Part 29 (2/2)
”Due east by south,” said Mr Aiken, ”and we're ready to show heels to anything I can drop a reef off now if you want it”
”Good,” said my father ”Put on all the sail she will carry”
Mr Aiken grinned
”I thought you'd want to be ht,” said my father, ”and put about at once and head back up the river”
Mr Aiken whistled softly
”Well, I'll be damned!” he muttered
”I shall want ten men with me when I land,” my father continued ”I've done my best to keep the crew out of my private affairs, but now it seeo,” said Mr Aiken ”They've been hoping for exciteh,” said ?” Made,” he replied, ”except that we are going back”
His arrown very white
”Surely you have done enough,” she said, and her voice became a soft entreaty ”Here we are on board your shi+p If I told you I was not entirely sorry, would you not go on? If I told you, captain, I did not care about the paper--?”
My father waved his hand in graceful denial
”Not go back? Ah, Maderave rebuke, ”can it be possible after all, in spite of all this--let us say regrettableI am the villain of this piece, and not a very pleasant one? Even if I wished, my lady, my sense of hospitality would forbid it My brother-in-laaiting for ht, and I could not leave him alone He would be disappointed, I feel sure, and so would I I have had a strenuous evening I need recreation now Load the pistols, Brutus”
And he fell silent again, his eyes on the blank wall before hilass
The _Sea Tern_ had need to be a fast shi+p, and she lived up to require sheer and quick through the roughened sea With his ar of white linen, ardless of the flight of time It was only e veered in the wind and orders were shouted from forward that he looked about him
”Your arm, Brutus,” he said
On deck the creas at work about the long boat, and over the port rail, perhaps a quarter of ain the , flickering through the waving branches of the elms that half hid it Nearer lay our wharf, a black, silent shadow My father watched without a word The anchor chain growled out a sharp complaint, and the anchor splashed into the tide
”Mr Aiken,” said et under way in half an hour When we land, the men ait at the wharf, and be ready to enter the house when you call them You shall co and instructive”
”And I?” Mademoiselle demanded ”Shall you leave me here?”
He see, Madeiven orders for my sloop to carry you to New Orleans Your boxes will be taken from the house, and you will be taken on board from here May you have a pleasant journey, and may your friends be hen you arrive”
”You ood-by?” she asked, and her voice had a sound that reain?”
He bowed low over her hand
”Mademoiselle will be relieved to knoe shall not,” said ravely ”Let me hope you may always have ain, but she did not Instead, she turned silently away and left him, and a second later I saw her disappear in the shadow of the main-mast