CHAPTER IV
"I am indeed glad you have decided to help me," Don Guzman deSilvestre replied, when he heard my reply. "I felt certain you wouldaccept, and I assure you I shall value your co-operation. Would it bepossible for you to leave England on Wednesday next?"
"If it comes to that I must make it possible," I answered. "From whatyou said to me last night, I gather that there is no time to be lost."
"The sooner we get to work the better," he returned. "I will send acipher message to the States this morning, to ask my friend to havethe yacht in readiness. If you leave London on the sixteenth youshould reach Barbadoes on the twenty-ninth. The yacht will meet youthere, and from the moment you set foot on board her, you may regardher as your own private property to use as you will. You will find hercaptain a most reliable man, and he will receive orders to do hisutmost to assist you. He will discharge all expenses, and will beheld responsible for the working of the vessel and the crew. You will,of course, be known on board by another name, which we must arrange,and you will be supposed to be a young Englishman, of immense wealth,whose particular hobby is yachting. In order to sustain the fiction,it will be necessary for you to have a large and varied outfit, whichI think you had better order to-day. I shall leave England a weekafter you do, and shall go direct to the island, where you are to handthe President over to me."
"But you have not told me the name of that island yet," I answered.
He took a map from his pocket and unfolded it upon the table. Thenplacing his finger on a small dot in the Caribbean Sea, some distancefrom the Republic of Equinata, he continued--
"There it is! It is called San Diaz, and is a picturesque littleplace. The man who owns it is monarch of all he surveys. If we canonce get Fernandez there, all will be well. No vessels call at theisland, and, unless he likes to attempt a long swim, which I should bethe last to prevent, I fancy he will find some difficulty in returningto the mainland."
Another thought flashed through my mind.
"Before we go any further," I said, "there is one thing I should sayto you. It is this. Before I take any hand in the business, I musthave your positive assurance that no violence will be used towards theman you are so anxious to secure. I could not be a party to anythingof that sort, nor could I possibly deliver him to you if I thought youmeant to do him any ill."
"I will give you the assurance for which you ask most willingly," mycompanion replied without hesitation. "I merely desire to keepFernandez out of Equinata for a time, that is to say, while Ireinstate myself in my old position."
When I was satisfied on this point, we discussed various other detailsconnected with the scheme, and the part I was to play in it. It wascertainly a big business.
"So far as I am concerned," said Silvestre, "I'm going to be selfishenough to say that I think it is a pity you are going to be married.As President of the Republic, I could make your fortune for you in avery short time. You wouldn't care to bring your wife out to Equinataand settle down there, I suppose. I'd like to have a man beside mewhom I felt sure I could trust."
"Many thanks for the compliment you pay me," I replied. "I fear,however, South American politics are a little too uncertain for mytaste."
"Well, perhaps you are right," he answered meditatively, as if hewere considering the matter; "but you must at least admit that, ascompared with the House of Commons, there is some life in them."
"I should be inclined to substitute the word 'death' for 'life,'" Ireturned, thinking of the stories I had been told of the thousands whohad perished during the last Revolution. "And now I must go. I haveall my work cut out for me if I am to sail on Wednesday."
"Before you leave me," he remarked, "I had better give you this!"
So saying, he took from his pocket a Russian leather case. From it heproduced a draft on a London banking firm, which he handed to me. Itwas for no less a sum than six thousand pounds. This was more than Ihad expected to receive. I therefore asked his reason for adding theextra amount.
"It is for your expenses," he replied. "For many reasons it would bebetter that I should not be brought into the business. You had,therefore, better book your passage yourself. You will also have toget the outfit of which I spoke just now. That will cost a good deal.What is left should suffice for your other expenses, which, in yourcapacity of a rich young Englishman, you will probably find heavy."
This was generous treatment, and I said as much.
"Not at all," he answered. "Believe me, I am only too glad to do it. Icount myself lucky in having secured your services, and I am willingto pay for that good fortune. Well, now that I have arranged matterswith you, I shall return to London and set the ball rolling in thevarious directions. If you could make it convenient to meet me onMonday next, I could then tell you how matters progressed, and wecould discuss future proceedings together. Here is my address."
With that he handed me his card, which I placed carefully in mypocket-book with the cheque. After that, having promised to call uponhim on the day mentioned, I bade him good-bye, and returned to my ownhome.
Great indeed was my mother's consternation on learning that she was tolose me again so soon. She had counted, she declared, upon having mefor another month at least. Molly tried to be brave, but the effortwas not a conspicuous success.
