Part 64 (1/2)

”Tom! Tom!” said Mary, ”how can you talk of such things?”

”To show you what we have to expect if he comes this way, cousin; that is all.”

”And is there any possibility of such a thing?” asked Mary.

”Why not? Why should he not pay us the compliment of looking round this way?”

”Why do they call him Touan, Tom?” asked Charles.

”Can't, you see,” said Tom, ”the Touan, the little grey flying squirrel, only begins to fly about at night, and slides down from his bough sudden and sharp. This fellow has made some of his most terrible raids at night, and so he got the name of Touan.”

”G.o.d deliver us from such monsters!” said Mary, and left the room.

She went into the kitchen. Lee sat there smoking. When she came in he rose, and, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, touched his forehead and stood looking at her.

”Now then, old friend,” she said, ”come here.”

He followed her out. She led the way swiftly, through the silent night, across the yard, over a small paddock, up to the sheep-yard beside the woolshed. There she turned shortly round, and, leaning on the fence, said abruptly--

”No one can hear us here, William Lee. Now, what have you to say?”

He seemed to hesitate a moment, and then began: ”Mrs. Hawker, have I been a good servant to you?”

”Honest, faithful, kindly, active; who could have been a better servant than you, William Lee! A friend, and not a servant; G.o.d is my witness; now then?”

”I am glad to hear you say so,” he answered. ”I did you a terrible injury once; I have often been sorry for it since I knew you, but it cannot be mended now.”

”Since you knew me?” she said. ”Why, you have known me ever since I have been in the country, and you have never injured me since then, surely.”

”Ay, but at home,” he said. ”In England. In Devons.h.i.+re.”

”My G.o.d!”

”I was your husband's companion in all his earlier villanies. I suggested them to him, and egged him on. And now, mind you, after twenty years, my punishment is coming.”

She could only say still, ”My G.o.d!” while her throat was as dry as a kiln.

”Listen to what I have got to tell you now. Hear it all in order, and try to bear up, and use your common sense and courage. As I said before, you have good friends around you, and you at least are innocent.”

”Guilty! guilty!” she cried. ”Guilty of my father's death! Read me this horrible riddle, Lee.”

”Wait and listen,” said Lee, unable to forego, even in her terror, the great pleasure that all his cla.s.s have of spinning a yarn, and using as many words as possible. ”See here. We came by Lake George, you know, and heard everywhere accounts of a great gang of bushrangers being out.

So we didn't feel exactly comfortable, you see. We came by a bush public-house, and Mr. Troubridge stops, and says he, 'Well, lad, suppose we yard these rams an hour, and take drink in the parlour?'

'All right,' I says, with a wink, 'but the tap for me, if you please.

That's my place, and I'd like to see if I can get any news of the whereabouts of the lads as are sticking up all round, because, if they're one way, I'd as lief be another.' 'All right,' says he. So in I goes, and sits down. There was n.o.body there but one man, drunk under the bench. And I has two n.o.blers of brandy, and one of Old Tom; no, two Old Toms it was, and a brandy; when in comes an old chap as I knew for a lag in a minute. Well, he and I cottoned together, and found out that we had been prisoners together five-and-twenty years agone. And so I shouted for him, and he for me, and at last I says, 'b.u.t.ty,' says I, 'who are these chaps round here on the lay' (meaning, Who are the bushrangers)? And he says, 'Young 'uns--no one as we know.' And I says, 'Not likely, matey; I've been on the square this twenty year.' 'Same here,' says the old chap; 'give us your flipper. And now,' says he, 'what sort of a cove is your boss' (meaning Mr. Troubridge)? 'One of the real right sort,' says I. 'Then see here,' says he, 'I'll tell you something: the head man of that there gang is at this minute a-sitting yarning with your boss in the parlour.' 'The devil!' says I. 'Is so,'

says he, 'and no flies.' So I sings out, 'Mr. Troubridge, those sheep will be out;' and out he came running, and I whispers to him, 'Mind the man you're sitting with, and leave me to pay the score.' So he goes back, and presently he sings out, 'Will, have you got any money?' And I says, 'Yes, thirty s.h.i.+llings.' 'Then,' says he, 'pay for this, and come along.' And thinks I, I'll go in and have a look at this great new captain of bushrangers; so I goes to the parlour door, and now who do you think I saw?”

”I know,” she said. ”It was that horrible villain they call Touan.”