THE Pearl of Pandora

Golden Bay Argus, Volume VI, Issue 62, 5 August 1897, Page 3

THE Pearl of Pandora

AN AUSTRALIAN NOVEL,

BY CAPTAIN LACIE.

—*#♦- ’ A True Story of Northern Queensland.

IN SIXTEEN PARTS. o

PART I (Continued.) WELL done, Sandy !’ exclaimed Walker. ‘ I’m with you. We have to die some time or other, and when our time comes nothing can stop it. We’ll die game, anyhow.’ It was a curious scene in that wiid tropical spot. As in the heart of the greatest civilised city vice, villainy, and virtue confronted each other, and so to speak, rubbed shoulders and jostled each other in the march of life. In the crew of the Pandora there were two monsters of crime in the persons of Bloomfield and Jarvis, but every other person on board were true as steel. Though death in its most terrible form threatened the men who had been treacherously entrapped, they gathered round the old skipper and showed by their actions as well as words that they were devoted to him unto death.

Bloomfield and Jarvis listened in grim silence until the former, after a long pause, spoke : * “We knew you were a lot of fools, or some of you might have been taken into our confidence. We know that two are hardly enough to do all that lies before us, but we know that one traitor can ruin any Scheme. Stand back there, Murdoch,’ the young ruffian suddenly called to one of the men who was gradually forging into the scrub ; ‘ another step and I’ll shoot you. Don’t try to come that game on me unless you are anxious to die now,’ he concluded.

The party below were entirely at the mercy of the two armed men above, and though by making a sudden break one or more might escape into the scrub, it was certain that death would overtake the others. Indeed they had held a low whispered consultation as to the advisability of bolting off, and it was only the wiser counsel of the captain which prevented the mad scheme being carried out. ‘ Nothing would be gained, lads,’ he said. ‘lf we were on the other side of this cursed barrier and could reach the »o£t,-orr -even get to where Nell is posted, there might be a little hope, but not even much then. Don’t you see we’re trapped. Unless we can get back to the brig it is worse than useless taking to the bush unarmed as we are. The blacks would spear us, and those scoundrels would have a free hand to do as they liked.’ ‘ If we could get to where Miss Nell is something might be done,’ suggested one of the men. ‘ She has a gun, and that holds one life. You see there are only two of them.’ ‘Yes, but they have five muskets, and*it is forty or fifty feet to the scrub yonder. Before we got there perhaps the lot of us would be in kingdom come,’ interjected Walker. ‘ I’d give ten years of my life to be on a level with them for half a minute. If I wouldn’t break Bloomfield’s neck and straighten out Jarvis my name isn’t Kinloch,’ added the Scotchman, who was a man of gigantic stature and strength. The two ruffians on the wall well knew that their captives were discussing the possibilities of escape, but they smiled at the futility of such an attempt. Indeed once or twice the two began to talk of butchering the defenceless men, but neither could quite make up his mind to such a terrible massacre when no absolute necessity existed for it. Had each not felt certain that their scheme could be carried out without such gratuitous murder, neither would have hesitated to shoot down the five men. They were simply demons, these two, in human flesh. In the mind of the arch ruffian, Bloomfield, there was also a lurking dread that such drastic action would retard rather than assist their plans. Ellen Cooney had to be reckoned with, and though she was only a young woman, she was of the stuff that the heroines of the world are made. Moreover, she possessed a loaded gun, and knew how to use it. That fateful weapon carried the life of a man in it the young villain knew, and the more he thought about the girl and the miserable woman behind the great tree the more uneasy he became.

‘What if she should make back for the boat and get on board the brig,’ he mused. ‘ Then, indeed, the tables would be turned on the conspirators, although the position would not be by any means desperate so far as they were concerned. Miss Nell might arm the widow of Young and at least two of the seamen, for one must be left on board ; but even with that force she could scarcely hope to prove a match for the ruffians. In the event of her getting to the brig, the first act of Jarvis and himself would be to massacre their captives. They must be prevented from creating a diversion.’

