THE DOCTOR'S PROTÉGÉE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 509, 16 October 1912, Page 2

THE DOCTOR'S PROTÉGÉE.

(Atft Rights Reserved.)

By ALBERT LEE, Author of "The Baronet in Corduroy," "Th® Key of the Holy House," King Stork of the Netherlands," " The Black Disc," &c.

Published By Special Arrangement.

CHAPTER XVlll{Continued § I sat and considered this rogue's exorbitant terms. But what were two hundred pounds against one's life, and the opportunity for devising Teresina's escape? " 'Tis roguery, Tarsilla," I exclaimed presently.

"It is, signor," came the surprising answer. "And yet the circumstances —consider them ! You want to get away, and if you do not you will die, for who could hope to live long on the island where you will be marooned? I want the money, and I simply say you must pay the price, which I now fix two hundred pounds." Tarsilla spoke with an effrontery which was bewildering. I was in such peril, and was so anxious to see Teresina, that I would have given him twice as much. But here was a difficulty. I had not much money with me — certainly not more than fifty pounds, and this sum in notes chiefly, which had been paid to me on the day when I was called to see the natient at the Bartons.

"Tarsilla," I said after a while, "I will give you the two hundred .pounds, but it must be when I get to a town where I may obtain the monev. I have not that sum with me."

He swore, volubly for a moment or two, then became silent for a while. I had got used to the light, and could see him at the panel, standing as he had done before, with' his arms resting on the ledge along which the sliding panel ran. "Signor, it is awkward. It means that I must leave the ship, and run the risk, and that I cannot do unless you promise me another fifty pounds. Give me something now, while I am here with you, and the remainder when we get to a town where the money mav be obtained."

I gave him twenty sovereigns, which was nearly all the loose money I had, and with that he had to be content. When he had again reminded me that he would return for me at midnight, he closed the panel. I heard it click as it ran into its place, and I was alone. No sooner had I heard the sound of the latch falling into its place than I began to think myself a fool for having parted with my money —small as the sum was —without some guarantee of service. I had only this fellow's word for it, and I might have been assured that if he proved willing to betray his own master, a countryman of his, he would as readily take my money and laugh in his sleeve, doing nothing for me in return. There was no remedy if he turned out to be a rogue, and were I to-complain to Telamone he would simply laugh in my face, and commend Tarsilla's cheatery.

There was no help for it but to wait until midnight and see Hmther I had been fooled or not, and consequently I sat down to pass the hours with what patience I could muster. To endure hours of suspense like that is intolerable —waiting in compulsory stillness just to see what is to come. Tarsilla had promised to set me free, and visions came of a journey, quick to feverishness, across the Continent, so that I might once more reach home, and find, an hour later, the woman whom it was madness not to say I loved, but who should never know I loved her, because to tell her so would be an insult to her womanhood. There was the knowledge that she stood in need of a guardian, and I was restless and passionately eager to be near her, to shield her from what I knew was the extremity of danger. So, in the waiting until the hour of midnight struck, I was in suspense "a w T orse boon than despair," now confident that Tarsllla's greed would force him to do me this service of ensuring my escape, and. then sickened with dread lest he had been put to the task of tormenting me, to raise my hopes, dnd leave me to despairing disappointment. The hours passed on, slow, timeclogged things which gave the lie to the old assertion that Time flies, for it had crawled with exasperating slowness, each succeeding moment growing longer than that which had gone before it. But the last moment came, and whereas I had been maligning Daniello Tarsilla, thinking of him as a possible cheat and almost certain traitor, now in my mind I craved his pardon. For his hand was on the latch, the panel slid along with slow certainty and silently, and Tarsilla's face appeared in the open space. I was going to welcome him, and was already moving across the floor of the cabin to save time. But suddenly 1 halted, and a curse escaped my lips. The electric light was switched on unexpectedly, and I saw things plainly. wn<; ;r-- I r g ;n^' c -f a rp;

the face of Telamone, and behind his again was the laughing face of Berens! Then I knew that I was betrayed by that false Italian, who had made promises, and had taken my money, only to torment me with an added and bitter disappointment. But my realisation of the fact was bad for the man who had played the part of tantaliser. Forgetting my lameness, I rushed to where he stood peering into my cabin with a leer upon his face. I threw out my hands before he was aware, gripped an ear in each of them, then drew him into my cabin, in spite of his screams of pain and cries for mercy. He came as I pulled, trying to tear my fingers away, and although his nails tore at my hands I held him tight, and soon he was lying on the floor, where, with a will that exceeded that with which I struck my blows on Berens's face on the night when I escaped from the Bartons, I poured in a rain of torment on him with my fists, then tore again and again at him with a savagery that astounds me now. He lay as one that was dead before the others could crawl through the open way and throw me by main force upon my back. But even then I drew Tarsilla with me; for when I felt their hands upon me, I gripped the traitorous creature's ears again and held on like grim death, and did not let go until they forced my hands open, finger by finger. They carried him away more dead than alive, and had I been told that he was dead I should not have been surprised. I justified my savage outburst by my fierce anger at betrayal, and by the bitterness of disappointment after such anxious and weary waiting.

CHAPTER XIX. AT THE CABIN WINDOW. Still less consideration than before was shown to me after that savage outburst on my part; for as soon as the stated time arrived* when I was to give my final answer, Telamone and Berens came to the cabin to hear my decision. I refused point blank to give any information whatever, and finding myself incapable of parleying with men who were now pursuing a policy of torment, I bade them do their worst, since Teresina and the Scarlet-Cross package were in a hiding-place which the most keenscented sleuthhound of the Fraternity could not discover.

