The Crimson Gardenia and Other Tales of Adventure
Then they ceased whispering, for some one was entering the stable
beneath them. After a time the stairs creaked to a heavy tread, a hand
tried the door, and they could feel a presence within arm's-length. They
stood motionless, not daring even to shift their weight upon the crazy
floor, until the fellow began to explore the other portion of the loft.
"That is the Spider himself," breathed the girl, close to Van Dam's ear.
"He thinks he has me in his web; but--"
"Yes?"
"I would die before I married him."
A sudden dislike for spiders in general awoke in Roly's breast.
"I hate him. I would kill him if I dared, but he frightens me--" She
broke off and caught at her companion, gasping: "God! What are you
doing?"
He had turned the key softly and was opening the door. To be quite
truthful, Roly Van Dam did not know exactly what he intended doing, but
some reckless impulse moved him to action. He was invaded by a sudden
desire to lay hands upon this Spider person who went about terrorizing
pretty girls. Having been reared to a habit of doing exactly as impulse
dictated, he felt no hesitation now. Away back in his mind, however,
something told him calmly that he had gone quite mad, that the magic of
adventure had sent his wits a-flying and had played havoc with his
common sense. And a change really had come over him with the very
beginning of this enterprise, although he had not stopped to notice it.
The flaring rage that had answered to the Wolf's assault upon the girl,
the joyful sensation of setting his fist into the fellow's face, the
excitement of the flight and the pursuit, had all combined to upset his
equilibrium. Then, too, the presence of this bewitching creature close
beside him in the darkness, the pressure of her body in his arms, the
scent of her warm breath--all this helped to completely electrify him.
He felt the dawning of new and utterly absurd desires. Away with
discretion! To the winds with prudence! This maiden's cause was his.
Here was the one glad moment of his life.
"François!" he called in a low voice. He slipped the girl's hand from
his arm, thrust her back into the shadows, and stepped out upon the
landing.
"_Oui!_ In a moment!" The Spider came stumbling toward him. "She is not
here." Van Dam saw a tall man in a domino like his own. "_Sacré!_ She
has disappeared; and that devil's spawn is with her. You found no trace
in the yard below?"
"Sst! Listen," breathed Roly. He sank his fingers into his palms and
measured the distance carefully. Then, as François turned his head
attentively, Roly braced himself and swung. It may have been due to the
uncertain light, or to the narrow eyelet-holes through which he peered;
at any rate, Van Dam's blow went short.
The Spider uttered a cry of fury and surprise. Roly felt himself hugged
by a pair of thin, iron-muscled arms; then his hands felt in beneath the
man's disguise, and the cry changed to a gurgle. They strained and
rocked against each other briefly; the floor sagged and creaked; the
door behind them flew open. François was groping with one free hand at
his waist; but his domino was like a shirt, and he could not find that
for which his hungry fingers searched. As for Van Dam, a delicious
ferocity was flaming through his veins. Here was an enemy bent upon his
quick destruction. No game he had ever played was half so exhilarating
as this. He could feel the fellow writhe and the breath bursting through
beneath his fingers; he could feel the man's cords harden until they
were like wire. Strange to say, with every wrench and every surge his
own abysmal fury increased. But the Spider was no weakling; he fought
desperately until, in a burst of blind anger that was like some diabolic
glee, Van Dam lifted him bodily and hurled him at the opening in the
floor. The fellow missed his footing, clawed wildly, then fell backward
headlong into the light below. The next instant Van Dam, too, had lost
his balance and followed, bumping from step to step until he fetched up
at the foot with a jar that drove the breath out of him.
He sat up in a moment, still dazed; then he heard a rustle, and beheld
above him a pair of frightened, dark eyes gazing into his. Although he
could see nothing of the girl's face--she had replaced her mask--he knew
that she was racked with anxiety.
"Are you killed?" she queried.
"No; just abominably twisted," he said. Then, with a wry face: "Ouch!
That was an awful bump." As he felt himself over gingerly he stopped
short at the sight of his mask lying crumpled beside him. He realized
that the jig was up and began to formulate an explanation of his
deception, only to hear her exclaim, tremulously:
"God be praised! You are unhurt."
He sat still, staring at her, amazed that no outburst followed her
glimpse of his face.
"How did you dare--?" She turned to the figure of François, which Roly
discovered motionless an arm's-length away.
The Spider was sprawled loosely in the litter. His head was twisted upon
his shoulders in a peculiar way, and his mask, having slipped to the
back, stared upward with a placid, waxlike smile that was horrible under
the circumstances.
Still lost in wonderment, Van Dam arose, dusted off his clothing, and
picked up his own disguise. Was it possible that she did not know the
person she had gone to meet? It seemed so, indeed, for she was hanging
upon him anxiously, as if still doubting his safety, while she half
sobbed her admiration of his bravery and her gratitude at his escape.
Roly began to fear he had been imposed upon, after all, else how could
she fail to realize that he was an utter stranger? But the girl's
honesty was compelling; he found that he could not doubt the sincerity
of her gaze.
He felt an unaccountable lack of compunction regarding the Spider. In
fact, he experienced a sense of satisfaction at the completeness of his
victory over the ruffian, and she seemed to share the feeling.
