Part 29 (2/2)

”Aye, aye, sir. You can begin hearin' the c.h.i.n.k of the money, and I begin to see White Henshaw eatin' dirt. With Black McTee--excusin' the name, sir--to lead us, there ain't nothin' can stop us.”

CHAPTER 24

He went off toward the forecastle hitching at his trousers and whistling an old English song of the Spanish Main. As for Black McTee, he remained staring after Hovey with a rising thought of perjury. The loot of the _Heron_ was a deep temptation, and his pledged word to the bos'n was a strong bond, for as Hovey had said, the honor of Black McTee, in spite of his other failings, was respected throughout the South Seas. For one purpose, however, he would have sacrificed all hopes of plunder and a thousand plighted words, and that purpose was the undoing of Harrigan in the eyes of Kate.

She had grown into a necessity to him. Though were she twice as beautiful, he would never have paid her the dangerous honor of a second glance under ordinary conditions, but their life together on the island and his rivalry with Harrigan for her sake had made her infinitely dear to him.

Seeing the opportunity to destroy all her respect for Harrigan, he schemed instantly to betray his word to Hovey. Like Harrigan earlier in the day, he had no purpose to reveal the planned mutiny at once. The Irishman waited because he did not know to whom he could confide the dangerous information; McTee delayed in the hope of nipping insurrection in the bud at the very instant when it was about to flower. It would be far more spectacular. Moreover, he saw in this a manner of enlisting Kate on his side.

Shortly before four bells in the afternoon he went to her cabin and knocked at the door. When she opened it to him, she stood with one hand upon the k.n.o.b, blocking the way and waiting silently for an explanation of his coming. That quiet coldness banished from his mind the speech which he had prepared.

He said at last: ”Kate, I want you to talk with me for a few minutes.”

She considered him seriously--without fear, but with such a deep distrust that he was startled. He had not dreamed that matters had progressed as far as that. At length she stepped back, and without a word beckoned him to come inside. He entered and then his eyes raised and met her glance with such a deep, still yearning that she was startled. No woman can see the revelation of a man's love without being moved to the heart.

She said: ”You are in trouble, Angus?”

The hunger of his eyes came full in her face.

”Aye, trouble.”

”And you have come to me--” she asked; and before she could finish her sentence, McTee broke in, pleadingly:

”For help.”

He saw her lips part, her eyes brighten; he knew it was his despair which was winning her.

”Tell me!” And she made a little gesture with both hands toward him.

”I have seen it for days. I have lost all hope of you, Kate.”

Her glance wandered slightly, and his hope increased.

”Because of Harrigan,” he said.

She was remembering what Harrigan had said: ”How to stop McTee? Make yourself old and your skin yellow, and your hair gray, and take the spring out of your step.”

”Why do you keep the whip over him, Angus? He has saved your life, and you his. Why will you not treat him as one strong and generous man would treat another?”

”Because I love you, Kate.”

”Angus, would you stop if you knew I loved him?”

”Is that a fair question, Kate? Even if you said you loved him, I could not stop, because I would have to do my best to save you from yourself.”

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