SHORT STORY. HOW THE GUN WAS SPIKED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2410, 10 May 1900, Page 54

SHORT STORY. HOW THE GUN WAS SPIKED.

She had just finished reciting " The Ab-sent-minded Beggar." The drop scene of the Capetown Theatre, had hidden her from the view of the excited audience, but the cheers and plaudits continued, till she was obliged once mere to appear in front of the curtain and bow her acknowledgments. Her lovely face anel silvery voice, with its r>retty foreign accent, added to the electric effect produced hy- the stirring lir.es, and a veritable hailstorm of gold and silver fell around the slender, white-robed girl as she stood, her hands raised in meek deprecation and a slight smile curving her red lips. Leaving the stage assistants to gather aip tne coins, she retired with a graceful curtsey, and sank, exhausted by her efforts, into an armchair that the courtepus stage-manager wheeled towards her, He was about to congratulate her upon her elouctionary powers when the door communicating wifcii the 'front of the house opened, and ti soldier, in the dress uniform of an A.D.C., strode up to the reclining 'beauty.

'" Splendid ! Perfectly rippin' ! " he exclaimed, enthusiastically. " I knew you'd fetch them, of _ course ; but, by Jove, I didn't think these colonials had it in 'em to rise to the occasion like that ! "' -

" Hew much have I added .to your ' sick and wounded' fund? ' asked the girl in a weary voice.

Tne stage manager believed that the amount was close on a hundred and fifty pounds.

The girl looked at the soldier, and a softer light shone in her eyes. "You will place that to my credit, will you not," she asked, *' if ever the shadow" of estrangement should, from any cause, fall between us?"

Her maid approached -with a fur-lined cloak.

The soldier wrapped it carefully round 'her.

"Your carriage is waiting?" he inquired.

" I expect so. But, if you will escort me, I will walk round to the hotel. The moon is so lovely to-night, and I feel positively gasping for fresh air. Justine '" — to the attendant who stood awaiting her commands — "you can go home in the carriage. Order supper to be prepared in my private room, and tell them to say ' Not at home' .to anyone who asks for me."'

The maid departed, and the soldier and the girl walked through' the moonlit streets together. " Why will you talk of estrangement?" he asked, a note of irritation m his voice. " You are for ever harping on our parting. Now that you have promised yourself to me, the only thing that can possibly part us is a Boer bullet. And, by all accounts, they are not such brilliant shots as they used to bs t so I stand

a very fair chance of pulling through all right."

The girl laughed. "You must make some allowance for my having assisted at "an amateur performance," she said. "Amateur actors are magnificent for charitable purposes, but the depression of soul they cause to the weary onlooker is too deep for words."

"You, personally, have no cause to complain of want of enthusiasm," he said, tugging vexedly at his moustache. " Oh, no, of course not. People ore soldier mad just now. Ifc needs so very little to send them into a perfect frenzy." "I wish you were soldier 'mad," he whispered. "I don't believe you care for me one bit." The girl shivered slightly under her warm wraps. Then she laughed once more. " I did nob think you English cared for so much protestation," she said. " I have always heard you described as such a cold race." " Where we love truly we love for ever — till death," he answered. "Till death?" she repeated. "What a terrible significance that word has now. So many 'brave men and boys disappearing silently from this town, never, never to return. It is terrible." " Oh, the fortune of war," he said, Jightly. "It may be my turn shortly." She pressed his arm convulsively. "Do not say that. When do you go to the ■front?" "I may not tell that, even to you," lie laughed. <- The chief has sworn me to secrecy. You see " — deprecatingly — "there are so many spies about." She looked up and clown the deserted street. "Not here, surely 1 :" she said. " Vv T e are quite safe from eavesdroppers now. Tell me when I shall have to screw my courage to the sticking-point that I iridv nerve myself for- the shock. .Coming too suddenly ifc might kill 1112." He looked tenderly at her lovely face, lovelier than ever in the ethereal rays of the moon. " Don't ask me, Adrienne," he s-iid in a choked voice. "Do not tempt me to dishonour. ' She slipped her hand from his arm. " Such a trifling thing to deny me, and yefc you pretend ardent love." " For God's sake do not turn from, me," he exclaimed, in deep distress. "This may be our last meeting on earth. Do not embitter it by a quarrel." "Then you go soon?" she cried. "Very soon." He made no response. " How discreet you are," she said mockingly. " ii r ou love me, and yet you cannot trust me. Can you reconcile the two? I cannot. However " — in a tone of forced gaiefcy — " as you say, do not let us embitter our huit evening together. Come to my hotel and have some supper. My uunfc will be there to preserve les convenances, so your chief, of whom you stand in such awe, will have nothing to scold you for." ■ "May I leally come?"' he asked. "The invitation is indeed an honour. Everyone calfs you so exclusive."

