i was amazed, astounded even, at her hardihood in sucking any possible poison out of that wound in my arm at so great a risk to her own life, if the weapon had been envenomed. and i was most profoundly touched, too. but as i had had my lesson on the ship i presumed no further; i viewed it as done out of common humanity and to preserve a life useful to her—nothing more. i dared not put any other construction upon her noble action, even in thought. meanwhile in my turn, i took such hasty precautions for her safety as i could while i thanked her. i bade her rinse out her mouth thoroughly with a mixture of the cold water and the strong spirit of which i still had my flask nearly full.
by this time we had withdrawn to the back of the outer cave. indeed, that was the only safe place for us, for a constant succession of weapons[297] was being thrown through the opening. we needed no further warning to keep us out of reach. master pimball was showing himself something of a general, too. he was keeping us away from the entrance and with the great host of men at his command he was building up the broken-down heap of stones which would presently enable them to come at us in force. at least that was what i guessed from what i had seen and what i now heard.
while my little mistress busied herself with tying up my wounded arm with strips torn from the sleeve of my shirt which i had offered for the purpose—she had wanted to make bandages out of her underwear but i stayed her—i considered what was to be done. i had four loaded pistols and therefore four lives in my hand. no man could show his head in that entrance without receiving a shot. after that i could account for a few more, perhaps, with sword, axe, or naked fist, but in the end they would inevitably master me. unfortunately, the entrance was broad enough for four or more to enter abreast easily.
should i open the battle there or retreat into[298] the inner cave and wait, was the question that had to be decided. perhaps the latter would be the safer plan but i had a strange unwillingness to adopt it, for once within i feared we should never get out alive except as prisoners, so long as they held the outer cave and i could never dislodge them from it. there was not much more chance of getting out alive from the outer cave, for that matter, but still it seemed so. we could at least see the sky and the sunlight. should we stay there or go further into the wall?
i decided upon the former course. i explained to my mistress that i would keep the outer cave as long as i could, begging her to retreat to the inner chamber. she demurred at first, but when i spoke to her peremptorily at last—god forgive me—she acceded to my request humbly enough. indeed, she saw that in this matter i could not be denied and also perhaps that i had right and prudence on my side. her presence would only have embarrassed me in my fighting although i could quite understand that she wanted to fight, too. it was in her blood and she has since confessed that she never expected that we would come through the[299] conflict alive and she would fain have died by my side. but that was not to be, and so, for the once she obeyed me.
i thrust the best pistol into her hand and told her to reserve it for herself in case her capture was inevitable, but not to pull the trigger until the last moment. and i promised her faithfully that i would not foolishly or uselessly jeopard myself but that after i had made what fight i could, i would join her if it were in any way possible.
even then she hung in the wind awhile, seeming loath to go when all had been said between us. finally she approached me, laid her hand on my arm and looked up at me. seeing that she had previously decided to go and said so, i wondered what was coming now.
“master hampdon,” she said softly, “here we be a lone man and woman among these savages and murderers with but little chance for our lives, i take it. i am sorry that i struck you on the ship—and—you may—kiss—me—good-by.”
with that she proffered me her lips. i could face a thousand savages, a hundred pimballs, without a quiver of the nerves, but at these unexpected[300] words and that wonderful condescension, my knees fairly smote together before this small woman. i stood staring down at her.
“you were once over eager to take from me by force what i now offer you willingly,” she said, half turning away in a certain—shall i say disappointment?
with that i caught her to me and once again i drank the sweetness of her lips. we were bound to die and i kissed her as a man does when he loves a woman. i forgot the savages outside, the stones, the spears, the arrows streaming through the entrance, the yells and curses that came to us. i held her in my arms and without resistance. i could have held her there forever, quite willing to die in such sweet embrace. she pushed me away from her at last and i could swear that my kisses had been returned, and then with a whispered blessing she dropped to her knees and crawled within the adjoining cave.
i could have fought the world, thereafter, for her kisses intoxicated me like wine. yet even then i did not delude myself. i felt that on her part at least, it was a farewell kiss such as[301] two true devoted comrades might give to each other in the face of death. i said to myself that to her the pressure of my lips had only been as the salute of an ancient gladiator about to die was to the cæsar who watched the struggle. to me—well i blessed her even for that crowning mercy.
with a pistol in each hand and the third upon a rock close at hand i waited. i had not long to wait. there was a sudden fiercer rain of arrows and spears, some of which struck at my feet or by my side. i gathered up a sheaf of them and laid them at hand beside the pistol on the rock.
the next instant two tremendous savages and a white man appeared in the entrance. the shot was easy, the target fine. i couldn’t miss. the first bullet went into the brain of master glibby, the next tore off the head of the leading chief. reserving the third pistol, i seized a spear and drove it through the throat of the other savage. i shouted with triumph, and mistress lucy has since confessed to me that, kneeling down and peering through the opening, contrary to my explicit order which was for her to seek safe cover,[302] she saw all and that my call of victory was the sweetest sound she had ever heard.