"Never mind, darling," I said, "we must put the best face we can uponit. It is a fine chance for me. If I am successful, we shall be ableto be married when I return, and I shall then be able to give up thesea. So we must cheer up and look forward to that."
"It should be very important business you are to be engaged upon ifyou will be able to do that," she answered, looking up at me with hertrusting, loving eyes.
"It is most important," I answered. "The biggest thing I have ever hadto do with. Some day, perhaps, I may be able to let you know moreabout it, but at present my lips are sealed."
"Tell me nothing but what you wish, dear," she answered, like the goodlittle woman she was. "I am quite content to wait."
After lunch she walked into Salisbury with me, and did her shopping,while I visited the bank, where I paid in my cheque, and then went onto the tailor's to arrange about my outfit. It is doubtful whether thefirm in question had ever had such an order before, and for once in mylife I took rank as a person of importance in their eyes. They wouldhave been more surprised, I fancy, had they known the reason of mywanting it all! The next thing to be done was to telegraph for apassage to Barbadoes. This I did in my own name, and, as thetransaction was with my old firm, I could well imagine the surprise mycommunication would cause them. A letter I had already writtenfollowed the wire, and conveyed the passage money. After that thematter was settled. I had nothing to do now but to make the most of mytime with my mother and Molly, before it should be necessary for meto leave for London.
When that day arrived I walked into Salisbury and took the train toWaterloo. Thence I made my way to the fashionable hotel at whichGuzman de Silvestre was staying. He was in the act of going out as Ientered, but on seeing me he led me back to his sitting-room andcarefully closed the door.
"I am very glad indeed to see you," he said, placing a chair for me ashe spoke. "I trust your preparations are progressing satisfactorily?"
"Everything is prepared," I answered. "I shall join the vessel onWednesday morning in the docks. The receipt for my passage moneyarrived this morning."
"It does me good to meet so expeditious a person," he remarked, with asmile. "I, on my side, have not been idle. I have received a cablefrom the folk in Florida to the effect that the yacht will reachBarbadoes on the twenty-sixth, where she will await your arrival.After that I leave the conduct of affairs in your hands entirely."
"I trust I shall be able to carry it through," I answered. "I onlywish I had a little more confidence in my ability to succeed."
"You'll manage it, never fear," Silvestre replied. "I am as certainthat I shall one day see Fernandez coming ashore at San Diaz, as I amof eating my dinner to-night."
"And th
at reminds me," I hastened to remark, "that there is still onething that puzzles me."
"And what may that be?" he inquired. "Don't hesitate to ask anyquestions you may think of. This is no time for half confidences."
"I want to know why, with all your experience, and the number of menyou have met, you should have selected me for this business. Surelyyou could have discovered hundreds of others better fitted for thework."
"To be candid with you," he returned, "I chose you because I liked thelook of you. You seemed to be just the sort of man I wanted. I won'tdeny that I know lots of men who might have been able to carry itthrough successfully had it come to a pinch, but the chances are thatthey might have failed in some little thing, and that would have givenrise to suspicion. I wanted an Englishman, and one possessed of themanners and appearance of a gentleman. Allow me to pay you thecompliment of saying that in my opinion you combine both thesequalifications."
"It is very good of you to say so," I replied, "but I don't quite seewhat the appearance of a gentleman has to do with the question."
"I will explain," he said. "Fernandez, as I have already told you, isan adventurer himself. He knows the type, and, for that reason, wouldbe quick to detect a brother hawk. One suspicion would give rise toanother, and then, you may rest assured, the attempt to remove himwould be frustrated. Now you can see why I want some one who can playthe part and yet not rouse his suspicions."
"And so I am to be a gentleman in manners and appearances--and yet bea traitor in reality. I don't know that I consider it altogether anice part to be called upon to play."
"You must settle that with your own conscience," he answered, with oneof his peculiar smiles. "Call it an act of political expediency, andthus settle all qualms."
After that I put a few further questions to him concerning certaincontingencies that might occur in the event of the President obtainingan inkling of what was toward. When all this was arranged, I left him,at the same time promising to call upon him on Wednesday for finalinstructions.
From the hotel I drove to Mr. Winzor's offices in High Holborn. He wasnot in at the moment, but when I returned, half-an-hour or so later, Ifound him ready to receive me.
"Well, young gentleman," he began, after we had greeted each other,"and what can I do for you to-day. No more legal troubles, I hope?"