I spoke with a confidence I did not feel, for my heart was sick with dread. The men, however, seemed to believe that she was in such a secure retreat that they had no alternative but to wring the secret from me by carrying out their threat with regard to the marooning on Damala, to which, so they stated, they would return at stated intervals, to discover whether I had changed my mind.

I had hitherto received solid and substantial and Tarsilla had been deputed to attend to me,; but now Berens came once a day with a loaf and a can of water, the loaf at times being superseded by a couple of ship's biscuits. To gutird himself against attack, he came no longer into the cabin by the door, but used the sliding panel, opening it sufficiently wide to pass in the bread and water. Each time he came, he asked whether I had changed my mind; but the answer was always the same —a sullen negative.

For a few days we lingered in the Mediterranean, as if Telamone and Berens had an idea that the low diet and the persistent captivity would break down my resolution. But they kept the Vallauris always on the move, lest her whereabouts being known to the members of the Fraternity, one of their emissaries might come on board by stealth, and carry out the death sentence on Telamone. His life in those weeks of suspense must have been spent in what was little less than misery. To feel day after day that he was dogged everywhere,| and to have the fear that every boat which drew near was engaged in the work of espionage, in order to discover whether this was his yacht or some other, since he had devised a means for hiding her name by rubbing the paint-brush over the gilded lettering—it was terribly wearing to the strongest nerves. Once I heard him say, when I was standing near the sliding panel, not cavesdropping, but wondering whether it was possible to open it and get on deck to appeal to the captain :

"Talk of torment —this is Hades! —to be like one who sits in the Chair of Fate, as Damocles did, with the sword overhead, suspended by a hair, never knowing- the moment when the hair would break and death would come." What were, .WPrP T ,V||M|||t|,f,-.|f S n |t,|-

certain ; so that $ nc>fueling of pity for him. Since he was my \<trmentor, I was hoping continually that his torments would bccoir.e more and more unbearable. It was some additional torment to me io know that Tclamone had distractions, while I had none. My loot grew better as the days went by, and I used much of my time in walking to and fro like a caged animal, now and again pausing to find the secret spring in the panel.

One afternoon the anchor was dropped at Cannes, and so near that if I were but in the water, I could swim into the harbour* More than once 4-had thought: of breaking the glass of the window and crawling through, but there was danger in that. The nosse of the breaking glass would probably lead to discovery, and were that not the case, the jagged, broken edges would render it impossible to pass through without some more or less serious wound on my hands and body; and to swim after that would be beyond the power of a much stronger swimmer than myself.

While I gazed through the window, tantalised at seeing so much in the way of promise, and so much on the contrary, assuring me that my captivity must go on, I caught sight of the fine diamond ring I wore on my hand. Hitherto it had no suggestion for me, but now my heart leaped with a great hope. Could I not cut the glass with it? Once I found myself in the position to drop into the water. I would do it, taking all the risk—anything rather than endure torments such as the past days had brought to me.

I took off the ring and tested it on the glass. The diamond cut into it, and gave me hope. Selecting the greatest pane, which was sufficiently large for me to crawl through with difficulty if it were completely removed, I began my task. Running the diamond along the edge of the glass, I cut in slowly but deeply, making sure as I went that the work was well done. Before long the glass was cut. and it OTily wanted a sharp blow with my hand to break it if it would not fall out wholly, and then snap it off piecemeal, and drop the pieces of broken glass into the water. Replacing the ring on my finger I now had to possess my soul in patience, for it would have been madness to plunge into the sea in broad daylight. The twilight would set in before long, and an hour or two hence it would be sufficiently dark to ver-'ure. It was a never-ending time, but it afford-

Ed me the opportunity for thinking over my plans. I knew Cannes well, and had a friend there to whom I could go for money and a change of clothes after my swim. There would follow by the earliest train my race for home, in case I should be missed and pursued. At last the laggard darkness came. I listened eagerly at the sliding panel to assure myself that no one was within the cabin on the other side to hear my movements ; but all was silent. The only sounds were the lapping of water against the sides of the anchored yacht, and the voices of men in the harbour ; but on board the Vallauris there was no sign of life. This, then, was mv time. No one was expected in my cabin, for my daily store of bread and water was handed in in the morning, and now, knowing that I must needs get as much strength out of such beggarly fare as was .supplied, I ate what remained, so that I should not be faint with hunger. Then I was ready.

Some firm blows with one fist along the cut edges of the glass, and a steady pressure on the centre of the pane with my other hand, removed the glass bodily. It fell out with a slight click, then tumbled silently into the water.' Breathing in the cool, fresh air, which was so delightful after having been pent up for so long a time in a cabin which, if finely appointed, was hateful since it was, after all, nothing but a prison cell, I crawled out cautiously, and dropped. The waters closed over me for a moment or two, but I came to the surface quickly, and struck out for a point which I knew, from past experience, would be quieter than the harbour. I

Now and again I paused in my swim to watch the Vallauris, half afraid that I was already missed, and expecting almost to see a boat in pursuit; but there was nothing to suggest such a thing. Ihe yacht rode on the water, _ her beautiful form silhouetted dimly against the darkened sky, without a sign of life on board. Ihe swim seemed longer than I had expected, but that was doubtless due to my anxietv, and the fear of being overtaken. The very thought of being carried back made me desperate, and I struck out with greater vigour, and ' before long was standing on solid ground. (To be Continued.) D,P, —"15.