i thought we had done, but they were an indomitable lot, those south sea islanders, and they were well urged. four others took their places at once, spears in hands, which they threw at me. i dodged them with some difficulty and let fly the third pistol. they came crowding this time and the bullet from the heavy weapon accounted for two others, but the survivors had gained a footing, and the shelf behind them was suddenly filled with lifting heads and climbing men.
i clubbed my weapons and hurled them one after another fair and square into the mass. one man went down with a broken skull. the rush was checked, they gave back a little. i cast spears and arrows at them but now the shield men had come up and they caught the missiles on their shields. the front rank wavered and perhaps if they had been unsupported, they might have been driven below, but the crowd behind would not let them retire. slowly they began to move toward me.
i doubt not i was a terrible figure, for i had whipped out my cutlass by this time and stood[303] at bay. i had forgotten for the moment all else but the lust of the conflict and in another second i had flung myself upon them in a fury. it was my mistress who recalled me to myself.
“save yourself,” she shrieked, “they are upon you. come hither.”
with that i dropped down and made a spring for the opening. i had waited too long. the leading man would have pinned me to the earth with his spear. the entrance was wide fortunately, and mistress lucy would see through the part i did not block with my huge bulk. again disregarding entirely my instructions, she fired the last pistol at that nearest man. he went down like a ninepin, both legs broken, which gave me time to gain the inner chamber and stand upright. i was bleeding for i had been cut here and there, but was otherwise all right.
“that shot saved my life,” i cried panting, “you should have kept it for yourself.”
“i can find means to die,” she answered, “if by naught else, by your sword blade.”
“good,” i exclaimed, proud of her prowess and her resolution.
[304]they gave us no time for further speech for urged by what promises of reward, what passionate hatred, what bestial desire, i know not, they came on. the narrow entrance was suddenly black with the islanders who thrust their spears at us. fortunately my mistress had moved aside and was out of range, but i was perilously near being cut down. mistress lucy had the sword which i had thrust into her hand, and i the great axe which i had cast into the inner cave ahead of me.
those outside were even less able to see than we and perhaps they thought we had withdrawn, or been driven back, for they crept forward with assurance.
while i had lived in the gardener’s lodge at wilberforce castle, i had got to be quite an axe-man. i brought down the heavy weapon on the first head, striking with just enough force to kill and yet leave me able to recover myself without delay, and when three heads had been knocked that way in rapid succession with no more damage to me than a trifling spear cut on the ankle, the battle stopped for a moment. i laughed.
[305]“come on, you dogs!” i shouted, “i can play at that game until you are more tired of it than i.”
i spoke without thought, however, for those outside the opening drew back the bodies by their legs and thus cleared the entrance. i judged that the outer cave, which was large and spacious, was now filled with men. they were shouting and gesticulating in great excitement. but none made any effort to enter. finally, i heard a human voice speaking english. it was pimball.
“master hampdon?” he cried.
“speak not to me, murdering villain,” i answered.
“now this is madness,” he shouted. “you are trapped like rats; we have only to wall up the entrance or build a fire in front of it an’ you will both die.”
“it is a thousand times better to die so,” i answered shortly, “than to live with craven men like you.”
“you are a fool,” he exclaimed.
he dropped down on his knees as he spoke and i could see his face in the opening but too[306] far away for me to swing my axe. if it were my last effort i was determined that i would get him, and so i waited.
“don’t lose the sword,” i cried to my lady across the chamber where her white face stared at me out of the dimness.
“i shall not,” she answered undauntedly.
then i lifted the axe and waited for master pimball and his men to come on, but he had a better plan. bullets and powder they had in plenty and he knew from the fact that i had thrown my pistols at them that i had none left. with a deafening roar a storm of bullets from a dozen weapons swept the cave. i leaped back. i had to, or i should have been shot where i stood. of the way thus opened they took instant advantage and under cover of a second volley they sought to enter. well, it was all up, all i could do was to leap upon them as they rose and—
but that moment the solid rock beneath my feet began to sway. it was as if i had been instantly translated to the deck of a tossing ship. i stood rooted to the spot trying to maintain a balance. pimball had lifted himself upon one[307] knee and was almost clear of the entrance, but he too stopped, appalled. a sickening feeling of apprehension that all the savages on earth would not have inspired came over me. my mistress screamed faintly. the natives outside broke into terror stricken shouts and cries, an oath burst from the lips of the leader of the mutineers.
the next moment, with a crash like a thousand thunder peals the earth was rent in twain.
the earthquake shook that rocky island like a baby’s cradle. a great mass of rock over the entrance fell. with another roar like to the first the cliff was riven in every direction. the noise outside ceased. the men with pimball were ground to death. upon his legs lay fifty feet of broken rock. darkness, total and absolute, succeeded the dim light. i remember realizing that the attack had failed and then something struck me. down upon the wet, still quivering sand i fell and knew no more.