"I have come to you on two errands," I replied. "In the first place Iwant to know what you have done concerning Harveston and the Company?"
"I have received a letter from the former gentleman this morning," heanswered, turning over some papers on the table as he spoke. "Let mesee, where is it? Ah! here it is! In it he states that, while he hasnot the least desire to damage your reputation, or to prejudice yourcareer, he cannot retract what he has said, or withdraw what wasentered in the ship's log. The charge of untruthfulness, he admits,might be reconsidered, and he is also willing to suppose that yourneglect of the ship might be due to a certain slackness which wasengendered by the easy-going habits of your late commander. Inconclusion, he begs to assure me that he has never, at any time,entertained the least feeling of animosity for yourself, but that, inreporting the matter to the Company, he merely acted in the mannerthat he deemed to be consistent with his duty."
"A preposterous letter in every sense of the word," I cried angrily."Not content with injuring me, he must endeavour to reflect on CaptainPomeroy, who is dead. Never mind, I'll be even with him yet--thehound."
The old gentleman permitted a dry smile to appear on his face.
"I am glad at least to observe," he said, "that you have abandonedyour notion of taking immediate action against him."
"It would be impossible for me to do so, even if I had any desire thatway," I replied. "The fact is, I am leaving England for South Americaon Wednesday next, and don't quite know when I shall be back. And thatbrings me to the second portion of the business upon which I desire toconsult you."
"Am I to understand that you have obtained another situation?" heinquired. "And, pray, what line of steamships are you now going toserve?"
"I am not serving any line of steamships," I replied. "I am going outon private business, and I want you, if you will be so kind, to takecharge of a certain letter I have written, and which I desire shall beopened by the person to whom it is addressed, in the event of my notreturning within a year. One never knows what may happen in that partof the world to which I am now going. Here is the letter."
So saying I produced the epistle I had written on the previousevening, and which was addressed to my mother and Molly jointly. Theold gentleman took it and turned it over and over in his hands.
"I hope you are not going to get into any mischief," he said. "Imistrust that part of the world. And now what else is there I can dofor you?"
"I want you," I replied, "to draw up my will. I have some littleproperty that I should like to leave to Molly and my mother. It is notvery much, but it would doubtless prove useful, should anything befallme."
"We will hope that nothing will happen to you," said the lawyer. "Atthe same time I will draw up your will with pleasure. What have you toleave?"
When the old boy discovered the amount of my fortune his facebetrayed his astonishment. Knowing that I had not been left anythingby my father, I could see that he was anxious to question meconcerning the manner in which I had accumulated this amount.Fortunately for my reputation for truthfulness, however, he repressedhis inquisitiveness.
"It is a very creditable sum for a young man to have got together," heremarked. "Much may be done with five thousand pounds. It may interestyou to know that I myself started with my articles and not a pennymore than a hundred guineas to my name. To-day, however, I fancy--butthere, I understand that you wish this amount, in the event of yourdeath, to be divided equally between your mother and Miss Molly. Andsupposing that one survives the other?"
"In that case the whole amount must pass to the survivor!"
He promised me that the document should be drawn up and forwarded tome for my signature without delay, whereupon I shook him by the handand bade him good-bye. My one thought now was to get back to Falsteadas quickly as possible. I grudged every hour I spent away from it.Perhaps it was the dangerous nature of my enterprise that wasaccountable for it; at any rate, I know that I was dreading theleave-taking that was ahead of me more than I had ever done before. Noone could say what the next few weeks would have in store for me, and,as it happened, that very night I was fated to have a dream that wasscarcely calculated to add to my peace of mind.
It seemed to me that I was standing in a large yard, walled in onevery side. Some tropical foliage was to be seen above the walls. Atmy feet was a large hole which I knew to be a grave. A squad ofslovenly soldiers, clad in a uniform I had never before seen, wereleaning on their rifles, some little distance away, watching me, whiletheir officer consulted his watch. Then he shut it with a snap andnodded to me. I was about to throw down the handkerchief I held in myhand, when there was a cry and Molly appeared before me. Runningtowards me, she threw her arms about my neck. Knowing that at anymoment the men might fire, I tried to put her aside. But she onlyclung the tighter. Every moment I expected to hear the rattle ofrifles, but it seemed an age before it came. Then the soldiers fired,and Molly and I fell together, down, down, down, and I awoke with astart, to find myself sitting up in bed, my face bathed inperspiration. Never had I had such a dream before. More thantwenty-four hours went by before I could get the effect it producedout of my mind. Molly noticed my condition after breakfast and askedwhat ailed me.
