CHAPTER XXXIII.

Clutha Leader, Volume XII, Issue 597, 25 December 1885, Page 7

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE PATH OF DUTY.

I kno»w the path I ought to go ; I follow fearlessly. Inquiring not what deeper woe Stern duty storea for me. -Ellis Bell.

About a month later, on a warm, sunny afternoon, the schooner-yacht * Larkspur ' cast anchor inside the New Mole at Gibraltar. On her deck, watching the novel scene before them, were Lord Mountnessing, his mother, and his sister, Blanche Vereker. The young nobleman's cheeks were no longer pale and wan * health and a southern sun had tanned them into a deep brown. His left arm, instead of hanging uselessly in a sling, now rivalled its dexter companion in biceps, and, in short, everything about the outward man betokened that he had found, thus speedily, the health he had come in search of.

Not so rapid a progress to recovery had the other invalid made. She was certainly not so pale; the fresh seabreezes had brought back a little dash of color to her soft cheeks, but, nevertheless, . she still looked delicate and fragile.

The party had joined the yacht, about three weeks after, having left home, at Marseilles ; thence had gone in her to Naples, where, in consequence of there being a low fever in the place, they had only stayed a few days ; and then they had come on to where we now find them, this hot, sunny afternoon, snugly at anchor under the shade of the impregnable rock. . - -

'Why, Harry,' remarked Blanche, from her comfortable deck chair, ♦What's the English flag flying from that fort for?'

* Oh,' replied her brother, looking for a moment rather nonplussed, and then breaking into a covert smile, ' it's where the English consul hangs out.'

' Well, there can't be more than one English Consul, and I see more Union Jacks flying at different places, and there, I declare, on that pier there's an English officer in a red coat — yes, I'm sure it's an English officer — looking at us through his glasses, and there's an. English soldier, too, and another, and another. Why, Harry, this is never Messina !'

' Oh, the murder's out ! It's no use bottling tip my little joke any longer, I. see. No, Blanche, this isn't Messina. Just after leaving Naples, there was one of those terrible siroccos blowing right in oiir teeth, and as it would have been tedious work beating down tbe Italian coast, as those winds last for days, I determined to come on here instead. I mf-ant to have given you a

surprise, and not said a word about the change in our plans until I brought Tom Bullkley on board. But you were one too many for me. You're right enough, those- ar_ English soldiers, you see, and this is — Gibraltar ! Hulloa ! my little joke, notwithstanding it has taken about six days to develop, seems to have fallen rather flat.' It had indeed. Never had a joke fallen flatter. Blanche, so far from looking pleasantly surprised, looked intensely put out, and an expression of utter dismay came into her pale face. ' Why, Blanche, you don't look pleased.' ' Oh, yes I am, Harry,' she replied, with a weary effort to look so, if it were only to prevent his being put out of conceit with his little joke, ' but — ' ' But, what 1 Don't you think it will be very jolly taking Tom by surprise, and having him on board, and all that r 'Yes, yes, but I wrote from Naples to Fane to say that wo were going to Messina, and — and — oh, yes, Harry, it will be very nice, I dare say,' and she walked away, as if to speak to her mother. It was not long before Mountnessing landed with the intention of finding out Tom as soon as possible, and bringing him off to dine. Ashe stepped out of his dingy — it was only a pull of a few yards — on to the New Mole, he was confronted by the* officer, in full war paint, who had been idly watching, through a pair of field-glasses, the movements on board the ' Larkspur,' and who now seemed as anxious for a little society as if he had been Robinson Crusoe on his desolate island. This was the officer on the New Mole Guard, and this curiosity and anxiety for social intercourse were accounted for by the circumstances of his position ; for, of all voracious clevourers of trifling incidents, of all inveterate time killers, an officer on guard stands unrivalled. He is an idler of the first water, compared with whom even passengers on board ships and government clerks, are busy folk. This individual Mountnessing accosted. "Besid-s the freemasonry among Englishmen abroad, there also existed, between them, the freemasonry of the cloth. Did he know Bullkley of the— th 1 Rather ! Why, Bullkley and he were in the same regiment. Where were they quartered 1 They were quartered at Windmill Hill Barracks. But it would be' no use his going there, as the regiment was playing a cricket-match against the remainder of the garrison, out at the North Front, and, with the exception of such unfortunate individuals as himself, all the Gib world with his wife were out there. Was it a long way to the North Front 1 ? . Yes, and • a precious hob walk. Wouldn't he v come into the guard-room and have something to drink, while he sent the drummer of the guard for, a car wliich would take him there in two shakes. Yes, that would be the best way. Mountnessing acquiesced on all points. First, because there was reason in tbe advice ; secondly, because it was a sort of clay when men's minds ran, generally, on the subject of iced drinks, and when it was not in the nature of man, woman, or child, to refuse the ofter of one ; and, thirdly, because the officer seemed such a pleasant, rattling kind of a fellow, and so anxious for a little society, that to have refused him would have been a mutual loss and injustice. So, while the drummer was despatched for a car, they walked into the officer's guardroom. Such a hot, stuffy place it was, with walls that made your heart ache to think of the ennui and dulness that must have reigned there to have driven the gallant occupant to the perpetration of such caricatures and rhymes as adorned their surfaces. The only articles of furniture were two straight-backed chairs, a wash-hand-stand with a cracked jug, etc., a table with a very much liquor-bestained cloth, and a contrivance, half-sofa, half-bed, the very sight of which set the imaginative beholder itching from the sole of his foot I to the crown of his head.