Yet the more Bloomfield reflected on the position the more anxious and uneasy he became. The sun was sinking swiftly in the western horizon, and when it dipped below sudden darkness would succeed. At least there would be darkness for a short period until the

moon, just a couple of days past the full, rose. Something would have to be done, and, calling Jarvis a few yards away from the edge of the wall (beneath which the betrayed group stood), he began to discuss the position with the hitherto silent man. ‘She’ll stick to her father,’ gruffly replied Jarvis. 1 But the best thing we can do is get back to the brig and wait for a day or two I’ve been thinking the matter out, and unless you’re prepared to go to extremes we are wasting time here and taking big risks. If you took my advice you’d shoot them all down—the girl first.’ 1 You’re a crippled fool, Jarvis,’ brutally answered the young ruffian. ‘ Without the girl who is going to navigate the craft ? Neither you or I have the least idea of the work, and we must depend on her. I’d soon break her to my will, and before we wanted to go back to civilised parts she would be as docile as a lamb. Don’t you see, we can’t do without her.’

‘ I wasn’t thinking of that. Well, my advice is to make back for the craft, and then we will be able to make terms A few days in this place with these niggers about will give sense to some of them. We’ve got all the guns but one, and the game is on our side,’ spoke the hunchback. ‘We must be careful, Jarvis, That Harry Thoms will be getting suspicious at the long absence, and he is a nasty fellow. The moment we leave here those lubbers below will follow and perhaps come on Miss Nell, who wouldn’t think twice about popping one of us over. I say we must be careful. In a few minutes it will be dark, and then for trouble,’ said the young villain. ‘ Why not blow their brains out and be safe. If you are so squeamish, trouble and death may come. I wouldn’t mince matters,’ returned Jarvis. ‘ Plenty of time for that. It’s safer to throw them off guard and quietly slip away to the boat. Thoms will have to go under though. We don’t want any further trouble with him,’ the leader answered.

‘ Yes ; and when we get to the boat, Mistress Ellen will be in position making for the old brig, or concealed somewhere close to pot us off,’ cried Jarvis. ‘ But she has only one gun, and it isn’t easy to shoot straight in the dark,’ Abel Bloomfield interrupted. ‘ You seem to forget Thoms. We haven’t his gun you know,’ the hunchback retorted with a grin.

The probable danger of the situation was now dawning on Bloomfield, but he was not a man to be very easily frightened or deterred from any purpose he" had in view. He recognised that if Ellen Cooney got to the boat first it would seriously complicate matters, if not entirely destroy the plot formed by him and his confederate. The only reflection which"caused him confidence was the thought that the girl would not forsake her father through fear such would result in the massacre of himself and party. More than once he was on the point of going to the rock where he had previously spoken to her and warning the young woman that certain death would be visited on the skipper and his men if the girl tried to leave her shelter. Then it occurred to him that such a course might only suggest a plan of action to the daring young woman, and he finally abandoned the idea. The better course woul'd be to risk the matter and get off as quickly as possible after sunset. After further consultation with Jarvis, this was agreed upon. < I think we might deceive these fellows below,’ the hunchback at last said. ‘ I could fix my cap and jacket on this stick, and in a bad light they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. I’ll arrange it when the time comes.’ The night now fell with tropical suddenness, but standing as he did just a few feet above Captain Cooney and his followers, Bloomfield could easily discern the party. He warned them that the first movement of any one of the captives would cause a bullet to be discharged, and they realised it would not be prudent to make a rush into the unknown bush in the blackness of the night. Their motto was watch and wait.

Immediately the gloom overspread the district, Michael Jarvis took off his jacket and cap and carefully arranged them on a dry bush just behind where Bloomfield stood. As the darkness got more intensely the young seaman gradually drew away, leaving the bogus form dimly outlined in the vision of those below. With cat-like silence the two gradually reached the opposite side of the wall with the muskets, and noiselessly regained the ground below. They had taken the most accurate bearings possible to reach the boat, and trusting more to instinct than sight they gradually crept down in the direction of the river.

Less than forty yards of their late location Bloomfield stopped, and his eyes swept the eastern horizon in search of the giant, tree behind which Ellen Cooney and Mrs Young were sheltered. In a hoarse whisper he confided to the hunchback his sudden resolve to attempt a surprise. ‘The tree is yonder, Jarvis, and if we creep on it from different points surely we can get them into our hands. Cine bold stroke, and the game is ours. It will save days of dangerous delay, and I’ll risk it. Don’t harm Nell, but if Young’s wife kicks up a row it will be best to knock her on the head,’ he whispered. A low growl was the only response the latter part of Bloomfield’s sentence evoked from Jarvis, and it was very clear that the off-hand manner in which the leader would deal with Mrs Young was highly distasteful to the deformed being. In fact, the widow was to be the hunchback’s prize, and he was just as determined she should not be injured

as was Bloomfield that Ellen Cooney was to be spared. However, the proposition of the young seaman quite suited the wishes of Jarvis, and without demur he at once set about carrying the idea into execution. The muskets which the two had were very heavy and cumbersome, and when within about forty yards of the big tree all except their own two were laid against a log where they could be easily found. At this point, after agreeing on a signal, they separated and commenced to crawl panther-like on their proposed victims. The darkness was intense, and it seemed that the act of breathing sounded unnaturally loud on the still air.

