One Maid's Mischief Part 53

Who else has gone?"

"Captain Hilton," said the doctor.

"Yes, I was sure," hissed the Malay. "He was always there at her side.

I was ref--fused; but I cannot sit still and see her stolen away by another, and I will have revenge--I will have revenge!"

The Malay Prince's aspect told plainly enough that he would have sprung like a wild beast at his enemy's throat had he been present; and saving Mrs Bolter and Grey, who stood holding her hand, the ladies crowded together, one or two shrieking with alarm as the Resident quietly advanced to the young Malay.

"Put up your weapon, sir," he said firmly. "We are not savages.

Recollect that you are amongst civilised people now."

The Rajah turned upon him with so fierce and feline a look that Grey Stuart turned paler than she already was, and pressed Mrs Bolter's hand spasmodically; but Harley did not shrink, he merely fixed the young man as it were with his eyes, before whose steady gaze the sullen, angry glare of the young Prince sank, and he stood as if turned to stone.

"Yes," he said, in a guttural voice; "you are right;" and slowly replacing his kris in its sheath, he covered the hilt with his silken plaid before standing there with his brows knit, and the veins in his temples standing out as if he were engaged in a heavy struggle to master the savage spirit that had gained the ascendant.

"That is better," said the Resident, quietly. "Now we can talk like sensible men."

"Yes," replied the Rajah; "but it is hard--very hard. It masters me, and I feel that I cannot bear it. You know what I have suffered, and how I fought it down. Mr Harley, Mr Perowne, did I not act like an English gentleman would have done?"

"Yes, yes," said Mr Perowne, hastily.

"I tried so hard that I might," he whispered. "I was born a Malay; but I am trying to become more like you. I thought I had mastered everything; but when I hear this news it is too much for me, and--Mr Harley--doctor--give me something to make me calm, or I shall go mad."

He turned away and stood for a few moments with his back to them, while the party a.s.sembled whispered their thoughts till the young man turned once more, and they saw that his face was calm and impa.s.sive, as if no furious storm of rage had just been agitating its surface.

"What are you going to do?" he said, in a low, deep voice, gazing from Mr Perowne to the Resident and back again.

"Search, sir, until we have found the lady," said the latter, quietly.

"I will help," said the Rajah; whose eyes emitted a flash that told of the rage in his heart.

"Thank you," said the Resident, quietly.

"You will pursue them?" continued the Rajah. "Tell me, by your laws do you kill this man for what he has done?"

"We do not think there is any need of pursuit, sir," replied Mr Harley, quietly; "we fear that there has been an accident."

"I have brought down two nagas, and two smaller boats," cried the Rajah, eagerly. "There are a hundred of my people waiting. Shall I send them to follow, or will you give them your commands? They are your slaves until this is done."

The Resident stood thinking for a minute or two, and the Rajah turned from him impatiently.

"We lose time!" he cried, angrily. "Mr Perowne, you do not speak.

Tell me--you are her father--what shall I do?"

Mr Perowne held out his hand, which the Rajah seized.

"Thank you, Rajah," he said simply; "but we must be guided by wisdom in what we do. Mr Harley will speak directly. He is trying to help us.

I cannot say more," he faltered. "I am crushed and helpless under this blow."

"Tut, mon! don't give way!" whispered old Stuart, going to his side.

"Keep a stout hairt and all will be well."

A couple of hours of indecision pa.s.sed away, for the coming of the Rajah had thrown them off the track. They had had one scent to follow, and, however blindly, they were about to attempt it, but were now thrown back upon two other lines--the one being the suggestion of an accident; the other of elopement.

The hot day was wearing on, and the boatmen were returning boat by boat, but without the slightest information, not even a vague suggestion upon which hope could be hung. Still, nothing more had been done--nothing seemed possible under the circ.u.mstances; and a general feeling of despondency was gathering over the little community, when a new suspicion dawned in the Resident's mind, and he blamed himself for not having thought of it before.

The suspicion had but a slight basis, still it was enough; and eager as he was to find something to which he could cling, Neil Harley felt for the moment glad of the mental suggestion, and felt that all idea of some terrible boat accident might be set aside, for at last he had found the clue.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER SEVEN.

NO FALSE SCENT.

Neil Harley's new suspicion, one which he was cautious not to mention as yet, was that, in accordance with the Malay character, this revengeful blow had come from one who owed the English community or Government a grudge.

The Rajah had been the first to suffer from suspicion, but his coming had cleared him somewhat in the eyes of his friends; still there was one who might well feel enmity against the English for the part they had played, and this was one who had not been to clear herself from suspicion.

The Inche Maida had come to the Residency island humbly with her pet.i.tion--a reasonable suppliant for help against her enemies. She had had her request, if not refused, at all events treated with official neglect. It was no wonder, then, that she should feel aggrieved, and, while wearing the mask of friends.h.i.+p, take some steps to obtain mental satisfaction for the slight.

The Resident pondered upon all this, and felt that she must naturally be deeply wounded. She had borne her disappointment with the patience and stoicism of one of her religion; but all the same she might have been waiting for an opportunity to strike.

"Allah's will be done!" she had said at their last interview, when the Resident had made a further communication from Government; and she had bent her head and sighed deeply as she turned to go away, but only to return, shake hands with Mr Harley, and thank him.

"You are a good man, Mr Harley," she had said, "and I know you would have helped me if you could."

"Yes, she has been most friendly ever since," he mused, "and her behaviour last night at the party was all that could have been desired."

Still, he argued, she was a Malay, and all this might have been to serve as a blind to her future acts. She must feel very bitter, and, with all an Eastern's cunning, she must have been nursing up her wrath till an opportunity occurred for revenge.

This, perhaps, would be that revenge.

"No," he said, "it was childish;" and he felt directly after that he was maligning a really amiable woman.

He ended by thinking that he could judge her by her acts. If she were innocent of all complicity in the abduction of Helen--if abduction it was--she would come and display her sympathy to her English friends in this time of trouble.

"What do you think, Miss Stuart?" he said, leading her into the opening of a window. "The Inche Maida has cause of complaint against us. Do you think she has had anything to do with getting Helen away?"

"No, I'm certain she has not," cried Grey, flus.h.i.+ng warmly. "She is too good and true a woman."

"Do you think she likes Helen?" asked the Resident.

"No, I think she dislikes her," replied Grey; "but she could not be guilty of such a crime as you suggest."

"I am suspicious," said the Resident. "Why does she stay away? She must have heard something by this time. Did you see her very late last night?"

"Yes, till very late--till after the disappearance. She was wondering where Helen had gone."

"Yes," said the Resident, "that is all in her favour, my dear child; but still she stops away."