""Tis overpast!" quoth I.
"Liar!" said she. "Wipe the craven sweat from you! You beat me, and for this you should die, but though you fear death you shall live to fear me more--aye, you shall live awhile--take your life!"
So saying, she tossed the pistols down beside me and laughed.
"When I wish to kill and be done with you, my steel shall take you in your sleep, or you shall die by poison; there be many roots and berries hereabout, Indian poisons I wot of. So your life is mine to take whensoever I will."
"How if I kill you first?"
"Ah, bah!" said she, snapping her fingers. "Try an you will--but I know men and you are not the killing sort. I"ve faced death too oft to fear it, or the likes of you. There lie your pistols, fool; take "em and shoot me if you will!"
Thereupon I stooped and catching up the pistols tossed them behind me.
"And now," said I, rising, "leave me--begone lest I thrash you again for the evil child you are."
"Child?" says she, staring as one vastly amazed, "child--and to me, fool, to me? All along the Main my name is known and feared."
"So now will I whip you," quoth I, "had others done as much ere this, you had been a little less evil, perchance." And I reached down a coil of small cord where it hung with divers other odds and ends. For a moment she watched me, scowling and fierce-eyed, then as I approached her with the cords in my hands, she turned on her heel with a swirl of her embroidered coat-skirts and strode away, mighty proud and disdainful.
When she was clean gone I gathered me brush and driftwood, and striking flint and steel soon had a fire going and set about cooking certain strips of dried goat"s flesh for my breakfast. Whiles this was a-doing I was startled by a sudden clatter upon the cliff above and down comes a great boulder, narrowly missing me but scattering my breakfast and the embers of my fire broadcast. I was yet surveying the ruin (dolefully enough, for I was mighty hungry) when hearing a shrill laugh I glanced up to find her peering down at me from above. Meeting my frowning look she laughed again, and snapping her fingers at me, vanished "mid the bushes.
Spoiled thus of my breakfast I was necessitated to stay my hunger with such viands as I had by me. Now as I sat eating thus and in very ill humour, my wandering gaze lighted by chance on the shattered remains of a boat that lay high and dry where the last great storm had cast it. At one time I had hoped that I might make this a means to escape from the island and had laboured to repair and make it seaworthy but, finding this beyond my skill, had abandoned the attempt; for indeed (as I say) it was wofully bilged and broken. Moreover, at the back of my mind had always lurked a vague hope that some day, soon or late, she that was ever in my dreams, she that had been my love, my Damaris, might yet in her sweet mercy come a-seeking me.
Wherefore, as I have before told, it had become my daily custom, morn and eve, to climb that high land that I called the Hill of Blessed Hope, that I might watch for my lady"s coming.
But to-day, since Fate had set me in company with this evil creature, instead of my n.o.ble lady, I came to a sudden and fixed resolution, viz: That I would waste not another hour in vain dreams and idle expectations but would use all my wit and every endeavour to get quit of the island so soon as might be. Filled with this determination I rose and, coming to the boat, began to examine it.
And I saw this: it was very stout-built but its planks wofully shrunk with the sun, and though much stove forward, more especially to larboard, yet its main timbers looked sound enough. Then, too, it lay none so far from high-water mark and despite its size and bulk I thought that by digging a channel I might bring water sufficient to float it, could I but make good the breakage and caulk the gaping seams.
The longer I looked the more hopeful I grew and the end of it was I hasted to bring such tools as I needed and forthwith set to work. All the morning, and despite the sun, I laboured upon this wrecked boat, stripping off her cracked and splintered timbers and mightily pleased to find her framework so much less damaged than I had dared hope, insomuch that I presently fell a-whistling; but coming on three ribs badly sprung I became immediately dejected. Howbeit I had all the wood I could wish as planks, bulkheads and the like, all driven ash.o.r.e from wrecked vessels, with bolts and nuts a-plenty; thus as I worked I presently fell a-whistling again.
Suddenly, I was aware of the woman watching me, and glancing at her as she leaned cross-legged against an adjacent boulder, she seemed no woman but a pert and handsome lad rather. Her thick hair, very dark and glossy, fell in curls to her shoulders like a modish wig, her coat was of fine blue velvet adorned with silver lace, her cravat and ruffles looked new-washed like her silk stockings, and on her slender feet were a pair of dainty, buckled shoes; all this I noticed as she lolled, watching me with her sombre gaze.
"What would you with the wreck, fool?" she demanded, whereupon I immediately betook me to my whistling.
"You do grow merry!" said she, frowning, whiles I whistled the louder. And when she would have spoken further, I fell to hammering l.u.s.tily, drowning her voice thereby.
"Will you not speak with me then--no?" she questioned, when at last I paused. But I heeding her no whit, she began swearing at me and I to hammering again.
