the man conjtinued slowly. "I and thf boy " Bickerdyke to his feet with a gesture of impatience and knocked out his pipf oa the bars of the grate. "I and the boy." repeated Prayling in an injured voice, "were just beyond the east, spit, when \ >cc"d two boats 'bout i three mile ofi'. They was bearing "bout E.N.E. as far as 1 could reckon and had the wind on their starboard. They wasn't. more'n quarter of a mile, apart." He i ! paused and smiled proudly ns though ' conscious of having imparted a wealth of information in an incredibly short spjiee. of time. "Did you recognise the boats?' . Bickerdyke asked, without much 5-how of initerest.

""I can't rightly f-ny as how T did. sir.' , Prayling replied. '"They w:is too far otr. but'the one us was loading might havp. been the Vanna. She left Pillhaven early yesterday morning for Whitlingseo. The. other might have been the Beetle, if I hadn't known as she. was still at her mooring?, and you weren't a-going out vosierdav."' '•Tin: Beetle?"' exclaimed Bickerdyke. •■Ye?, she was a cutter "bout your size. ;uid the. other was a yawl remarkable like theTanna. 1 said to the boy that mebbe you'd changed your mind. and he said as how he knew you were going up to London, but he s-wore to the Vauna; he s.iid lie conid pee that curious little dingey ebe has., flat bottomed with a spoon bow. But 1 reckon he's a liar., as I could hardly see her dingey at all. and I've been at sea. as I told him."

"What happened then? - ' interrupted Bickerdvke.

"The" wind dropped." said Prayling, ■'•(iroppfi! right away; it hadn't been much to brag about, but in a few minutes there was a dead calm, there was. And I didn't swear, no. not half. And then there came a haze, and we couldn't see either of the. boats, and then the mist got thicker, so as you could hardly set , a couple of hundred yards, you couldn't. You know how it comes up with those N.E. winds, and then for 'bout an hour or an hour'n ;\ half we stayed there, drifting south on the ebb tide, and hearing the blessed sirens and hooters going in the channel, in which, thank the Lord, we wasn't."

Again the sailor paused and re-lib his pipe.

"Well, Billie." said Biekerdyke. "haven't you anything more, thrilling to tell mc Hian this? It's nothing out of the common so far."

"Tm a-coming" to the. uncommon part, sir. Well, there we were, I and the hoy. on the old Favourite, twenty-seven miles from our moorings and a flat calm. And after we'd been drifting for 'bout hour or houv'n a hdi we heard ;i gun. and then a second report, and then a third.'' ""Artillery at Weatbury point," , said Bickerdyke.

"I thought so at the time, but an hour afterwards I had my doubts. 'Bout an hour afterwards the wind sprang up again, pretty well S.E. it was, but uncertain like, and in no> time the mist had cleared off and we could see all there was to be seen."

"And what did you see?" asked Dickerdyke.

"I only saw one of the boats/ replied Prayling, "aye, as true as I'm sitting here, I only saw one of the boats —her as I'd almost mistook for the Beetle. The. other had gone."

'"Sailed away, I suppose?" '"Yes. it's likely, it is. in a dead calm, and I know the currents in them parts. We'd all been drifting the same way, and we'd kep our distance, too, all the time. But there she was, all by herself." '•"What did you do?" '"'Do? I cracked on all the sail we'd got on board, topsail, big jib, big foresail, flying jib. every rag we'd got, and the wind freshened, it did, and we had our lee rail under water more'n once, and we flew like the devil with a line of foam behind us like the wake of a steamer.''

"Did you gain on her?" "Xot an inch, sir, not an inch we. didn't. She sailed a foot *n a half to our one, and kep straight away from us. In three hours'time she was. hull down, and I give up and come back, having

wasted a lot of time for nulling-. We'd ought to have been in last night, but for this."

"H'm," said Bickerdyke, thoughtfully, 'it sounds a bit fishy, but doubtless there's some explanation." "There ain't no explanation, sir,' , replied Prayling roughly, "save one, and that is all fair and clear to mc. One of them boats made away with the other, and if so be as we. can tind that "ere boat as ain't so unlike the Beetle, ■we'll find out what has happened to the Doreen and the Elsie ajid the Curlew. That's what T think, and it's all fair and clear to too." Bickerdyko. did not answer the old man. The same thought was in his own mind. It was. however, only a wild conjecture, and did not. for the moment suggest any definite plan of action. He jralled vigorously at his pipe and stared into the empty fireplace. Praylings eyes were fixed on the carpet, and his hard red hands were gripped tightly together.

For a moment or I vo neither of the mon spoke. Then Biekerdyke rose to his feot and w-alkccl over to Ihc window whore he drummed bis lingers on the glass and looked out a I the s-ruooth waters of the oreek. '■'Where's tho wind. Billie?' , ho asked suddenly.

"Xor"-e:ist. sir. Leastways, i 1 was so a short while ago." ""High title 'bout three, hours ago. eh?" " 'Bout that, sir.' ""Are, you busy to night ?"' "Xo. sir."' the man replied. '"I ain't what you'd call busy, though there's always something to lay a hand to." 'Well. I want you to come out with mc in the Beetle. Now, at once, as soon Ms we can get under way. There's plenty of food on board—tinned stuff— but get some bread, butter, and eggs, and the water jar wants re-filling. We may bo out for one or two day?." "And where might you be a-going - , sir?" asked Prayling. "Out to the Lowway Brinks, of course. I'm JfOing Id fiiirl nut '.'.hat's happened to that boat. Cati you come?" 'Aye. sir." Prayling replied, rising slowly to his feet. ""I can como.' , "Well, get thr> thingf together sharp,"' p'.iid Bickerdyke: "have you got any meat hooks?" '"'Meat hooks?" queried the sailor. "Did I hear you say meat books, sir?' "i>s. meat hooks; things you hang up meat with." "I'll ask the? mifrsttp," Prayling replied doubtfully. '"Three or four if you've got them: and if you've got any spare rope on your boat lei's have it. I can do with twenty fathom." "We've Iwputy-fivp fitrliom of <jrj" rope." said Prayling, moving towards the door. -Good; let's have it nil. T should like to start at once and get the ebb tide out of the creek." "Half an hour." Prayling replied LiconieaJly. ""But them meat hooks " "That's all rigbr,' , interrupted Bickerdyke. "I'm going tiahirig." ""Fur whales, mebbe,' , said Prayling with a. grin. '"Twenty-five fathom of inch rope and a meat hook. Mr Bickerdyke. "Xo. r.nt for whales." replied Bickerdyke, "but for the Vanna. if she's not back fit her moorings yet." ■ (To be continued next Saturday.) !