The Rajah of Dah Part 34

"Then the other way by that elephant track."

"Farther into the enemy's country. No, sir; there is only one route-- the river; and so far, I can only see violence as the way, and we are too weak to attempt that--too weak, or the rajah is too strong."

"Then do I understand you to mean that you are going to remain prostrate, and bow down your necks for this man to trample upon you?"

"Mr Murray," interposed Mr Braine, "you are too hard. You are losing your temper. Recollect, sir, that we are placed in a position whose difficulties you even now hardly realise."

"Indeed you are wrong, Mr Braine!" cried Murray, hotly.

"Then remember, sir, you are speaking to a gentleman--a father, whose heart is wrung by the position in which he is placed."

"Yes, I am wrong," said Murray, warmly; "but have some pity for me too.

Doctor Barnes, you cannot be blind to what I think and feel. All this is agonising to me. Look here, sir; do you think I have not brains enough to see that this man reads me and my sentiments toward your daughter. The scoundrel--the insolent barbarian! he is actually jealous, and under his smiling civility, he is trying to crush me down or to sweep me out of his path. Do you not see what this expedition to-morrow means."

"Ah, I did not think of that!" cried Greig, excitedly.

"But I did," said Murray. "I will not go so far as to say that the wretch means to have me killed, but I do say that as my presence here might interfere with his plans, I am to be either put out of the way, or kept up the country a prisoner, doing his work until such time as he considers it safe for me to return."

"Murray is right," said Mr Braine; "too right, I fear. You must not, you shall not risk the journey to-morrow alone. I must speak plainly now. I would not answer for your life."

"I will not go," said Murray, firmly. "I am a quiet enthusiast, but there is some old Scottish blood in my veins, gentlemen, that can be roused, and I'll fight to the death before I will see this wrong done."

"As we all would," said Mr Braine, warmly. "G.o.d bless you, Murray!

You will be a tower of strength to us; but this is not a time for fighting. We are weak--the rajah is strong. He is cunning, too, with all the smiling deceit of these people, who throw you off your guard so as to get a better opportunity for striking."

"But we must act and at once, Braine."

"Yes, but it must be with quiet and dissimulation; cunning for cunning.

Violence is useless."

"I don't know," said Murray, fiercely. "The future of a lady whom I boldly tell her father I love and reverence so dearly that, though my suit may be hopeless, though she may never look upon me as aught but a friend, I will die in her service to save her from such a fate as threatens her. My life is, I know, menaced now. Well, I had better try to do some good before I go, if it is only to rid the world of this tyrannical scoundrel and--"

Murray stopped short, the doctor darted to a chest and s.n.a.t.c.hed out a revolver, and Mr Braine seized a sword hanging upon a couple of hooks against the wall; for all at once a violent scuffling and panting arose from beneath their feet, telling that two men were contending, and all doubt as to who one of them might be, was set aside the next moment by a familiar voice.

"Ah-hah! would ye--ye thayving baste? Shure, would ye? Take that, and that, and that."

It was plain, too, what the donations were from the sounds which followed them--dull heavy thuds of blows delivered by a st.u.r.dy fist.

The struggle was continued as all hurried out into the veranda, and down the steps to plunge below the house into the intense darkness, where all was now silent.

"Who's there?" said the doctor. "Driscol, where are you?"

There was no reply.

"Surely the poor fellow has not been stabbed!" cried the doctor excitedly. "Wait till I fetch a light."

He hurried back, leaving Murray and Mr Braine trying in vain to penetrate the darkness, so as to make out whether any one was near.

Then the doctor's steps were heard overhead, and his voice came down so distinctly, that both felt how a listener would hear every word.

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "Driscol caught some Malay scoundrel prowling about."

"Where is my husband!" said Mrs Braine.

"Down below with Murray. How is Amy?"

"Calmer now."

"That's right. Back directly."

And then the doctor's step made the bamboo creak as he crossed the room.

"Whoever it was must have heard every word we said," whispered Mr Braine.

Just then the lamp the doctor carried shone down through the steps, and directly after among the posts which supported the house.

"Well?" he said, holding the lamp above his head; "heard any one?"

"Yes," said Mr Braine in a low tone. "You."

"You heard me speaking?"

"Every word you said."

"How unfortunate! But where is my man? There is no one here."

"Thank goodness!" said Mr Braine. "I was afraid the poor fellow had been stabbed. But let's look round."

The lamp's light was directed in all directions, but there was no sign except in one spot where the ground had been trampled, and a climbing-plant torn down.

"We must try to follow the trail," said the doctor; but at that moment steps were heard, and the whisking noise of some body pa.s.sing through the bushes and shrubs the doctor had collected about the back of his house.

"Who's that?" cried Mr Braine, sharply.

"Only me, sor. Is the master there? Oh, there you are, sor. I wint after him, sor, for he made me a bit mad shticking at me with his kris thing."

"Are you wounded?"

"Only just a bit of a p.r.i.c.k, sor. I've put my hankychy round it. In me arm here. It's jist nawthing."

"But who was it? What does it mean?" said the doctor, hastily examining the man's arm, while Mr Braine held the light.

"Who was it, sor? Well, I hardly know. It was so dark, but if I was to guess by the face of the man, I should say it was Mr Tumongong--an'

what a name for a gintleman!--and what does it mane? Well, sor, I was having just a little whiff out of me bamboo-pipe, and takking a look round, or a feel round, it was so dark, before going to bed, when I heard a bit of a rustle, and I backed under the house to get away, for I thought it was a tiger; but it was a man, and he kept on coming nearer till he was right underneath here, and close to where we stand, and hiff--!"

"Did I hurt you?" said the doctor, who was binding Tim's wound.

"Yes, sor, thank ye, sor. It did rather, but I don't mind. Well, sor, he was listening to you gintlemen up-stairs; and as I thought it moighty ondacent, I laid howld of him, and nipped him, and we scuffled a bit, and then he p.r.i.c.ked me wid his kris, and I hit him two or three cracks wid me fist, for I had no stick. Then he went off in the dark, and I afther him; but there wasn't a chance of catching him, for he went through the trees like a sarpent, and of course, sor, the man who runs has a better chance than the man who runs afther him."