Part 18 (1/2)

”Of course,” said I, ”where to look for the plan.”

So it was a plan they needed, a plan of the spot where Adam Mayle had buried the cross. Where could that plan be, in what unlikely place would Adam have hid it?

I ran over my mind the rooms, and the furniture of the house. There was no bureau, no secretaire. But I had to make up my mind. This last slip had awakened my captor's suspicions. The faces about me menaced me.

”Well, where is the plan?”

I thought over all that Glen had said to-night--was a clue to be got there?

”I haven't it,” said I, to gain time.

”But where are we to look for it?” again asked Roper, and he put his hand in his coat-pocket.

”Speak up,” said Tortue, and I read his meaning in the glance of his eyes. He meant--”Name some spot, any spot!” But I knew! It had come upon me like an inspiration, I had no shadow of doubt where that plan was. I said:

”Where are you to look for the plan? Glen has told you. Adam Mayle would rather have had the cross buried with him than that Cullen should have it. He couldn't have the treasure buried with him, but he could and did the plan. Look in Adam Mayle's grave. You will find a stick with a bra.s.s handle to it--a sword stick, but the sword's broken off short. In the hollow of that stick you'll find the plan.” Tortue nodded at me with approval. The rest jumped up from the ground.

”We have time to-night,” said Roper, and stretching out a hand he pulled my watch from my fob. ”It is eleven o'clock,” and he put the watch in his own pocket. ”Where's Adam Mayle buried?” asked another.

”In the Abbey Grounds,” said I.

”But we want spades,” objected Tortue, ”we want a pick.”

”They are here,” said Glen, with an evil smile, ”we had them ready,”

and he grinned at me. ”Mr. Berkeley comes with us, I think,” said he smoothly, ”untie his legs.”

”Yes,” said Roper with an oath. He was in a heat of excitement. ”And if he has told us wrong, good G.o.d, we'll bury him with Adam Mayle.”

But I had no doubt that I was right. I remembered what Clutterbuck had told me of Adam's vindictiveness. He would hide that plan if he could, and he could have chosen no surer place. No doubt he would have destroyed that plan when he knew that he was dying, but he was struck down with paralysis, and could not stir a finger. He could only order the stick to be buried with him.

They unfastened my legs. Roper blew out the lantern, and we went out of the shed, on to the hillside. Glen despatched Blads upon some errand, and the man hurried up the hill towards New Grimsby. Glen leisurely walked along the slope of the hill. I followed him, and the rest behind me. The moon had gone down, and the night, though clear enough, was dark. We walked on for about five minutes, until some one treading close upon my heels suddenly tripped me up. My hands were still tied behind my back, so that I could not save myself from a fall. But Tortue picked me up, and as he did so whispered in my ear:

”Is the plan there?”

I answered, ”Yes.”

I would have staked my life upon it; in fact, I was staking my life upon it.

CHAPTER XIII

IN THE ABBEY GROUNDS

We kept along the ridge of hill towards the east of the island, and met no one, nor, indeed, were we likely to do. I could look down on either side to the sea. I saw the cottages on the sh.o.r.e of New Grimsby harbour on the one side, and on the other the house at Merchant's Point, and the half-dozen houses scattered on the gra.s.s at Old Grimsby, that went by the name of Dolphin Town, and nowhere was there a twinkle of light.

Tresco was in bed.

We descended a little to our left, and rounded the shoulder of the hill at the eastern end of the island, through a desolate moorland of gorse; but once we had rounded the shoulder, we were in an instant amongst trees of luxuriant foliage, and in a hollow sheltered from the winds. The Abbey ruins stood up from a small plateau in the bosom of the trees, its broken arches and columns showing very dismal against the sky, and everywhere fragments of crumbling wall cropped up unexpected through the gra.s.s.

The burial ground was close to an eel pond, which glimmered below, nearer to the sea, and a path overgrown with weeds wound downwards to the graves.