One Maid's Mischief Part 88

The doctor was so anxious to get on that no further notice of the marks of other travellers was taken, and with his spirits growing more elate as he went on, he watched the dense jungle on either side, and peered down into the black water as night came rapidly on, so swiftly indeed that they had not progressed more than a couple of miles before the darkness made a halt absolutely necessary.

The waterproof sheet made a good covering, and the night pa.s.sed undisturbed, the rising sun being the signal for a fresh start; but the difficulties of the journey began rapidly to increase.

The stream that had been deep as well as swift seemed to have suddenly grown shallow, indicating by its noisy brawling, and sparkling over ma.s.ses of rock, that the country was rising fast.

In fact, the course of the river was now between high escarpments of rock, the jungle and its dense ma.s.ses of trees seeming to be left behind, the gra.s.ses that grew in patches amongst the c.h.i.n.ks of the rocks being different in kind from that which tangled the jungle where it touched the water.

But in spite of the difficulties of the journey, the doctor was in ecstasies, and, regardless of getting his feet wet, he was constantly out of the boat to examine the shallow sands for signs of gold.

VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER THREE.

A TIME OF TRIAL.

Murad was startled for the moment, Helen's act was so unexpected. Then a calm look of satisfaction crossed his face, and he smiled as he stood there, gazing down at the swarthy beauty, and folding his arms, he waited for her to speak.

"Do you wish to abase me more than this?" she said at last, in a choking voice.

"No," he replied, calmly, "that will do. I meant to bring the proud English beauty to my feet. See, I have done so, and very much sooner than I expected."

Helen felt that she had made a false move, and the blood ran back to her heart, as she crouched there, trembling.

"You have brought me to your feet," she said softly. "Be satisfied, and spare me further degradation."

"What do you wish me to do?" he said in a low, deep voice.

"Send me back home!" she cried excitedly.

"And what then--what of your father and the Resident? What of my position at the settlement?"

"No one shall know. I will keep it all a secret."

"And you would risk all the remarks that your appearance would excite by going back?"

"Yes!" she cried pa.s.sionately, as she thought of Mr Harley, and felt that he would take her to his heart even then.

"And you honestly believe that no trouble would follow?" said Murad quietly.

"I am certain of it!" she cried. "I tell you I would keep it secret."

"And I know better," he said contemptuously. "My good girl, do you think I am a child? If I let them at the settlement know of the step I have taken, your people would send for help, and my country would be invaded, my campongs burned, and after they had driven me out, they would take possession of my land."

"But I would not betray you."

"Pis.h.!.+ They would discover it for themselves. They think you dead now.

Let them think that you had been carried off, and my days would be but few in my land."

"Oh, no, no!" she cried; "the English are not cruel."

"Oh, no," he echoed, with a derisive smile, "not cruel, only just. Look here, Helen, I have been gambling: I staked all I had, even to my life, to win you, and I have won. Now you ask me to resign my gains. It is ridiculous. How would it be--how does the matter stand? On the one hand, here is ruin to my place and people and death to myself; on the other hand, happiness and joy--the happiness of a gratified love, as I rejoice in my triumph over the woman who first made my pulses throb, and then trifled with my love."

Helen started to her feet and shrank away, feeling instinctively that she had as much prospect of finding pity from the tigers of the jungle as from Murad.

As she retreated from him he smiled with all the consciousness of his power, and rested upon one elbow, as he reclined upon the mats, watching her movements, a very idealisation of some glistening serpent, gazing languidly at the trembling victim that has been placed within its cage, ready to be stricken down at his good pleasure.

"There," he said, at last, "it is foolish to weary yourself and try to escape. I tell you it is impossible. You have now the skin and the dress of a Malay lady; why do you not adopt our ways as well? We are fatalists, as your people call us. When we see that a thing is to be, we take it as it comes, and do not murmur and strive against fate. You see now that it is your fate to be my favourite wife. Why should you strive against it like some dove that beats its breast against the close bars of its cage. Come," he continued, making a place for her by his side, "let us be friends at once, Helen. You do not wish to make me angry with you, I am dangerous then."

"Angry? With me?" she cried, her indignation a.s.serting itself now, and her eyes flashed as they met his. "I do not fear your anger."

"And yet it is to be feared," he said quietly. "Ask one of the women here about my rage, and you will find that it may mean death. They fear it, and shrink from me when I frown."

For answer, Helen strove once more to tear open the door, and then she uttered a wild and piercing shriek, for, as silently as one of the tigers of his own jungle, Murad had gathered himself up and sprung forward, catching her by the arms, and the next moment he held her strained to his breast.

Helen's wild shriek was answered on the instant by one without; and Murad's face became less swarthy in his rage, as he loosed his prisoner and threw open the door, admitting the younger of the two Malay girls who had been Helen's gaolers, and who ran to the Rajah and flung herself upon his breast.

In an access of rage the Malay chief struck her across the face, and sent her staggering back, as he cursed her brutally for coming at such a time; and Helen saw how thin a veneer was the English upon the man's nature, which now a.s.serted itself in all its native savagery as he bade the girl go.

"No," she cried, turning upon him in a patient, suffering way, displaying the strength of her weakness as she once more clung to his arm. "I do not mind your beating me," she said patiently. "I am used to that: but you said you would love me always; and I will not have this strange girl come between us."

"If you do not go--" he said hoa.r.s.ely, and he bent down and whispered to her with a menacing look, and a touch at the hilt of his kris.

"I am not afraid," she said in the same low tone, as she clung to his arm. "You would not kill me; and you may beat me. I am used to that.

I say I will not have anyone come between us and stand quietly by."

Murad's hand sought his kris, and his lips parted from his teeth, when he half drew the weapon from its sheath; but he mastered his savage rage as he thought of Helen, and spoke quietly and in slow, measured tones, evidently meaning her to hear and comprehend every word.

"Go," he said, "and you can tell the others this--I have no wife now but this lady. If either of you speak evil to her or annoy her in any way you die. I shall not touch you, but you will be taken to the river.

Now leave me at once."

The girl shrank from him, and trembling in every limb, she tottered towards the door; but her attachment and jealous feelings still refused to be mastered, and turning back once more, she burst into a wild pa.s.sion of weeping, and flung herself upon his breast.

"Go?" he cried angrily, and he repulsed her roughly. "You hear my words."

He flung her away, and Helen saw her opportunity. Here was one who hated her, but might be made her friend; and as the girl staggered back from the violent thrust she had received, Helen caught her in her arms and clung to her.

For a moment the girl shrank away; but directly after she gazed wildly in her eyes, and then with an hysterical cry clasped her tightly.

"Stay with me," whispered Helen. "I hate him! Pray stay and save me from him!"

The trembling girl seemed to grow strong as she found out more fully what her rival's real feelings were; and as Murad angrily advanced she retreated with Helen to one corner of the room, uttering so wild and piercing a shriek that the Rajah stamped his foot with rage, and going to the door, threw it open and uttered a fierce command.

The result was, that four of the women with whose faces Helen was already familiar came running in, and Murad pointed peremptorily to the pair.

"Take her away!" he cried sharply, and the women seized Helen's defender; but with a quick movement she s.n.a.t.c.hed a little kris from within her sarong, and they fell back in alarm; while with flas.h.i.+ng eyes she placed one arm round Helen, and gazed menacingly from one to the other, as if ready to strike at the first who should advance.

The women uttered loud cries and fled to Murad, who fiercely ordered them once more to separate the pair. No one, however, advanced, and he threw open the door and bade them go.