The Pagan Madonna Read online

  CHAPTER XII

  "How are you making out, Newton?" he asked, calmly.

  "Denny? Why, God bless me, boy, I'm glad to see you! How's your dad?"

  "Reading."

  "That would be like him. I don't suppose if hell opened under his feethe'd do anything except look interested. And it 'pears to me's though hellhad opened up right now!"

  A chuckle came from the chart table.

  "What's your idea of hell, Newton?" asked Cunningham.

  "Anything you might have a hand in," was the return bolt.

  "Why, you used to like me!"

  "Yes, yes! But I didn't know you then. The barometer's dropping. If it wasAugust I'd say we were nosing into a typhoon. I always hated this yellowmuck they call a sea over here. Did you pick up that light?"

  "Yes, sir," answered the wheelman. "I take it she's makingsouth--Hong-Kong way. There's plenty of sea room. She'll be well downbefore we cross her wake."

  Silence except for the rumble of the weather canvas standing up againstthe furious blasts of the wind. Dennison stepped over to the chart table.

  "Cunningham, I would like to have a word with you."

  "Go ahead. You can have as many as you like."

  "At dinner you spoke of your word."

  "So I did. What about it?"

  "Do you keep it?"

  "Whenever I humanly can. Well?"

  "What's this Catwick Island?"

  "Hanged if I know!"

  "Are you going to maroon us there?"

  "No. At that point the yacht will be turned back to your father, and hecan cruise until the crack o' doom without further interference from yourstruly."

  "That's your word?"

  "It is--and I will keep it. Anything else?"

  "Yes. I will play the game as it lies, provided that Miss Norman is innowise interfered with or annoyed."

  "How is she taking it?"

  "My reply first."

  "Neither I nor the crew will bother her. She shall come and go free as thegull in the air. If at any time the men do not observe the utmostpoliteness toward her you will do me a favour to report to me. That's myword, and I promise to keep it, even if I have to kill a man or two. Iwish to come through clean in the hands so far as your father, MissNorman, and yourself are concerned. I'm risking my neck and my liberty,for this is piracy on the high seas. But every man is entitled to one goodjoke during his lifetime, and when we raise the Catwick I'll explain thisjoke in full. If you don't chuckle, then you haven't so much as a grain ofhumour in your make-up."

  "Well, there's nothing for me to do but take your word as you give it."

  "That's the way to talk. Now, Flint, this bay or lagoon----"

  The voice dropped into a low, indistinguishable murmur. Dennison realizedthat the moment had come to depart; the edge of the encounter was inCunningham's favour and to remain would only serve to sharpen this edge.So he went outside, slamming the door behind him.

  The word of a rogue! There was now nothing to do but turn in. He believedhe had a glimmer. Somewhere off the Catwick Cunningham and his crew wereto be picked up. He would not be going to the Catwick himself, notknowing whether it was jungle or bald rock. But if a ship was to pick himup, why hadn't she made Shanghai and picked him up there? Why commitpiracy--unless he was a colossal liar, which Dennison was ready enough tobelieve. The word of a rogue!

  Some private war? Was Cunningham paying off an old grudge? But was anygrudge worth this risk? The old boy wasn't to be scared; Cunningham oughtto have known that. If Cleigh came through with a whole skin he'd hunt thebeggar down if it carried him to the North Pole. Cunningham ought to haveknown that, too. A planted crew, piracy--and he, Dennison Cleigh, waseventually to chuckle over it! He had his doubts. And where did the glassbeads come in? Or had Cunningham spoken the truth--a lure? A big gamesomewhere in the offing. And the rogue was right! The world, dizzilystewing in a caldron of monumental mistakes, would give scant attention toan off-side play such as this promised to be. Not a handhold anywhere tothe puzzle. The old boy might have the key, but Dennison Cleigh could notgo to him for the solution.