"Curst fool!" cried she at last, "I spit on you!" The which she did and so swaggered away and I whistling merrier than ever.
CHAPTER III
HOW I HEARD A SONG THAT I KNEW
I was early at work next morning, since now my mind was firm-set on quitting the island at all hazards, thereby winning free of this woman once and for all. To this end I laboured heartily, sparing myself no pains and heedless of sweat and sun-glare, very joyous to see my work go forward apace; and ere the sun was very high my boat lay stripped of all the splintered timbers on the larboard side. My next care was to choose me such planks from my store of driftwood as by reason of shape and thickness should be best adapted to my purpose. And great plenty of wrought wood had I and of all sorts, it having long been my wont to collect the best of such as drove ash.o.r.e and store it within those caves that opened on Deliverance Beach. Thus, after no great search, I had discovered all such planking as I needed and forthwith began to convey it down to the boat.
In the which labour the woman met me (I staggering under a load of my planks) and strutted along beside me, vastly supercilious and sneering.
"Hold!" cried she. "He sweateth, he panteth purple o" the gills! And wherefore, to what end?"
"To win free of two things do weary me."
"Ah--ah? And these?"
"This island and yourself."
"So! Do I then weary you, good Master Innocence?"
"Mightily!"
"Ah--bah! "Tis because you be fool and no man!"
"Mayhap," said I, taking up my hammer, "howbeit I do know this island for a prison and you for an evil thing--"
"Ah!" sighed she softly. "I have had men hanged for saying less!"
"So would I be quit of you as soon as may be," said I, fitting my first timber in place whiles she watched me, mighty disdainful.
"So you would mend the boat, _amigo mio_, and sail away from the island and me--yes?"
"G.o.d knoweth it!"
"Mayhap He doth, but what o" me? Think ye I shall suffer you to leave me here alone and dest.i.tute, fool?"
"The which is to be seen!" said I; and having measured my plank and sawed it to proper length I began to rivet it to the frame, making such din with my hammer that she, unable to make herself heard, presently strode away in a fury, to my great content.
But, in a little back she cometh, and on her hip that bejewelled Spanish rapier that had once been part of Black Bartlemy"s treasure (as hath been told) and which (having my own stout cut-and-thrust) I had not troubled to bring away from the cave.
Whipping out the long blade then, she makes with it various pa.s.ses in the air, very supple and dexterous, and would have me fight with her then and there.
"So-ho, fool!" cried she, brandishing her weapon. "You have a sword, I mind--go fetch it and I will teach ye punto riverso, the stoccato, the imbrocato, and let you some o" your sluggish, English blood. Go fetch the sword, I bid ye."
But I nothing heeding, she forthwith p.r.i.c.ked me into the arm, whereon I caught up a sizable timber to my defence but found it avail me no whit against her skill and nimbleness, for thrice her blade leapt and thrice I flinched to the sharp bite of her steel, until, goaded thus and what with her devilish mockery and my own helplessness, I fell to raging anger and hauled my timber full at her, the which, chancing to catch her upon an elbow, she let fall her sword and, clasping her hurt, fell suddenly a-weeping. Yet, even so, betwixt her sobs and moans she cursed and reviled me shamefully and so at last took herself off, sobbing wofully.
This put me to no little perturbation and distress lest I had harmed her more than I had meant, insomuch that I was greatly minded to follow her and see if this were so indeed. But in the end I went back to my boat and laboured amain, for it seemed to me the sooner I was quit of her fellowship the better, lest she goad me into maiming or slaying her outright.
Thus worked I (and despite the noon"s heat) until the sun began to decline and I was parched with thirst. But now, as I fitted the last of my timbers into place, the board slipped my nerveless grasp and, despite the heat, a sudden chill swept over me as borne upon the stilly air came a voice, soft and rich and sweet, uplifted in song and the words these:
"There be two at the fore At the main hang three more Dead men that swing all in a row Here"s fine, dainty meat For the fishes to eat, Black Bartlemy--Bartlemy, ho!"
Awhile I leaned there against the boat, remembering how and with whom I had last heard this song, then wheeling about I caught my breath and stared as one that sees at last a long-desired, oft-prayed-for vision: for there, pacing demurely along the beach towards me, her body"s shapely loveliness offset by embroidered gown, her dark and glossy ringlets caught up by jewelled comb, I thought to behold again the beloved shape of her I had lost well-nigh three weary years agone.
"Damaris!" I whispered, "Oh, loved woman of my dreams!" And I took a long stride towards her, then stopped and bowed my head, suddenly faint and heartsick, for now I saw here was no more than this woman who had fled me a while ago with curses on her tongue. Here she stood all wistful-eyed and tricked out in one of those fine gowns from Black Bartlemy"s secret store the which had once been my dear lady"s delight.