"I lower my weapons of defence before you,"' she murmured. '" A sure sign, that I not only love but trust you." He laughed uneasily. " You do net lower your sharpest weapon," he said. " Your stinging words go straight to the

mark."' "But they don't hurt — much." '" Not when I look into your sweet, true eyes."

She turned away her gaze hastily — perhaps 'because one of tlie waiters happened to be standing on the hotel steps. The supper was a merry one. • The chaperon thoroughly understood the art of personal effacement, and, the meal over, she appeared to sleep, so the lovers were able to converse in confidential tones without fear of bsing overheard. When Captain. Darcy left the hotel, his head in a whirl with the pain of parting from his beloved and the joy of the farewell kisses he had pressed upon hef-~ lips, he did not i-sturn straight to quarters. He felt the necessity tor being alone to give himself time for cool reflection. Adrienns's last words had filled him with a tumult of ecstasy.

" I may be going up to Aliwal," she said. " Perhaps we shall meet again before very long.

Ifc was only a whisper, and there were servants standing round. He could bat press her .hand in response, but all Ms heart was in his ej'es as he looked his last good-bye.

Retracing his steps along the avenue that leads to Government House, he set out on his way back to his quarters. As he neared the telegraph office a woman's form, enveloped in a long blask cloak and hood, emerged from the building and passed rapidly down a side street. So convinced did nc feel fioini the graceful movement that ifc was no other than Adrienne that he involuntarily hastened his steps in order to overtake her. But when he arrived at the corner not a creature was in sight, and he turned away laughing at himself for his folly.

" As though there were only one woman in the world with a graceful carriage just because there is only one for me ! By Jove, what a Brainless idiot is a maa in, love, to be sure."

But the incident, trifling though it was, had disturbed the joyous current of his thoughts. The serpent ox doubt had entered into his paradise. If Adrienne had wished to go to the telegraph office, why had she not confided the desire to him, and availed herself of his too willing escort? For against his better judgment ha was certain that the woman he had seen was Adrienne. Dismiss the idea as he would, as 'tne ridiculous fancy of an excited brain, it recurred with a maddening pertinacity that reived to be silenced. A terrible fear crossed his thoughts lika a lightning flash, but a moment's calm reflection convinced him that this horrible dread was a sheer impossibility. He could not have been so deceived. He refused to harbour so degrading an idea as ' utterly unworthy a soldier and a gentleman. It was not till after the regiment had been despatched north with a secrecy so profound that not a trooper knew the ultimate destination of the_ tram ; not" till affcer the long forced marches j^ not 01 <■

after it" became known that the cleverly 2)lanned surprise 1 was an open secret to the Boers, who were on the alert for the attack; not till after the return to camp, wearied and dispirited by a repulse which had so narrowly escaped being a brilliant victory, that the bitter truth burst upon Darcy in all its hideousness.

He was sitting in his tent with young Scarlett, a callow youth who had performed that day deeds of heroism that would have filled with wonder and admiration his former - schoolmates, who had been ever pleased to regard him as a soft sort of a chap.