"Cannot you guess, darling?" I asked, having no intention of tellingher the truth. "Is it likely that I could be anything but depressed,when I am leaving you for I cannot say how long?"
"But you will be in no danger, and you will come back to me beforevery long, will you not?" she said, looking at me seriously, as if shewere afraid I was hiding something from her.
"Of course, dear," I replied. "Every man, however, has to take hischance of something befalling him when he puts
to sea. I might go tothe end of the world--risk my life in a thousand different ways--onlyto return to England to be knocked down in the Strand by a runawaycab. I might go to the North Pole and come back safely, to fallthrough the ice and be drowned in the Vicarage pond. You mustn't beangry with me, dear," I continued, "if I am a little downcast. Let ustry to think of the day when I shall return to make you my bride. Oh,how happy we shall be then!"
"Happy indeed," she answered. "God grant that day may come soon. Ishall pray for you always, Dick, and ask Him to send my darling backto me, safe and sound."
We walked as far as Welkam Bridge and then home again across themeadows to lunch. By the time we reached the house I had somewhatrecovered my spirits--but they were destined to fall to zero againbefore the day was at an end. It was a sad little party that sat downto dinner that evening. My mother could scarcely restrain hertears--Molly tried to be cheerful and failed in the attempt; as formyself--though I joked on every conceivable subject, save that offoreign travel--my heart was heavy as lead, and my face, I'll bebound, was as solemn as that of an undertaker's mute. For the reasonthat I felt it would be too much for her to leave it until the lastmoment, Molly and I bade each other good-bye that evening.
Next morning I rose early, breakfasted at seven, very much in the samestate of mind, I should say, as a man who is about to be led toexecution, and at eight o'clock gave my dear old mother one last kiss,and left the house with a lump in my throat that came near to chokingme. I can see my mother's tear-stained face at the window even now, asI waved my hand to her before turning the corner of the villagestreet. Little did I dream then how much I was to go through before Ishould see that beloved countenance again.
When the last house of the village was behind me, I mended my pace andstruck out for Salisbury. It was a bright morning; the birds sang inthe hedges, the cattle grazed peacefully in the meadows, indeed, allnature seemed happy but myself. I turned the corner of the Ridge Farm,and, passing through the chalk cutting, began the descent of the hillthat, when you have left the cross roads and the gipsy's grave behindyou, warns you that you are half-way into town. As everybody who knowsthe neighbourhood is aware, there is at the foot a picturesquecottage, once the residence of the turnpike keeper, and, a hundredyards or so on the other side again, a stile, which commences thefootpath across the fields to Mellerton. I was thinking, as Iapproached it, of the last time I had walked that way with Molly, andwas wondering how long it would be before I should do so again, when,as I drew near the stile, I became aware of a girlish figure leaningagainst the rail. My heart gave a leap within me, and I cried out,"Molly, can it be you?" Yet it was Molly sure enough.
"Oh, Dick, dear," she faltered, as I approached her, "do not be angrywith me. I could not stay away. I felt that I must see the last ofyou!"
It was impossible for me to be angry with her, even though, as shetold me later, she had breakfasted at six o'clock, and had beenwaiting at the stile for me since seven. However, I satisfied myselfby promising her a good wigging when I came home again, and then weset off together. How short the remainder of that walk seemed, I mustleave you to imagine. It appeared scarcely to have commenced before wehad left the country and were in the quaint old streets of Salisbury,making our way towards the railway station. We must have walkedsomewhat slowly, for, when we reached it, I found that I had only fiveminutes to spare. Over the parting that took place when the train putin an appearance I must draw a veil.
Punctually at half-past eleven the train steamed into Waterloo anddisgorged its passengers upon the platform. I immediately engaged acab and drove direct to Silvestre's hotel, where, for upwards ofhalf-an-hour, I was closeted in close confabulation with him. Then Ibade him good-bye, for it was part of our arrangement that he shouldnot accompany me to the ship, and, having done so, returned to my caband bade the man drive me to the railway station, where I was to takethe train to the docks. By three o'clock I was on board, andendeavouring to convince myself that I was only a passenger, and notin any way connected with the working of the vessel. At a quarter tofour we were steaming down the river, and my one and only adventurehad commenced.
How was it destined to end? was the question I asked myself.