Part 41 (1/2)
”You were on the _Tempest Queen_,” he cried, doubting his ears.
”Was no one saved?” they cried breathlessly.
”The captain and five or six pa.s.sengers, I think, were picked up, almost starved, in a boat, some days after the wreck. All others were lost.”
”Who were the pa.s.sengers?” asked Hugh, trembling with eagerness.
”I don't recall the names.”
”Was there a Miss Ridge among them?”
”Was Lord Huntingford saved?”
”I can't say as to the lady, but I know that Lord Huntingford was lost.
I remember the papers were full of headlines about him and his young wife. His dead body was picked up by a steamer. She was not found.”
”She has just been found,” said Hugh. ”This it Lady Huntingford.”
The _Winnetka_ was on a three years' cruise. Her engines had broken down a few days before, during a storm, and she was carried out of her course. The machinery being repaired, she was now picking her way toward Manila. The sailors were sent back to the wars.h.i.+p, with information for the commander, and Carruthers accompanied the joyous couple to the village. The natives had seen the s.h.i.+p and the white men, and there was intense excitement among them.
Then came the struggle for Hugh and Tennys Huntingford. For an hour they wavered and then the die was cast. Back to the old world!
When it became known that the Izors who had done so much for them were to leave the island on the big, strange thing of the deep, the greatest consternation and grief ensued. Chattering disconsolately, the whole village accompanied the belongings of the Izors to the beach. Lady Tennys and Ridgeway went among their savage friends with the promise to return some day, a promise which they meant to fulfil.
”I'll have missionaries out here in a month,” vowed Hugh, biting his lips and trying to speak calmly through the grip that was choking him involuntarily.
King Pootoo, the picture of despair, stood knee-deep in the water. As the sailors pushed off, he threw up his hands and wailed aloud; and then the whole tribe behind him fell grovelling in the sand. Two white-robed figures flung themselves in the water and grasped the gunwales as the boat moved away. The sailors tried to drive them off, but they screamed and turned their pleading faces toward their mistress.
”Please take them in,” she cried, and strong arms drew the dusky women into the boat. They were Alzam and Nattoo, the devoted handmaidens of the beautiful Izor. Trembling and in fear of dire punishment for their audacity, they sank to the bottom of the boat. Nor did they cease their moaning until they were on the broad deck of the _Winnetka_, where astonishment overcame fear.
Slowly the boat moved away from the island of Nedra, just one year after its new pa.s.sengers had set foot on its sh.o.r.es. High upon the top of the tall gatepost fluttered the frayed remnants of an American flag. The captain pointed toward it, removed his cap proudly, and then there arose a mighty cheer from the men on board the man o' war.
CHAPTER x.x.xIII
_APPARITIONS_
The _Winnetka_ pa.s.sed Corregidor Island and dropped anchor in Manila harbor on the morning of June 1st. On the forward deck stood Hugh Ridgeway and Tennys Huntingford. They went ash.o.r.e with Captain Hildebrand, Ensign Carruthers, the paymaster and several others. Another launch landed their nondescript luggage--their wedding possessions--and the faithful handmaidens. The captain and his pa.s.sengers went at once to s.h.i.+pping quarters, where the man in charge was asked if he could produce a list of those on board the _Tempest Queen_ at the time she went down.
”I have a list of those who left Aden and of those who were rescued. Did you have friends on board?”
”Yes, we had friends,” answered Hugh, in a choking voice. ”First, let me see a list of the lost.” The clerk found the book containing the list, alphabetically arranged, and placed it on the desk before the trembling man and woman. Both had an insane desire to rush from the office and back to the _Winnetka_, where they could hide from the very knowledge they were seeking. In their hearts they were wis.h.i.+ng for the solitude and happiness of the Island of Nedra. The clerk, observing their anxiety, considerately offered to read the names to them.
”No, I thank you; I'll look,” said Hugh, resolutely turning to the pages. Lady Tennys leaned weakly against the counter and looked through blurred eyes at the racing lines of ink. Hugh rapidly ran his fingers through the list, pa.s.sing dozens of pa.s.sengers they had known. As the finger approached the ”R's” it moved more slowly, more tremblingly.
”Reed--Reyer--Ridge!” ”Hugh Ridge, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.” He grew sick when he saw his own name among those who were dead.
”She was saved,” he murmured, for there was but one Ridge there.
”Look for Vernon,” whispered his companion.