Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Islands -- Fiction; Love stories; Nobility -- Fiction
Browne, with the readiness of the average American, again assumed
command of the situation. He gave instructions that the prisoners, seven
in number, be confined in the dungeon, temporarily, at least. Bobby did
not make the mistake of pouring gratitude upon the faithful servitors;
it would have been as unwise as it was unwelcome. He simply issued
commands; he was obeyed with the readiness that marks the soldier who
dies for the cause he hates, but will not abandon.
"There will be no other attack on us to-night," said Browne, rejoining
the women after his interview with Baillo. "It has missed fire for the
present, but they will try to get at us sooner or later from the
outside. Britt, will you and Mr. Saunders put those prisoners through
the 'sweat' box? You may be able to bluff something out of them, if you
threaten them with death. They--"
"It won't do, Browne," said Deppingham, shaking his head. "They are
fatalists, they are stoics. I know the breed better than you. Question
if you like, but threats will be of no avail. Keep 'em locked up, that's
all."
Firearms and ammunition were taken from the gunroom to the quarters
occupied by the white people. Every preparation was made for a defence
in the event of an attack from the outside or inside. Strict orders were
given to every one. From this night on, the occupants of the château
were to consider themselves in a state of siege, even though the enemy
made no open display against them. Every precaution against surprise was
taken. The white servants were moved into rooms adjoining their
employers; Britt and Saunders transferred their belongings to certain
gorgeous apartments; Miss Pelham went into a Marie Antoinette suite
close by that of the Princess. The native servants retained their
customary quarters, below stairs. It was a peculiar condition that all
of the native servants were men; no women were employed in the great
establishment, nor ever had been.
Far in the night, Genevra, sleepless and depressed, stole into the
hanging garden. Her mind was full of the horrid thing that had happened
to Hollingsworth Chase. He had been nothing to her--he could not have
been anything to her had he escaped the guns of the assassins. And yet
her heart was stunned by the stroke that it had sustained. Wide-eyed and
sick, she made her way to the railing, and, clinging to the vines,
stared for she knew not how long at the dull red glow on the mountain.
The flames were gone, but the last red tinge of their anger still clung
to the spot where the bungalow had stood. Behind her, there were lights
in a dozen rooms of the château. She knew that she was not the only
sleepless one. Others were lying wide awake and tense, but for reasons
scarcely akin to hers; they were appalled, not heartsick.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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