" You see, Darcy " — Scarlett was delivering himself between the whiffs of his pipe — "you see, we'd been given away. That's about the figure of it. We Britishers are a d d sight too trusting. We let all sorts and conditions of men — not to mention the women, bless 'em ! — wander at their sweet wills all over the shop, smellin' out all our nice little secrets and retailin' 'em, for a consideration, to Oorn Paul, who is a downy old cove, and doesn't stint his money for the spyin' business. There was a spy of his I spotted in Capetown. I told the chief, but he thought I was rottin* him. A little bit gone on her, I suppose. Everybody was gone on her, except me. And now 1 come to think ox it, Darcy. you were rather soft in that quarter yourself. "Was I, my boy? Go on drivelling as long as you jolly well please. „, It takes one's thoughts off the grim realities of defeat."

" Yes, you were awfully spoonsy. Don't you 'remember her? A daisy-cutter in white satin who recited The. Absent-minded Beggar 'at the theatre one night ? I remember aiming half a quid at the wobbly diamond thing she had in her hair. I shouldn't have regretted the yellow boy fo much if J had hit the mark. But she dodged clevoi'ly. "Well, she was a spy, old man, as pure as eggs is eggs. Here, I pay — hold on — what the oevil are you doin' ?" For Darcy's strong right hand was at ths boy's throat. But in an instant the elder man recoveied his composure and threw himself back in his seat. ''What an a&s you are, Scarlett -I" he said. "Did you think I was going lo do for you?" * " You looked uncommonly like it. Arc 33 r ou often taken that way?" " Oh, sometimes. " Just lo test a Sub's courage, you know." " Well, I'd advise you to stop it but here. V/e hf-ve plenty to test our courage just now, and you might get something you d'dn't expect some day." j The caplain lighted another pipe. " And so the fair reciter was a =py, eh?" he inquired, lazily. "' A regular out-and-outer. She and that foiy-lookki' French maid pi hers were for ever at die ie'.egraph office. They dropped a copy of a wire one evening, and 1 picked it up. It was cypher, but 1 managed to make it out. ' il ran, ' John and the 'children, start on the 14-th.' Sounds jolly iiii--ocent. don't * it? Only the I^-th happened to be tho very day we cleared out of Capetown. I wonder how the girl guessed right the veiy first time, because none of cur fellows were in the know. It isn't possible that she got round the chief, is it, Darcy? I've not ?een much service, but i flatter mysalf I know better than to let a woman have men on toast like that."

Muttering something about a sleep, Scarlett lurched oui of the tent, leaving Barcy a prey to the most terrible thoughts. It was he himself, then, who had betrayed his country ; he who, intoxicated by a pair of bright eyes thai shone vrith the false light of a feigned love, had brought death to so many of his fellow soldiers and iisaster and defeat to his beloved chief. What punishment could be too heavy for such an offence? What punishment could be heavier than the pangs of bitter remorse and shame which he now suffered? Almost mechanically he raised his pistol, and placed the muzzle to his temple. Better death than the black thoughts that must haunt him to his dying day.

His finger was on the trigger; then, with a weary sigh, he laid the weapon by. He had no longer the right to resort to the blessed oblivion of self-desLruclion. His life belonged to his- country. His country, that hs had betrayed for a kiss. If there was a 'forlorn hope to be led he would beg to lead. it. Where tho bullets rained thickest he would endeavour to wash out his sin, while he conned ' that dearth that now seemed to him the greatest of boons. How long he^sal brooding he knew not. His hands were tightly clenched, and great drops of agony stood on his brew. Suddenly the opening of tha tent was piilled aside, and his servant entered. " A hospital nurse wishes to sec you, sir. Important message from a dying man."

The man withdrew and the nurse entered. It was Adrienne. The Geneva Cross was on her arm. With a smothered curse, Darcy sprang to his feet, and, seizing her firmly by the shoulder, held his pistol to her forehead.

