CHAPTER XLIV.
THE STRANGER'S STORY.
That evening a number of people were in the principal parlor of theBrandon Inn. It was a cool evening in October; and there was a fire nearwhich the partner of Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. had seated himself.
Clark had come in at the first of the evening and had been there eversince, talking volubly and laughing boisterously. The others were moreor less talkative, but none of them rivaled Clark. They were nearlyall Brandon people; and in their treatment of Clark there was a certainrestraint which the latter either did not wish or care to notice. Asfor the stranger he sat apart in silence without regarding any one inparticular, and giving no indication whether he was listening to whatwas going on or was indifferent to it all. From time to time Clark threwglances in his direction, and once or twice he tried to draw some of thecompany out to make remarks about him; but the company seemed reluctantto touch upon the subject, and merely listened with patience.
Clark had evidently a desire in his mind to be very entertaining andlively. With this intent he told a number of stories, most of which wereintermingled with allusions to the company present, together with thestranger. At last he gazed at the latter in silence for some littletime, and then turned to the company.
"There's one among us that hasn't opened his mouth this evening. I callit unsociable. I move that the party proceed to open it forthwith. Whoseconds the motion? Don't all speak at once."
The company looked at one another, but no one made any reply.
"What! no one speaks! All right; silence gives consent;" and with thesewords Clark advanced toward the stranger. The latter said nothing, butsat in a careless attitude.
"Friend!" said Clark, standing before the stranger, "we're all friendshere--we wish to be sociable--we think you are too silent--will you bekind enough to open your mouth? If you won't tell a story, perhaps youwill be good enough to sing us a song?"
The stranger sat upright.
"Well," said he; in the same peculiar harsh voice and slow tone withwhich he had spoken to Potts, "the request is a fair one, and I shall behappy to open my mouth. I regret to state that having no voice I shallbe unable to give you a song, but I'll be glad to tell a story, if thecompany will listen."
"The company will feel honored," said Clark, in a mocking tone, as heresumed his seat.
The stranger arose, and, going to the fire-place, picked up a piece ofcharcoal.
Clark sat in the midst of the circle, looking at him with a sneeringsmile. "It's rather an odd story," said the stranger, "and I only heardit the other day; perhaps you won't believe it, but it's true."
"Oh, never mind the truth of it!" exclaimed Clark--"push along."
The stranger stepped up to the wall over the fire-place.
"Before I begin I wish to make a few marks, which I will explain inprocess of time. My story is connected with these."
He took his charcoal and made upon the wall the following marks:
^ /| [three lines, forming short arrow]
R [sans-serif R]
+ [plus sign] ]
He then turned, and stood for a moment in silence.
The effect upon Clark was appalling. His face turned livid, his armsclutched violently at the seat of his chair, his jaw fell, and his eyeswere fixed on the marks as though fascinated by them.
The stranger appeared to take no notice of him.
"These marks," said he, "were, or rather are, upon the back of a friendof mine, about whom I am going to tell a little story.
"The first (/|) is the Queen's mark, put on certain prisoners out inBotany Bay, who are totally insubordinate.
"The second (R) signifies 'run away,' and is put on those who haveattempted to escape.
"The third (+) indicates a murderous assault on the guards. When theydon't hang the culprit they put this on, and those who are branded inthis way have nothing but hard work, in chains for life.
"These marks are on the back of a friend of mine, whose name I need notmention, but for convenience sake I will call him Clark."
Clark didn't even resent this, but sat mute, with a face of awfulexpectation.
"My friend Clark had led a life of strange vicissitudes," saidthe stranger, "having slipped through the meshes of the law verysuccessfully a great number of times, but finally he was caught, andsent to Botany Bay. He served his time out, and left; but, finally,after a series of very extraordinary adventures in India, and some oddevents in the Indian Ocean, he came to England. Bad luck followed him,however. He made an attempt at burglary, and was caught, convicted, andsent back again to his old station at Botany Bay.
"Of course he felt a strong reluctance to stay in such a place, andtherefore began to plan an escape; he made one attempt, which wasunsuccessful. He then laid a plot with two other notorious offenders.Each of these three had been branded with those letters which I havemarked. One of these was named Stubbs, and another Wilson, the third wasthis Clark. No one knew how they met to make their arrangements, for theprison regulations are very strict; but; they did meet, and managedto confer together. They contrived to get rid of the chains that werefastened around their ankles, and one stormy night they started off andmade a run for it.