  His own father! Just as he had become used to the idea that the separationwas final, absolute, to be thrown together in this fantastic manner! Thefather's arm under his neck and the cup at his lips had shaken himprofoundly. But Cleigh would not have denied a dog drink had the dogexhibited signs of thirst. So nothing could be drawn from that.

  * * * * *

  Morning. Jane opened her eyes, only to shut them quickly. The whitebrilliancy of the cabin hurt. Across the ceiling ran a constant flicker ofsilver--reflected sunshine on the water. Southward--they were headingsouthward. She jumped out of bed and stepped over to the port. Flashingyellow water, a blue sky, and far off the oddly ribbed sails of a Chinesejunk labouring heavily in the big sea that was still running. Glorious!

  She dressed hurriedly and warmly, bundling her hair under a velours hatand ramming a pin through both.

  "Denny?" she called.

  There was no answer. He was on deck, probably.

  An odd scene awaited her in the main salon. Cleigh, senior, stood beforethe phonograph listening to Caruso. The roll of the yacht in nowisedisturbed the mechanism of the instrument. There was no sudden sluing ofthe needle, due to an amateurish device which Cleigh himself hadconstructed. The son, stooping, was searching the titles of a row of newnovels. The width of the salon stretched between the two.

  "Good morning, everybody!"

  There was a joyousness in her voice she made not the least attempt toconceal. She was joyous, alive, and she did not care who knew it.

  Dennison acknowledged her greeting with a smile, a smile which was amixture of wonder and admiration. How in the world was she to be made tounderstand that they were riding a deep-sea volcano?

  "Nothing disturbed you through the night?" asked Cleigh, lifting the pinfrom the record.

  "Nothing. I lay awake for an hour or two, but after that I slept like alog. Have I kept you waiting?"

  "No. Breakfast isn't quite ready," answered Cleigh.

  "What makes the sea so yellow?"

  "All the big Chinese rivers are mud-banked and mud-bottomed. They pourmillions of tons of yellow mud into these waters. By this afternoon,however, I imagine we'll be nosing into the blue. Ah!"

  "Breakfast iss served," announced Togo the Jap.

  The trio entered the dining salon in single file, and once more Jane foundherself seated between the two men. One moment she was carrying on aconversation with the father, the next moment with the son. The twoignored each other perfectly. Under ordinary circumstances it would havebeen strange enough; but in this hour, when no one knew where or how thisvoyage would end! A real tragedy or some absurd trifle? Probably a trifle;trifles dug more pits than tragedies. Perhaps tragedy was mis-named. Whathumans called tragedy was epic, and trifles were real tragedies. And thenthere were certain natures to whom the trifle was epical; to whom theinconsequent was invariably magnified nine diameters; and having made amistake, would die rather than admit it.

  To bring these two together, to lure them from behind their ramparts ofstubbornness, to see them eventually shake hands and grin as men will whorecognize that they have been playing the fool! She became fired with theidea. Only she must not move prematurely; there must arrive somepsychological moment.

  During the meal, toward the end of it, one of the crew entered. He wasyoung--in the early twenties. The manner in which he saluted convincedDennison that the fellow had recently been in the United States Navy.

  "Mr. Cunningham's compliments, sir. Canvas has been rigged on the portpromenade and chairs and rugs set out."

  Another salute and he was off.

  "Well, that's decent enough," was Dennison's comment. "That chap has beenin the Navy. It's all miles over my head, I'll confess. Cunningham spokeof a joke when I accosted him in the chart house last night."

  "You went up there?" cried Jane.

  "Yes.
And among other things he said that every man is entitled to atleast one good joke. What the devil can he mean by that?"

  Had he been looking at his father Dennison would have caught a fleeting,grim, shadowy smile on the strong mouth.

  "You will find a dozen new novels on the shelves, Miss Norman," saidCleigh as he rose. "I'll be on deck. I generally walk two or three milesin the morning. Let us hang together this day to test the scalawag'spromise."