She neither flinched nor changed colour. Only looked him straight in the eyes, a mocking smile curving her lips. " You dare not," she murmured in her silvery tones. " You have not the courage. "

No. He had not the courage. With only 20 men he had cut his way through a hundred Boers to rescue a brother officer. Bift he lacked the courage to shoot down a spy, and that spy a slender, fragile woman. He turned away filled with a sick disgust of himself, of her, of life, and of the thing called love. "Go!" he said, hoarsely. "Go quickly, before I do you an injury !" Her defiant air dropped 'from her like a garment. She stretched out her arms in supplication. "Kill me," she cried. "I deserve it. I see you know all. But it was my love for you that brought me into this place of danger. I longed — thirsted for a sight of your face once more. lam a spy no longer. For your sake I have abandoned the hateful office, which nothing but the most abject destitution could have indeed me to undertake. Ah, you could.

never realise the temptation to which I succumbed. To go clothed in purple and fine linen in lica of rags ; to consort with cultured people instead of with beggars. To understand how I was tempted you must have been reared in luxury, as I was, and have sunk to bitterest poverty. In a moment of despair the ,fempters found me, and I fell into their snares. Not till I met you — not till the consequences of my betrayal of you burst upon me, did I realise the enormity of my crime. I see it now in all its black hideousness. Breathe but one word of forgiveness, and then kill me. I will accept death gladly from your dear hand."

Darcy sat with his hand shadinghis lace as though he feared to look on her. " Go," he repeated, "or I will call my men a,nd have you handed over to the authorities."

A look of abject fear stole over her face. "What will they do to me?"' she asked hoarsely.

" Cast you into prison to await your "sentence."

" Ah ! you would not allow that ! You who swore to love me till death."

He turned from her with a gesture of loathing.

" If I go now you Avill not denounce me?" She crept closer to him, her words almost a whi&iier.

" JNfo. Not if you clear out altogether. But understand fully that a description of you will be circulated throughout the aimy, and if you are seen again within the British lines j'ou will be ahob like a dog — or a spy. Xow go."' She tottered a little as she turned, then summoned her courage once more, and, with her graceful little head held higher than usual, passed out of the tent.

And Darcy, forgetting his uniform, forfeiting his Tnanhood. .forsrettinw his ccol

courage in the iace of the enemy s gun p. 1-iid his head on his arms raid sobbed like a i.hild.

Then he pulled him&elt together and soiiglit the chief. He was a favourite at head'^uarteis. and was received graciously. "General," he said, "I have for ev&r forfeited my f-elf-respect. 1 have done that which, if known, would utterly blast my cTieer. I h?ve neither the courage to convict myself in the eyes of all decent men noi to live with their undeserved praises on my head. -Can you help me?" The general eyed him keenly. " Cherchez la femme?" he asked.

Darcv's bent head benb lower still. There was silence for a time, then the chief spnke once more. - j '■ It is a pity, 1 ' he said. " You had the unkings of a good officer. Your men liked you. It is a great pity." Then he resumed his tone of command. "The enemy are now engaged in placing hi position a gun that will command our camp. Jam looking foj. 1 ) a volunteer to snike that gun during tho night. Are you that rhan?"

The light of hope shone once more in Darcv's eves.

'•Cleneral," he said, '"before daylight the gun shaJl-be silenced." The chief held out his hand. A tear glistened in his eye, but he said, in his cherieit voice, " Good-bye, my boy, and good luck go with you."

When morning broke no shells burst foith from the gun on ihe distant kopje, but a British officer lay close beside it with a smile on his ret, white face and a Mauser bullet through his heart.

— Bargains in pictures are thought to be things ol the past, but the following stoiy relates to a '"find" which has occurred quite within the last few months. A poor widow, who wanted to realise enough money to allow her to Visit pome friends in the country, called on a second-hand dealer and asked him if he would purchase a picture which she Imd in her room. He? story v/bs that her late husband was a butlor, whose former master had given or bequeathed him the picture in question. The dealer was interested, and called to see the picture, which was in a dirty condition, and for which he offered 30s. The offer was taken, the picture transferred to the dealer's place, and after careful cleaning, it turned out to be a fine example of Gainsborough's work, and worth some thousands of pounds.

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