"The next day the guards were out in pursuit with dogs. They went allday long on their track over a very rough country, and finally came to ariver. Here they prepared to pass the night.
"On rising early on the following morning they saw something movingon the top of a hill on the opposite side of the river. On watching itnarrowly they saw three men. They hurried on at once in pursuit. Thefugitives kept well ahead, however, as was natural; and since they wererunning for life and freedom they made a better pace.
"But they were pretty well worn out. They had taken no provisions withthem, and had not calculated on so close a pursuit. They kept aheadas best they could, and at last reached a narrow river that ran downbetween cliffs through a gully to the sea. The cliffs on each side werehigh and bold. But they had to cross it; so down on one side they went,and up the other.
"Clark and Stubbs got up first. Wilson was just reaching the top whenthe report of a gun was heard, and a bullet struck him in thearm. Groaning in his agony he rushed on trying to keep up with hiscompanions.
"Fortunately for them night came on. They hurried on all night, scarcelyknowing where they were going, Wilson in an agony trying to keep up withthem. Toward morning they snatched a little rest under a rock near abrook and then hurried forward.
"For two days more they hastened on, keeping out of reach of theirpursuers, yet still knowing that they were followed, or at least fearingit. They had gone over a wild country along the coast, and keeping anorthward direction. At length, after four days of wandering, theycame to a little creek by the sea-shore. There were three houses herebelonging to fishermen. They rushed into the first hut and implored foodand drink. The men were off to Sydney, but the kind-hearted women gavethem what they had. They were terrified at the aspect of these wretchedmen, whose natural ferocity had been heightened by hardship, famine, andsuffering. Gaunt and grim as they were, they seemed more terrible thanthree wild beasts. The women knew that they were escaped convicts.
HE TOOK HIS CHARCOAL AND MADE UPON THE WALL THE FOLLOWINGMARKS.]
"There was a boat lying on the beach. To this the first thoughts ofthe fugitives were directed. They filled a cask of water and put iton board. They demanded some provisions from the fisherman's wife. Thefrightened woman gave them some fish and a few ship-biscuits. They wereabout to forage for themselves when Wilson, who had been watching, gavethe alarm.
"Their pursuers were upon them. They had to run for it at once. They hadbarely time to rush to the boat and get out a little distance when theguard reached the bench. The latter fired a few shots after them, butthe shots took no effect.
"The fugitives put out to sea in the open boat. They headed north,for they hoped to catch some Australian ship and be taken up. Theirprovisions were soon exhausted. Fortunately it was the rainy season,
sothat they had a plentiful supply of water, with which they managed tokeep their cask filled; but that did not prevent them from suffering theagonies of famine. Clark and Stubbs soon began to look at Wilson withlooks that made him quiver with terror. Naturally enough, gentlemen;you see they were starving. Wilson was the weakest of the three, andtherefore was at their mercy. They tried, however, to catch fish. It wasof no use. There seemed to be no fish in those seas, or else the bits ofbread crumb which they put down were not an attractive bait.
"The two men began to look at Wilson with the eyes of fiends--eyes thatflamed with foul desire, beaming from deep, hollow orbits which faminehad made. The days passed. One morning Wilson lay dead."
The stranger paused for a moment, amidst an awful silence.
"The lives of these two were preserved a little longer," he added, inslow, measured tones.
"They sailed on. In a few days Clark and Stubbs began to look at oneanother. You will understand, gentlemen, that it was an awful thing forthese men to cast at each other the same glances which they once caston Wilson. Each one feared the other; each watched his chance, and eachguarded against his companion.
"They could no longer row. The one sat in the bow, the other in thestern, glaring at one another. My friend Clark was a man of singularendurance. But why go into particulars? Enough; the boat drifted on, andat last only one was left.
"A ship was sailing from Australia, and the crew saw a boat drifting. Aman was there. They stopped and picked him up. The boat was stained withblood. Tokens of what that blood was lay around. There were other thingsin the boat which chilled the blood of the sailors. They took Clark onboard. He was mad at first, and raved in his delirium. They heard himtell of what he had done. During that voyage no one spoke to him. Theytouched at Cape Town, and put him ashore.
"My friend is yet alive and well. How do you like my story?"
The stranger sat down. A deep stillness followed, which was suddenlybroken by something, half groan and half curse. It was Clark.
He lifted himself heavily from his chair, his face livid and his eyesbloodshot, and staggered out of the room.