第19章

"If I'd had any idea that you really intended hitting me you'd have been a dead man before your fist reached me, Byrne.You took me entirely by surprise; but that's all in the past--I'm willing to let bygones be bygones, and help you out of the pretty pickle you've got yourself into.Then we can go ahead with our work as though nothing had happened.What do you say?""I didn't know yeh was kiddin," replied the mucker, "or Iwouldn't have hit yeh.Yeh acted like yeh meant it.""Very well, that part's understood," said Theriere."Now will you come out if I can square the thing with the skipper so's you won't get more than a day or so in irons--he'll have to give you something to save his own face; but I promise that you'll get your food regularly and that you won't be beaten up the way you were before when he had you below.If he won't agree to what I propose I give you my word to tell you so.""Go ahead," said Billy Byrne; "I don't trust nobody wen Idon't have to; but I'll be dinged if I see any other way out of it."Theriere returned to the deck and seeking out the skipper drew him to one side.

"I can get him up peaceably if I can assure him that he'll only get a day or so in the cooler, with full rations and no beatings.I think, sir, that that will be the easiest way out of it.

We cannot spare a man now--if we want to get the fellow later we can always find some pretext.""Very well, Mr.Theriere," replied the skipper, "I'll leave the matter entirely in your hands--you can do what you want with the fellow; it's you as had your face punched."Theriere returned immediately to the forecastle, from which he presently emerged with the erstwhile recalcitrant Byrne, and for two days the latter languished in durance vile, and that was the end of the episode, though its effects were manifold.

For one thing it implanted in the heart of Theriere a personal hatred for the mucker, so that while heretofore his intention of ridding himself of the man when he no longer needed him was due purely to a matter of policy, it was now reinforced by a keen desire for personal revenge.The occurrence had also had its influence upon Barbara Harding, in that it had shown her Mr.Theriere in a new light--one that reflected credit upon him.She had thought his magnanimous treatment of the sailor little short of heroic; and it had deepened the girl's horror of Billy Byrne until it now amounted to little short of an obsession.

So vivid an impression had his brutality made upon her that she would start from deep slumber, dreaming that she was menaced by him.

After Billy was released for duty following his imprisonment, he several times passed the girl upon deck.He noticed that she shrank from him in disgust and terror; but what surprised him was that instead of the thrill of pride which he formerly would have felt at this acknowledgment of his toughness, for Billy prided himself on being a tough, he now felt a singular resentment against the girl for her attitude, so that he came to hate her even more than he had before hated.

Formerly he had hated her for the things she stood for, now he hated her for herself.

Theriere was often with her now, and, less frequently, Divine; for at the second officer's suggestion Barbara had not acquainted that gentleman with the fact that she was aware of his duplicity.

"It is just as well not to let him know," said Theriere."It gives you an advantage that would be wanting should he suspect the truth, so that now you are always in a position to be warned in plenty of time against any ulterior suggestion he may make.Keep me posted as to all he tells you of his plans, and in this way we can defeat him much more easily than as though you followed your natural inclinations and refused to hold communication of any sort with him.It might be well, Miss Harding, even to encourage him in the hope that you will wed him voluntarily.I think that that would throw him entirely off his guard, and pave the way for your early release.""Oh, I doubt if I could do that, Mr.Theriere," exclaimed the girl."You cannot imagine how I loathe the man now that I know him in his true colors.For years he has importuned me to marry him, and though I never cared for him in that way at all, and never could, I felt that he was a very good friend and that his constancy demanded some return on my part--my friendship and sympathy at least; but now I shiver whenever he is near me, just as I would were I to find a snake coiled close beside me.I cannot abide treachery.""Nor I, Miss Harding," agreed Theriere glibly."The man deserves nothing but your contempt, though for policy's sake I hope that you will find it possible to lead him on until his very treachery proves the means of your salvation, for believe me, if he has been false to you how much more quickly will he be false to Simms and Ward! He would ditch them in a minute if the opportunity presented itself for him to win you without their aid.I had thought it might be feasible to lead him into attempting to take the ship by force, and return you to San Francisco, or, better still possibly, to the nearest civilized port.

"You might, with propriety suggest this to him, telling him that you believe that I would stand ready to assist in the undertaking.I can promise you the support of several of the men--quite a sufficient number with Divine and myself, easily to take the Halfmoon away from her present officers.""I will think over your suggestion, Mr.Theriere," replied Barbara, "and I thank you for the generous impulse that has prompted you to befriend me--heaven knows how badly Ineed a friend now among so many enemies.What is it, Mr.Theriere? What is the matter?"The officer had turned his eyes casually toward the southeast as the girl spoke, and just now he had given a sudden exclamation of surprise and alarm.

"That cloud, Miss Harding," he answered."We're in for a bad blow, and it'll be on us in a minute," and with that he started forward on a run, calling back over his shoulder, "you'd better go below at once."