Part 13 (1/2)
His head drooped to his breast, and he sat thus awhile like a roaned miserably, at last ”Who, then, is left to reat fraard face and were lost in the stubble of beard upon his chin ”I am accursed!” he said
Never without such evidence could he have believed this thing Froates of Godolphin Court he had conceived it to be the work of Rosaht that she could have suffered conviction of his guilt and her hatred of hiths as these Never for an instant had he doubted the e delivered him by Lionel that it was Mistress Rosaoing to Godolphin Court in answer to her su there was the realdone by her contriving, her answer to his atteain speech with her, herthat such an impertinence should never be repeated
This conviction had been gall and ood to hi hiht be reserved hiht as this present revelation After all, in her case there were sorounds for the hatred that had come to take the place of her erstwhile love But in Lionel's what grounds were possible? What motives could exist for such an action as this, other than a oism which desired perhaps to ensure that the blame for the death of Peter Godolphin should not be shi+fted fro it, and the accursed desire to profit by the removal of the man who had been brother, father and all else to him? He shuddered in sheer horror It was incredible, and yet beyond a doubt it was true For all the love which he had showered upon Lionel, for all the sacrifices of self which he had made to shi+eld hiainst him he still must have believed Lionel true to him, and in that belief must have been enheartened a little And nowHis sense of loneliness, of utter destitution overwhelotten, and being begotten it grew rapidly until it filled his reat head, and his bloodshot, gleah, who seated now upon the sea-chest was quietly observing hi patiently until he should recover the hich this revelation had scattered
”Master Leigh,” said he, ”what is your price to carry land?”
”Why, Sir Oliver,” said he, ”I think the price I was paid to carry you off would be a fair one The one would wipe out t'other as it were”
”You shall have twice the suain,”
was the instant answer
The captain's little eyes blinked and his shaggy red eyebrows caether in a frown Here was too speedy an acquiescence There ht of the ways of ?” he sneered
”Mischief, ht, knave, d'ye think I consider you in this matter, or d'ye think I've rooether with that other?”
It was the truth So absolute was the bitter sway of his anger against Lionel that he could give no thought to this rascally seaive iven it already I swear that you shall be paid the suland
Is that enough for you? Then cut me these bonds, and let us lad to deal with so sensible a man! Ye take it in the proper spirit Ye see that what I ha' done I ha' but done in the way of , that I as to them which hired me to this deed”
”Aye, ye're but a tool--a dirty tool, whetted with gold; no more 'Tis ad trussed like a capon”
The captain drew his knife, crossed to Sir Oliver's side and slashed his bonds aithout further word Sir Oliver stood up so suddenly that he s of the cabin, and so sat down again at once And in that moment from without and above there ca it open, and so let out the smoke and let in the sunshi+ne He passed out on to the poop-deck, and Sir Oliver--conceiving himself at liberty to do so--followed hiy sea out to sea; on the forecastle there was another si intently ahead and towards the land They were off Cape Roca at the tih saw by how much they had lessened their distance from shore since last he had conned the shi+p, he swore ferociously at his e of the wheel Ahead of them away on their larboard bow and in line with the us from which she had issued--and where not a doubt but she had been lying in wait for such stray craft as this--caallants, running wellnigh before the ith every foot of canvas spread
Close-hauled as was the S and with her top-sails andmore than one knot to the Spaniard's five--for that she was a Spaniard was beyond all doubt judging by the haven whence she issued
”Luff alee!” bawled the skipper, and he sprang to the wheel, thrusting the mate aside with a blow of his elbow that al
”'Twas yourself set the course,” the fellow protested
”Thou lubberly fool,” roared the skipper ”I bade thee keep the sa out to ht on until we pile her up?” He spun the wheel round in his hands, and turned her down the wind Then he relinquished the helain ”Hold her thus,” he co orders as he went, he heaved hi to the ratlines to obey hi aloft to let out the reefs of the topsails; others ran astern to do the like by the h the green water with every sheet unfurled, racing straight out to sea
From the poop Sir Oliver watched the Spaniard He saw her veer a point or so to starboard, heading straight to intercept theht her fully a point nearer to the wind than the S, yet, equipped as she ith half as h's piratical craft, she was gaining steadily upon them none the less
The skipper ca that other shi+p's approach, cursing hi his mate more fervently still
Sir Oliver meanwhile took stock of so much of the S's armament as was visible and wondered what like were those on the main-deck below