The Collected Works of P. C. Wren: Complete Beau Geste Series, Novels & Short Stories. P. C. Wren
Mary Vanbrugh--perhaps to fall, living, into the hands of those bestial devils?
* * *
The place proved an ideal spot for a rear-guard action, and the Touareg were not before us.
Lofty and forbidding rocks rose high, sheer from the edge of a malodorous swamp, from whose salt-caked edge grew dry bents that rattled in the wind.
Between the swamp and the stone cliffs was a tract of boulder-strewn sand, averaging a hundred yards in width.
Here we camped, lit fires, and prepared to have a long and thorough rest--unless the Touareg attacked--until night.
Achmet quickly pitched the little tentes d'abri, fixed the camp-beds for the girls, and unrolled the "flea-bags" and thin mattresses, while his kettle boiled. It was a strangely peaceful and domestic scene--in view of the fact that sudden death--or slow torture--loomed so large and near.
Dufour himself ungirthed and fed the camels while Suleiman stood upon a rock and stared out into the desert. He could probably see twice as far as Dufour or I. . . .
"Into that tent, Major," said the cool sweet voice that I was beginning to like again. "I have made the bed as comfy as I can. Have Achmet pull your boots off. I'll come in ten minutes or so, and dress your arm again."
"And what about you?" I replied. "I'm not going to take your tent. I am quite all right now, thanks."
"Maudie and I are going to take turns on the other bed," she replied. "And you are going to take 'my' tent, and lie down too. What's going to happen to the show if you get ill? Suppose you get fever? Suppose your arm mortifies and falls into the soup? . . . Let's get the wound fixed again, before those low-brow Touareg shoot us up again. . . . You'll find a cold water compress very soothing. . . . Go along, Major. . . ."
I thought of something more soothing than that--the touch of cool deft fingers.
"I'd be shot daily if you were there to bind me up, Miss Vanbrugh," I said as I gave in to her urgency, and went to the tent.
"Well--perhaps they'll oblige after breakfast, Major, and plug your other arm," observed this most unsentimental young woman.
"But, my dear!" I expostulated. "If I had no arms at all, how could I . . . ?"
"Just what I was thinking, Major," was the reply, as, to hide a smile, she stooped over the big suit-case and extracted the medicine chest. . . .
As we hastily swallowed our meal of dates, rice, biscuits and tinned milk, I gave my last orders to Dufour. . . .
"You'll hold this pass while there is a man of you alive," I said.
"Oui, mon Commandant," replied the brave man, with the same quiet nonchalance that would have marked his acknowledgment of an order to have the camels saddled.
"Should the Touareg abandon the attempt (which they will not do), any survivor is to ride due south-east until he reaches the Great Oasis."
"Oui, mon Commandant."
"Even if Suleiman is killed, there will be no difficulty in finding the place, but we'll hear what he has to say about wells and water-holes--while he is still hale and hearty."
"Oui, man Commandant."
"But I fear there won't be any survivors--four against a harka--say, a hundred to one. . . . But you must hold them up until I am well away. . . . They won't charge while your shooting is quick and accurate. . . . When they do, they'll get you, of course. . . . Don't ride for it at the last moment. . . . See it through here, to give the impression that you are the whole party. I must not be pursued. . . . Die here. . . ."
"Oui, mom Commandant."
"Excuse me, Major de Beaujolais," cut in the voice of Miss Vanbrugh, icily cold and most incisive, "is it possible that you are talking about deserting your men? . . . Leaving them to die here while you escape? . . . Ordering them to remain here to increase your own chance of safety, in fact. . . ."
"I was giving instructions to my subordinate, who will remain here with the others, Miss Vanbrugh," I replied coldly. "Would you be good enough to refrain from interrupting. . . ."
My uncle's words burned before my eyes!--"A woman, of course! . . . He turned aside from his duty. . . . Exit de Lannec. . . ."
Miss Vanbrugh put her hand on Dufour's arm.
"If you'll be so kind as to enrol me, Mr. Dufour--I am a very good rifle shot," she said. "I shall dislike perishing with you intensely, but I should dislike deserting you infinitely more," and she smiled very sweetly on my brave Dufour.
He kissed her hand respectfully and looked inquiringly at me.
"And Maudie?" I asked Miss Vanbrugh. "Is she to be a romantic heroine, too? I hope she can throw stones better than most girls, for I understand she has never fired a rifle or pistol in her life. . . ."
"I think yon really are the most insufferable and detestable creature I have ever met," replied Miss Vanbrugh.
"Interesting, but hardly germane to the discussion," I replied.
"Listen, Miss Vanbrugh," I continued. "If the Touareg are upon us, as I have no doubt they are, I am going to ride straight for the Great Oasis. Dufour, Achmet, Djikki and Suleiman will stand the Touareg off as long as possible. Eventually my men will be rushed and slaughtered. If sufficiently alive, when overcome and seized, they will be tortured unbelievably. The Touareg may or may not then follow me, but they will have no chance of overtaking me as I shall have a long start. I shall have the best of the riding camels, and I shall make forced marches. . . . Now--I see no reason why you and Maudie should not accompany me for just as long as you can stand the pace. . . ."
"Oh, Major--we might conceivably hinder you and so imperil your most precious life, endanger your safety--so essential to France and the world in general. . . ."
"I'll take good care you don't do that, Miss Vanbrugh," I replied. "But, as I say, there is no reason why you and your maid should not ride off with me--though, I give you fair warning, I shall probably ride for twenty-four hours without stopping--and you will be most welcome. In fact, I pray you to do so. . . . Trust me to see to it that you are no hindrance nor source of danger to the success of my mission. . . ."
"Oh--I fully trust you for that, Major de Beaujolais," she replied bitterly.
"Then be ready to start as soon as we get word from Djikki that they are coming," I said. "Once again, there is no reason why you should not come with me . . ."
"Thank you--but there is a very strong reason. I would sooner die twice over. . . . I remain here," was the girl's reply. "I can think of only one thing worse than falling alive into the hands of these beasts--and that is deserting my friends, Mr. Dufour, Achmet and Djikki. . . . Why, I wouldn't desert even that evil-looking Suleiman after he had served me faithfully. . . . I wouldn't desert a dog. . . ."
"And Maudie?" I asked.
"She shall do exactly as she pleases," answered the girl.
Turning to Maudie, who was listening open-mouthed, she said:
"Will you ride off with Major de Beaujolais, my child, or will you stay with me? You may get to safety with this gallant gentleman--if you can keep him in sight. . . . It is death to stay here, apparently, but I will take care that it is death and not torture for you, my dear."
"Wouldn't the Sheikhs treat us well, Miss?" asked Maudie.
"Oh, Sheikhs!" snapped Miss Vanbrugh. "These are two-legged beasts, my good idiot. They are human wolves, torturing devils, merciless brutes. . . . What is the worst thing you've got in your country?"
"Burglars, Miss," replied Maudie promptly.
"Well, the ugliest cut-throat burglar that ever hid under your bed or came in at your window