"For you. He is meditating something. I am sure of it. He has bidden
me come to you and say that, to-morrow, he will agree to share the
treasure with you if you will show him where it is. No," she went on,
seeing a smile appear upon Reginald's face, "no, it is not so simple
an ending as you think. I am certain--I feel positively sure from what
I know of him--that he means to do nothing of the kind."
"Then why the suggestion?" he asked. "What is the use of it?"
"To gain time, to have the night in which to think over and work out
some scheme. Perhaps," she said, leaning a little forward to him in
her earnestness, so that, even in the now swift-coming darkness, he
could see her large starry eyes quite clearly, "to have the night in
which to attempt some injury to you. Oh! Mr. Crafer, for God's sake be
on your guard. You do not know him as I do."
"Have no fear," he said, touching her hand gently, as though in thanks
for her warning, "have no fear. Yet I will be careful. But what can he
do to-night, even if he wished to do harm? I am as safe here in this
little yacht as in a castle."
"You do not know. With him one can never tell what he is thinking of
doing--what his designs are. His life has been terribly rough, and he
has lived among lawless people and in lawless places. And his desire
for wealth is such that, knowing your life is the only thing that
stands between him and a great sum of money, as he believes, he would
hesitate at nothing. No! Not even at taking that life."
Then she told him of the incident of the gun, and how she had let it
fall into the sea so as to put it--the only firearm in the place--out
of harm's way. He thanked her again for this precaution for his
safety, and then she said that she must go. It was dark now, and
doubtless her brother would be waiting for Reginald's answer, since
she thought it very probable that he was quite as well aware that the
_Pompeia_ was once again anchored in the river as she was herself.
"Heaven bless you, Barbara, for your kindly, generous nature, and,
above all, for your thought for me," Reginald exclaimed. "That I shall
remember it always you cannot doubt. And be sure I will be very
careful, even here, aboard. Though I do not see what he can do. Our
old friend, Simon, would have attacked Nicholas openly if the
circumstances had been similar, and they would have fought it out to
the grim death. Your brother can't do that, and--short of an open
fight in the river--he can do nothing. Therefore, Barbara, have no
fear for me. And I am armed, too. See!" and with a smile he showed her
a neat little revolver--one of Webley's New Express--a powerful
weapon, though light and handy.
"God grant it may not come to that!" she answered, with a shudder.
"Bad as he is, it would break my heart if he should die at your
hands."
"It shall not come to that," Reginald replied. "I only showed it to
you to ease your mind. And you may be sure that since he has no
firearms I would not use one on him."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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