  "Mr. Cleigh, when you spoke of reparation last night, you weren't thinkingin monetary terms, were you?"

  Cleigh's brows lowered a trifle, but it was the effect of puzzlement.

  "Because," she proceeded, gravely, "all the money you possess would notcompensate me for the position you have placed me in."

  "Well, perhaps I did have money in mind. However, I hold to my word.Anything you may ask."

  "Some day I will ask you for something."

  "And if humanly possible I promise to give it," and with this Cleigh tookleave.

  Jane turned to Dennison.

  "It is so strange and incomprehensible! You two sitting here and ignoringeach other! Surely you don't hate your father?"

  "I have the greatest respect and admiration for him. To you no doubt itseems fantastic; but we understand each other thoroughly, my father and I.I'd take his hand instantly, God knows, if he offered it! But if I offeredmine it would be glass against diamond--I'd only get badly scratched.Suppose we go on deck? The air and the sunshine----"

  "But this catastrophe has brought you together after all these years.Isn't there something providential in that?"

  "Who can say?"

  On deck they fell in behind Cleigh, and followed him round for fully anhour; then Jane signified that she was tired, and Dennison put her in thecentre chair and wrapped the rug about her. He selected the chair at herright.

  Jane shut her eyes, and Dennison opened a novel. It was good reading, andhe became partially absorbed. The sudden creak of a chair brought hisglance round. His father had seated himself in the vacant chair.

  The phase that dug in and hurt was that his father made no endeavour toavoid him--simply ignored his existence. Seven years and not a crack inthe granite! He laid the book on his knees and stared at the rockinghorizon.

  One of the crew passed. Cleigh hailed him.

  "Send Mr. Cleve to me."

  "Yes, sir."

  The air and the tone of the man were perfectly respectful.

  When Cleve, the first officer, appeared his manner was solicitous.

  "Are you comfortable, sir?"

  "Would ten thousand dollars interest you?" said Cleigh, directly.

  "If you mean to come over to your side, no. My life wouldn't be worth asnap of the thumb. You know something about Dick Cunningham. I know himwell. The truth is, Mr. Cleigh, we're off on a big gamble, and if we winout ten thousand wouldn't interest me. Life on board will be exactly as itwas before you put into Shanghai. More I am not at liberty to tell you."

  "How far is the Catwick?"

  "Somewhere round two thousand--eight or nine days, perhaps ten. We're notpiling on--short of coal. It's mighty difficult to get it for a privateyacht. You may not find a bucketful in Singapore. In America you canalways commandeer it, having ships and coal mines of your own. The dropdown to Singapore from the Catwick is about forty hours. You have coal inManila. You can cable for it."

  "You are honestly leaving us at that island?"

  "Yes, sir. You can, if you wish, take the run up to Saigon; but yourchance for coal there is nil."

  "Cleve," said Cleigh, solemnly, "you appreciate the risks you arerunning?"

  "Mr. Cleigh, there are no risks. It's a dead certainty. Cunningham is oneof your efficiency experts. Everything has been thought of."

  "Except fate," supplemented Cleigh.

  "Fate? Why, she's our chief engineer!"

  Cleve turned away, chuckling; a dozen feet off this chuckle becameboisterous laughter.

  "What can they be after? Sunken treasure?" cried Jane, excitedly.

  "Hangman's hemp--if I live long enough," was the grim declaration, andCleigh drew the rug over his knees.

  "But it can't be anything dreadful if they can laugh over it!"

  "Did you ever hear Mephisto laugh in Faust? Cunningham is a queer duck. Idon't suppose there's a corner on the globe he hasn't had a peek at. Hehas a vast knowledge of the arts. His real name nobody seems to know. Hecan make himself very likable to men and attractive to women. The sort ofwomen he seeks do not mind his physical deformity. His face and hisintellect draw them, and he is as cruel as a wolf. It never occurred to meuntil last night that men like me create his kind. But I don't understandhim in this instance. A play like this, with all the future risks! After Iget the wires moving he won't be able to stir a hundred miles in anydirection."