In this luxurious apartment, the hum of the mosquito mingled with the buzz of the blue bottle and the burr of the wasp in a never ceasing concert, that would have been soporific had the performers only confined themselves to singing. Each seemed to be doing its utmost ; and the loudest performer, the blue-bottle, made up in buzz what he wanted in. sting. Not that he was was a such a very harmless old fellow, in these climes, for he had evidently learned a thing or two from the inosquitos, whose constant example was enough to demoralize any fly.

; 'What will you haye 1 ?' asked the officer, as he engaged in combat two wasps and a blue-bottle, who had taken possession of a tumbler, and, having partially intoxicated themselves with the dregs, showed fight most pot-vali-antly. 4 Shoo ! Get away ! These flies andwopses are the devil. There's every variety of liquor there ' (pointing to a wooden coal-box, extemporized into a cellaret, in which the necks of numerous bottles protruded temptingly from a miniature Arctic sea of ice) ; 'or if you'd prefer it, ; there's some

claret-cup ready. I rather pride myself on my cup. It's a speciality of mine*.' Mountnessing was unable to withstand this last.recommendation, and, as he sipped the grateful beverage, he paid a warm tribute of praise to the other's hospitable arrangements. 1 Oh, a good deal of what you see in the box there is for dinner to-night. Bullkley and another fellow of ours. are coming to dine 'with me after the match.' 1 Oh ! Bullkley is coming Jiere, is he, to-night ¥ said Mountnessing in a slightly disappointed tone. ' I suppose your party couldn't adjourn altogether to my yacht, and dine there, instead ¥ ■Well, /couldn't certainly* But, of course, I'll let Bullkley off his engagement.' ' No, it's a shame to break up your party.' ' If you don't mind roughing it a goocFdeal/ said the officer of the guard, ' and having your dinner rather cold, as it has to come a long way from the mess in tins, I shall be only too delighted if you'll make one of us. I'm sure any friend oi Tom Bullkley 's is as welcome as the day. Here's your car. Shall I have the pleasure of seeing you again then, with Bullkley ¥ • Very kind of you, indeed. As to roughing it,' I'm accustomed to that | sort of thing, and in this hot weather I should think it would be an advantage to have anything cold, even if it's the dinner. But, really, I'm afraid I shan't be able to. • May I ask, before I go, the name of my kind host ? ' Brunton,' replied the officer. • And may I ask the name of my visitor ¥ ' ' Mountnessing.' 4Of the Coldstreams ¥ ' ■ Yes.' j • Oh, I have often heard Bullkley ! speak of you ; and I've also had the pleasure of meeting your sister, Mrs j Vereker, with Bullkley's people.' \ ' Indeed 1 Well my sister and my J mother, Lady Mountnessing, are on board the yacht ; and you must come off and see us.' * Certainly, I shall be very happy. I hope you'll look me up on your return.' * Thanks. Au revoir, then ! One might almost fancy oneself in ould \ Ireland ai^ain, spinning along to tlie Beggar's Bush Barracks.' This was in allusion to the vehicle on which the speaker took his seat, and which, in common with the other public conveyances of Gibraltar, was of the regular Irish jaunting car pattern. In it the young nobleman was transported to his destination with tolerable expedition, and arrived on the ground just in tine to add his qxtot-% of applause to the general acclamation which greeted Tom "as he walked to the tent on the conclusion of a more than usually brilliant innings. • Making yourself pretty happy and comfortable, as usual, wherever you are, eh, Tom ¥ said Mountnessing, going up to him. 1 Hulloa ! the devil ! . Little Mountnessing 1 . Why, where havo you turned up from ¥ '.Why, from my yacht. We