The ground near the spot was densely covered with scrub and undergrowth, so that considerable trouble was experienced in making progress. Fully ten minutes were occupied in covering the round-about forty yards, and the strong nerves of the men were strung to a high state of tension ere the sharp chirrup of a cricket sounded. The next instant both ruffians bounded round the tree, but instead of grappling the women they came into violent contact with each other.

‘Gone!’ they both gasped simultaneously. A fierce exclamation of bitter disappointment broke from Bloomfield as he searched around on his hands and knees in vain quest of the expected prey. ‘ They have got the boat, Jarvis, and I’ve a good mind to go back and kill old Cooney and the lubbers with him. If we don’t act quickly our lives ain’t worth a farthing’s purchase. What do you say?’ Bloomfield hoarsely whispered. ‘ Best make for the boat and see what has happened. They may have gone anywhere else, you know. Listen ! What’s that?’ Jarvis excitedly cried as a call rose upon the silence and the echoes reverberated around.

‘ It’s Thoms signalling for us. Of course he is getting anxious, and that seems to show that Mistress Nell has not gone back. Let us push on, and we may yet be in time,-’ the younger man observed.

‘ Perhaps onl? a trap for us. r l hat she has reached the boat and has put up Thoms to call us down. We must be careful, Abel,’ spoke the hunchback as they picked up the spare muskets.

‘ We’ll see about that. At any rate we can’t fall into much of a trap if we are careful,’ the leader retorted.

Meanwhile no response had been made to the call of the watcher at the boat. Those trapped in the glen apparently thought it was not safe to call attention to the position they were in. That fact somewhat reassured the two treacherous villains, for it convinced them that they still thought surveillance was being exercised over them. 1 hat at any rate was a matter for congratulation. The sound of the boatsman’s voice had also directed them in the proper direction to reach the craft. Had it not been for the signal extreme difficulty would have been experienced in getting on the right path after the diversion which had been undertaken. Recognising that there was no time to lose, the two pushed on as quickly as possible under the circumstances, and in a few minutes, to their relief, the signal was again repeated within a hundred yards of them.

Extreme caution was now necessary, for there might be an ambush laid for them. Recognising this, they crept to a point not more than twenty yards from the boat, and waited for the rapidly rising moon, the first glimpse of which could now be distinguished. In ten minutes the orb rose in glorious beauty, and by the light thrown the watchers could dearly see the empty boat, with Thoms standing on the bank close by. He held the musket in his hands and glanced suspiciously about as if in fear of attack.

Everything seems right enough, Jarvis. He is looking out for blacks, I suppose. We had better go boldly up and tell him the captain and the others are coming. If he raises the gun put a bullet through him,’ Bloomfield whispered. ‘ We might as well do it now and not take any risk. Let us be on the safe side. I can easily knock him over from here, and then we can be in the boat in a few seconds. Wait a minute and I’ll fire,’ the hunchback coolly said.

‘ Yes, you might as well. Who knows what trap is being laid ? Make sure of him, Jarvis. We mustn’t throw a shot away. Just stop a moment and I’ll cover him too in case you miss. Now then, go on,’ Abel commanded.

The doomed seaman, Thoms, was in the act of giving a third halloa when the musket of the hunchback sent its messenger of death into the body of the fated man At such close range it was almost impossible to miss, and it was no doubt merciful that death was instantaneous.

The moment the crouching murderers saw their victim fall they ran swiftly across the intervening space towards the boat. As Bloomfield came to the body of Thoms he stopped and took the musket from the nerveless hands and then sprang into the boat, which had just been loosed by Jarvis. With feverish haste they shoved offinto the river and pulled .quickly to the other side, where they soon got into the shadov; of the creek, and then went along swiftly with the current oceanwards.