  "But so long as he doesn't intend to harm us--and I'm convinced hedoesn't--perhaps we'd better play the game as he asks us to."

  "Miss Norman," said Cleigh in a tired voice, "will you do me the favour toask Captain Dennison why he has never touched the twenty thousand Ideposited to his account?"

  Astonished, Jane turned to Dennison to repeat the question, but wasforestalled.

  "Tell Mr. Cleigh that to touch a dollar of that money would be a tacitadmission that Mr. Cleigh had the right to strike Captain Dennison acrossthe mouth."

  Dennison swung out of the chair and strode off toward the bridge, hisshoulders flat and his neck stiff.

  "You struck him?" demanded Jane, impulsively.

  But Cleigh did not answer. His eyes were closed, his head rested againstthe back of the chair so Jane did not press the question. It was enoughthat she had seen behind a corner of this peculiar veil. And, oddly, shefelt quite as much pity for the father as for the son. A wall of pride,Alpine high, and neither would force a passage!

  They did not see the arch rogue during the day, but he came in to dinner.He was gay--in a story-telling mood. There was little or no banter, for hespoke only to Jane, and gave her flashes of some of his amazing activitiesin search of art treasures. He had once been chased up and down Japan bythe Mikado's agents for having in his possession some royal-silk tapestrywhich it is forbidden to take out of the country. Another time he had goneinto Tibet for a lama's ghost mask studded with raw emeralds andturquoise, and had suffered untold miseries in getting down into India.Again he had entered a Rajput haremlik as a woman, and eventually escapedwith the fabulous rug which hung in the salon. Adventure, adventure, anddeath always at his elbow! There was nothing of the braggart in the man;he recounted his tales after the manner of a boy relating some collegeescapades, deprecatingly.

  Often Jane stole a glance at one or the other of the Cleighs. She wasconstantly swung between--but never touched--the desire to laugh and thedesire to weep over this tragedy, which seemed so futile.

  "Why don't you write a book about these adventures?" she asked.

  "A book? No time," said Cunningham. "Besides, the moment one of thesetrips is over it ends; I can recount it only sketchily."

  "But even sketchily it would be tremendously interesting. It is as if youwere playing a game with death for the mere sport of it."

  "Maybe that hits it, though I've never stopped to analyze. I never thinkof death; it is a waste of gray matter. I should be no nearer death inTibet than I should be asleep in a cradle. Why bother about the absolute,the inevitable? Humanity wears itself out building bridges for imaginarytorrents. I am an exception; that is why I shall be young and handsome upto the moment the grim stalker puts his claw on my shoulder."

  He smiled whimsically.

  "But you, have you never caught some of the passion for possessing rarepaintings, rugs, manuscripts?"

  "You miss the point. What does the sense of possession amount to besidethe sense of seeking and finding? Cleigh here thinks he is having a thrillwhen he signs a check. It is to laugh!"

  "Have you ever killed a man?" It was one of those questions that leapforth irresistibly. Jane was a bit frig
htened at her temerity.

  Cunningham drank his coffee deliberately.

  "Yes."

  "Oh!"

  Jane shrank back a little.

  "But never willfully," Cunningham added--"always in self-defence, andnever a white man."

  There was a peculiar phase about the man's singular beauty. Animated, itwas youthful; in grim repose, it was sad and old.

  "Death!" said Jane in a kind of awed whisper. "I have watched many die,and I cannot get over the terror of it. Here is a man with all thefaculties, physical and mental; a human being, loving, hating, working,sleeping; and in an instant he is nothing!"

  "A Chinaman once said that the thought of death is as futile as water inthe hand. By the way, Cleigh--and you too, captain--give the wireless awide berth. There's death there."

  Jane saw the fire opals leap into the dark eyes.