"Well," said Clark, slowly--"I went to that inn--to watch the fellow.
He was sitting by the fire, taking it very easy. I tried to make out whether I had ever seen him before, but could not. He sat by the fire, and wouldn"t say a word. I tried to trot him out, and at last I did so.
He trotted out in good earnest, and if any man was ever kicked at and ridden rough-shod over, I"m that individual. He isn"t a man--he"s Beelzebub. He knows every thing. He began in a playful way by taking a piece of charcoal and writing on the wall some marks which belong to me, and which I"m a little delicate about letting people see; in fact, the Botany Bay marks."
"Did he know that?" cried Potts, aghast.
"Not only knew it, but, as I was saying, marked it on the wall. That"s a sign of knowledge. And for fear they wouldn"t be understood, he kindly explained to about a dozen people present the particular meaning of each."
"The devil!" said John.
"That"s what I said he was," rejoined Clark, dryly. "But that"s nothing.
I remember when I was a little boy," he continued, pensively, "hearing the parson read about some handwriting on the wall, that frightened Beelzebub himself; but I tell you this handwriting on the wall used me up a good deal more than that other. Still what followed was worse."
Clark paused for a little while, and then, taking a long breath, went on.
"He proceeded to give to the a.s.sembled company an account of my life, particularly that very interesting part of it which I pa.s.sed on my last visit to Botany Bay. You know my escape."
He stopped for a while.
"Did he know about that, too?" asked Potts, with some agitation.
"Johnnie," said Clark, "he knew a precious sight more than you do, and told some things which I had forgotten myself. Why, that devil stood up there and slowly told the company not only what I did but what I felt.
He brought it all back. He told how I looked at Stubbs, and how Stubbs looked at me in the boat. He told how we sat looking at each other, each in our own end of the boat."
Clark stopped again, and no one spoke for a long time.
"I lost my breath and ran out," he resumed, "and was afraid to go back.
I did so at last. It was then almost midnight. I found him still sitting there. He smiled at me in a way that fairly made my blood run cold.
"Crocker," said he, "sit down.""
At this Potts and John looked at each other in horror.
"He knows that too?" said John.
"Every thing," returned Clark, dejectedly.
"Well, when he said that I looked a little surprised, as you may be sure.
""I thought you"d be back," said he, "for you want to see me, you know.
You"re going to follow me," says he. "You"ve got your pistols all ready, so, as I always like to oblige a friend, I"ll give you a chance. Come."
"At this I fairly staggered.
""Come," says he, "I"ve got all that money, and Potts wants it back. And you"re going to get it from me. Come."
"I swear to you I could not move. He smiled at me as before, and quietly got up and left the house. I stood for some time fixed to the spot. At last I grew reckless. "If he"s the devil himself," says I, "I"ll have it out with him." I rushed out and followed in his pursuit. After some time I overtook him. He was on horseback, but his horse was walking. He heard me coming. "Ah, Crocker," said he, quite merrily, "so you"ve come, have you?"
"I tore my pistol from my pocket and fired. The only reply was a loud laugh. He went on without turning his head. I was now sure that it was the devil, but I fired my other pistol. He gave a tremendous laugh, turned his horse, and rode full at me. His horse seemed as large as the village church. Every thing swam around, and I fell headforemost on the ground. I believe I lay there all night. When I came to it was morning, and I hurried straight here."
As he ended Clark arose, and, going to the sideboard, poured out a large gla.s.s of brandy, which he drank raw.
"The fact is," said John, after long thought, "you"ve been tricked. This fellow has doctored your pistols and frightened you."
"But I loaded them myself," replied Clark.
"When?"
"Oh, I always keep them loaded in my room. I tried them, and found the charge was in them."
"Oh, somebody"s fixed them."
"I don"t think half as much about the pistols as about what he told me.
What devil could have put all that into his head? Answer me that," said Clark.
"Somebody"s at work around us," said John. "I feel it in my bones."
"We"re getting used up," said Potts. "The girl"s gone again."
"The girl! Gone!"
"Yes, and Mrs. Compton too."
"The devil!"
"I"d rather lose the girl than Mrs. Compton; but when they both vanish the same night what are you to think?"
"I think the devil is loose."
"I"m afraid he"s turned against us," said Potts, in a regretful tone.
"He"s got tired of helping us."
"Do none of the servants know any thing about it?"
"No--none of them."
"Have you asked them all?"
"Yes."
"Doesn"t that new servant, the Injin?"
"No; they all went to bed at twelve. Vijal was up as late as two. They all swear that every thing was quiet."
"Did they go out through the doors?"
"The doors were all locked as usual."
"There"s treachery somewhere!" cried John, with more excitement than usual.