In ten minutes they reached the mangroves, and then both began to breathe easier for the chief danger was past. It was just possible that Ellen Cooney might be somewhere along the river, and good shot as she was, the girl might have picked one of the murderers off. With the mangroves bordering the north side of the stream there was little fear of attack, and for several minutes the two desperadoes suffered the craft to drift with the stream. The moon was now throwing a

silvery glory around and making objects distinctly visible for considerable distances. After the intense darkness the contrast was remarkable, and even the two hardened murderers could not help being impressed with the scene. They had almost reached the mouth of the stream and were passing a projecting belt of scrub when suddenly Bloomfield grasped his companion’s arm, and in hoarse tones which startled the hunchback, said : ‘ Look !’

Following the outstretched arm, Jarvis gave a suppressed cry of terror, for not forty feet from them, staring out of the mangroves, was the white, drawn, and ghastly face of William Young, the man they had so barbarously murdered, as they supposed, a few hours before. The sight was one calculated to inspire terror in the hearts of the conscience-stricken men, and though Abel Bloomfield twice rose a musket as if to fire, he lowered it without carrying out his murderous intention. Even as they looked though, the mysterious face disappeared, and grasping the oars, pulled swiftly towards the light which gleaned from the brig. ‘ What on earth is that, Jarvis ?’ at last asked Bloomfield.

‘ The body must have been swept there, I think. It was the face of the dead man, at all events.’ came the response. ‘ Pshaw ! I’m growing nervous. We have done with him, and must prepare for the two on board,’ spoke the young leader as he vigorously pulled to the vessel.

In a quarter of an hour they neared the brig, and when Farrell and Hardy heard the splash of the oars they gave a cheery hail. In truth, they had been getting anxious over the unexpectedly long stay. Farrell, in particular, regarded Skipper Cooney and his daughter with an affection born of long acquaintance and association with them. He did not like the protracted stay on an unknown shore, and hearing the shots, both he and his companion were anxiously awaiting information. It was therefore with a sinking at the heart that both saw Jarvis and Bloomfield clamber on board, and even the cheerful effusive manner of the latter did not remove the gloomy suspicions they formed. ‘ All our fortunes are made, Pete. The skipper and all the rest are going to stay all night and watch the treasure. At daylight both of you are ordered on shore with Jarvis, while I look after the boat,’ Bloomfield gibbly said as he stood beside them.

‘ What’s the shooting been about, Abel ?’ queried Farrell, anxiously. ‘ Partly to scare away the niggers and partly to get some fresh food for supper. There’s plenty of animals yonder,’was the reply. ‘ Jarvis and I wanted to stay behind, but the skipper thought you would like to know what was going on, and if the wind rose in the night it might be awkward with only two on board. * Besides, we’ve done a lot ot work to-day and want a spell,’ the young murderer returned. ‘ It’s a wonder the captain wasn't afraid to leave the old craft all night on a lee shore,’ Farrell suspiciously answered.

Bloomfield threw a quick meaning glance to his confederate, which did not escape the sharp eyes of the trusty and faithful seaman, who instinctively recognised that danger threatened those on shore. The actions of the supposed finders of the treasure had been rather mysterious during the day, and though an Irishman, Farrell had sufficient sense to control the impulse which prompted him to charge the new comers with telling untruths. Both ol them were armed, each carrying a musket, those belonging to the others having been concealed in the boat, to be taken out at a more suitable time. It would have been giving the whole plot away to have brought all the weapons up with them. Farrell soon decided to say nothing further on the subject of his suspicions for the present, and changed the conversation to the theme of the treasure find when he was regaled with a bogus story regarding the good fortune in store for the captain and crew of the Pandora. In the meantime Jarvis and Hardy were getting supper ready—the two confederates being particularly hungry. So we will leave them for the present to follow the fortunes of those on shore.

After the resultless interview which Bloomfield had with Ellen Cooney and the failure of the terrible threats to move either her or her father, the two women waited in a state of mind which can be readily understood for further developments. To add to the difficulty of Ellen's position, she had to control the half-frantic woman, Mrs Young. The story told by Bloomfield about Young's death was implicitly believed by both women, and it needed all the restraint and persuasion which the skipper's daughter could impose to prevent the widow rushing upon the murderers of her husband in wild search of vengeance. It was not until Ellen had clearly proved to her that the two ruffians wanted her to act in such a way that the woman became reasonable. 'They want me to be alone, and surely you without arms cannot do anything against them. You would be in their cruel power, and think of my position,' the girl argued. Mrs Young's strong love for her companion soon asserted itself, and as night drew on it began to conquer her sorrow for the dead, or rather the wild resolves it gave rise to. When she was sufficiently calm to reason with, Ellen began to impress her with a sense of their present danger and to evolve a way out of the difficulty. To Be Continued.