He heard her urging him to make haste, and before he had fully regained
his wits he found himself following her out into the sunlight.
Underneath the wagon-shed she guided him, around behind it and into a
narrow three-foot space, the left side of which was bounded by a board
fence about head-high.
"Quick!" she cried, eagerly. "Once we are on the other side we may
escape. The others are somewhere close by."
II
Van Dam, being accustomed by this time to a certain obedience, lifted
the girl up to the top of the fence, scrambled over it himself, and held
up his arms to her. He was in another yard, much cleaner than the one he
had just quit. There were trees and flowers in it, and looking down on
them were shuttered windows which seemed empty. As she surrendered her
weight to him he gave rein to the license which was in his blood and
pressed a warm kiss back of her mask where the hair lay in wispy
ringlets against her neck.
"_Mon Dieu!_ What a man!" she laughed, struggling gently to free
herself. "You had better put on your mask. We haven't far to go, but
there may be observing eyes."
"Am--I--er--quite the person you pictured?" he queried, as he adjusted
the false face.
"Not at all."
"You have never seen me before to-day?"
"Of course not! How could I?"
"I have seen you often."
"Impossible! Where?"
"Dreams!" said Van Dam, vaguely, yet with some degree of truth. "This
all seems like a dream, as a matter of fact. I'm afraid I'll turn over,
and you'll change into an old lady with hoop-skirts, or a flock of
purple snowbirds, or a friendly crocodile with gold spectacles."
She pondered this for a moment as they made their way across the yard,
being careful in the mean while to see if they were observed. After a
moment she halted.
"Wait!" she said. "I--am not sure we dare risk going farther, for the
streets are alarmed and the Wolf is in the neighborhood with all his
pack. I had thought to take you straight home, but now they will be
watching. It would be madness to try it." Again she fell silent, only to
exclaim: "I have an idea. Come!" She turned abruptly to the right.
"Where are we going now?" he inquired, mildly.
She pointed to a house the back yard of which abutted upon the one that
they were crossing. "Yonder is your cousin Alfred's house. He is away at
business, the servants are out watching the carnival, and so it is
empty. Do you dare venture it?"
"Just the thing!" he said, amiably. "I owe Alfred a call."
The girl laughed shortly. "Ah! He would die of rage--or fright--if he
knew; but you can wait there while I go--"
"Oh, I say! You're not going to leave me?" queried Roly in genuine
alarm.
"Of course, silly! Some one must bring her."
Van Dam fell silent, speculating upon this last remark. After a moment
he said, "You're sure Alfred won't return?"
"Who knows? We must run some hazards. The key will be under the step, I
think. Come!"
They gained ingress to the next inclosure through a cedar hedge. Then,
as they neared the back door, a distant commotion sounded from the
stable-yard, warning them that the Spider's friends had stumbled upon
him. But the girl's ready fingers found the key where it was hidden, and
an instant later they were in a spotless creole kitchen ornamented with
shining pots and pans. A cat rose from a sleepy window-ledge, arched its
back, and stretched.
With a warning gesture Van Dam's guide bade him wait, then disappeared,
returning in a moment.
"It is as I thought--the house is empty." She beckoned him, and he
followed her past a pantry, down a hall, and into a study furnished with
a considerable degree of elegance. Drawn blinds shut out the glaring
heat; it was dim and cool and restful.
The maiden heaved a sigh of relief and steadied herself against one of
the massive mahogany chairs, showing by her attitude that the recent
strain had told upon her.
"Heaven be praised! You are safe here, for a time at least," she managed
to say.
"Nice, comfy place, this," remarked Van Dam, with an appreciative glance
at the surroundings. "We can sit here and--and get acquainted--eh?"
"Hm-m! I think I have learned to know you quite well in the past
half-hour," she laughed.
"True! But we've had very little chance to talk calmly and rationally;
now, have we? Of course you're accustomed to such things, perhaps; but
it has been a trifle strenuous for a person of my easy ways. I don't
mind telling you that I'm positively winded. Let's rest a bit before you
leave."
But the girl shook her head at his suggestion. "You forget how she has
waited and longed for this hour. She has been very ill; nothing seemed
to interest her until you promised to come on the last day of the
_fiesta_. Since then she has been like another woman. She is counting
the moments now until she feels your arms about her."
Roly stirred uncomfortably, for here was something he had not counted
upon. One woman at a time was ample; he had no desire to hold another to
his breast. He was shocked, too, that this girl should suggest such a
thing after what had passed between them. It was unseemly. He felt
tempted to confess his deception and to demand an explanation of the
whole affair, but some sense of shame held him back. Besides, his
companion was undoubtedly sincere, and he could not bring himself to
cause her dismay.
Another reason that urged him to hold his tongue and to let the
adventure run its course was that as yet he had not seen her face. The
desire to do so was becoming insufferable. He was about to claim the
privilege when she changed the current of his thoughts.
"You must not be shocked if she does not recognize you. She has been
ill, very ill, since you--proved so great a--trial to her. You
understand?"
"Perfectly!" he said, thankful that she could not detect his signs of
bewilderment.