only arrived an hour ago,' was the reply, as the two shook hands warmly. ' Come, along !' said Tom. ' Let's stroll off in this direction, and tell me what you've been up to, what you're going to do, and all about it — or, stay, won't you come into the tent and have a liquor!' ' No, thank you. I came across one of your fellows on guard at the — New Mole, I think he called it — who liquored me up, and put me in the way of getting here. A deuced good sort he seemed to be.' ' Oh, Brunton it was,' said Tom, laughing. ' He's always on the lookout when he's on guard, and carries off everyone he can into his den for a sociable " liquor up." By the 'way, I promised to dine with him, and shall have to put him off now, for, of course, you'll come and feed with rae up at the Barrack?*.,' * No, my dear fellow, you must come and dine on board the yacht. My mother and sister are both there.' 'Are they, really? Of course I shall, then. How is Blanche 1 ? My sister and May, in their last few letters, have told me how ill and delicate she has become. Such a jolly, bright girl as she used to be, too ! What's the matter ¥ % ' I can't make out. I'm certain she's not happy with Vereker ; and yet he's devoted to her, and she must love him, because the whole aim of her existence now seems to be to do everything to please and nothing to displease him, and you know what a particular fellow lie is. However, you must cheer her up, Tom.'

Thus conversing, ' the two friends strolled about the ground together, and there was so much to ask and so much to relate on both sides, that, before they had half finished, the game came to a close, and Kit Trevor having been introduced to the new arrival, the three jumped on to a car and drove to He.fcgy Brunton's guard-room. Here they found that hospitable individual dispensing c sherries and bitters ' to a numerous assemblage of visitors who had dropped in to while away that slack hour immediately preceding dinner, which, to" idlers, is harder to kill than any other in the twenty-four.

Mountnessing and Tom remained only a few minutes (the former just to redeem his promise of looking in on

his return ; the latter to excuse himself from dinner), and then both ; proceedecl on board the yacht.

Blanche Vereker and her mother were still sitting oh the deck, enjoying the cool calm evening, when Tom stepped on . board. The Dowager Lady Mountnessing was, as a rule, rather a stiff, and pompous old lady; but, with Tom, all stiffness and pomposity vanished, and she returned the warm shake of. his hand with a most motherly kiss. There was none of this heartiness about Blanche Vereker. She had felt, as she had seen Tom coming alongside, a trembling ia her limbs as if she would be hardly able to rise from her seat to welcome him ; and now, as he stood before her, looking, she thought, bonnier than .ever in his straw hat and white cricketing, flannels, she deplored, even more bitterly than at first, the whim of her bvother which' had brought her, ' once more, face to face with • the deadly danger.

Tom's soft heart was touched as he felt the cold, small hand trembling in his, and noticed the poor little smile, so different to the old genial one, trying feebly to play, as of yore.

' Why, Blanche, what's this ? This is quite a new character for you to figure in — that of an. invalid. We mustn't have anything of that sort here,' he said, with a gentle pity in his manner that all but brought the tears into her eyes. But, thank Heaven, she conquered that weakness !

Tom stayed only a few minutes on board, and then went off to barracks to dress for dinner. When he returned in his cool mess uuiforin, white trousers and scarlet shell -jacket thrown open, Blanche thought that each change of dress was more provokingly becoming than the last one.