Beadle's Dime Library No. 230 — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

\ And just as I De to this potpe in walked my amiable host, followed by Mr. Hassim and that brute of a pet tiger, with the gentle remark: ‘Doctor Peters, your five minutes have be- come seven, Are you ready to submit, or do you ee to be removed, to save trouble?” I ked at him and ground my teeth. It was very bard to give in, but I thought of the cat. | “suppose I must submit,” said L “But I warn you I'll be even with you some day.” The man smiled placidly as he remarked: ‘““You are wise. Study dissimulation. It is the only defense of the weak. I have had to study it for twenty years and more. Bide your time. When it comes, if you still wish revenge on me, take it if youcan. In the mean time, I am ut to exact of you an oath and a hos- tage. If you break the oath your removal will be instant, and you will have the gan ecag 4 of bringing death on your patient, whose life depends on your skill. Are you ready to take the obligation I require?” He spoke in the same cold, pitiless and pas- gionless tone he had used all through the inter- view, and I was forced to answer him: ‘Tam ready, but I do so under beery He turned on me with the white of his eyes showing again, as he compressed his lips, ask- a Do you mean you will break the oath?” “No, Idon’t,” said I. “As far as that goes, ou can kill me and hush it up easy enough in dhis art of the world. If it only affected me, d tell you to go to the devil and do your worst; but I’ve made up my mind to save that r child up stairs, in spite of you and the devil Pimeelf. ene done your best to kill ber, you an that cur, Johnston, and your murdering Dutch doctor, and I’ve begun to save her life, wito the help of this brave fellow here, who’s too ood to be your servant. Now, [m going to saveit. Do you understand? I take your oath not beeause it will bind me a jot, for I cal .waths superstitious farces, but to save Mamie Sruce’s life. 1 shall keep it, not for fear of os your tigers or cutthroats, but to save J As for Johnston, if ever I meet him Ill give him a piece of my mind that’ cut into his Scotch hide, be itever so thick. Now go on with your mummery. I’m ready.” Vanderdecken listened impassively, and an- swered: ‘You will pronounce your name, and repeat _after me the obligation.” | | “Go ahead,” I answered, sneering; and then he repeated the following oath: ‘‘T, Samuel F. Peters, in the presence of the Supreme Being and final cause of the whole Universe; knowing that his eye is on me; and with no mental reservation whatever, do promise, on my honor as a man; on my faith as a physician; and as I hope to save the life of the woman I love; that I will at all times keep sacred. the secrets of my brotbers and wit- nesses in this oath that I now assume; and that 1 will never mention to any human being, other than them, any fact which may have come to m knowledge through them. And I[ pray that e Ruler of the Universe will, if I this pledge, punish me by striking down the dearest object in my heart, and leaving me alone, through all eternity. God help me to keep my word. AMEN.” the oath with a bitter sneer; I ended it with the sweat running down my forehead and hardly able to articulate my words, When it was over, my singular host turned to and said in Malay: ‘‘Go. He will keep the pledge.” Hassim went out, taking the tiger with him, and Mr. Vanderdecken continued to me: ‘As you go from this house to-night, you will take with you a companion, who will re- main with you at a'l times, till 1 know I am safe from any disclosures of yours. You will give out that he is your attendant, valet, as- sistant, what you will; but he will not leave you | further orders.” He spoke in such deep solemn tones that I was impressed against my will, and bowed ow,” he said, “ resume your role of doctor. I will set you an example of good faith. I am cruel, as you see, and I bave no such thing as ty on anything that crosses my path, Aside Boch y Ste a man with a man’s sympathies. Save that child and I will make your fortune.” ‘“‘T want no fortune,” said I. ‘‘I do it for love of her, and to spite you. All I want you todois to keep out of her sight, lock up your brutes, and, in one word, give ber a chance,” He nodded gravely. **T will do what you say.” Then he went to the door, and paused a mo- ment to say: “You may think more justly of me some day. Ican wait for justice as long as for re- venge.” Then he was off. His words at parting showed me one thing. peepee as he might be in Java, with no law but own will, the man was amenable to the force of opinion. He actually set some value on mine, while I began to despise myself for giving in to him. nd —— LL LLL LL LLL LLL LL LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL itt ttt tt ——————— NN SSS a ooo But I forgot it all when I went up-stairs and found Mamie Bruce awake, and greeting me with a smile, not of amusement this time, but positive gratitude, as if she was glad to see me. I suppose something of my recent agitation must have shown itself in my face, for ber look changed to one of childish concern till I smiled and said, briskly: **Now you are hungry again, Iknow. Sister A a, more broth. want my patient to eat and sleep for the next week, to be pias but a little animal without any soul—say a little lamb.” She smiled again at this particularly mild joke, in a way that showed she hadn’t much more sense than a lamb, and I soou had her fast asleep again, with more broth and brandy. Then I went off to find Vanderdecken, and he met me in the lower corridor, when he said: **T have sent away all the beasts except the deer and the antelopes. Will that do?” i ‘* When are you going your- ‘*To-night. Hereis your companion. He is dumb, but he understands English. You will find him well versed in medicine, if you need an assistant in making up prescriptions. His name is Dundoo.” I looked at my future shadow. He was a rather old man—that isto say, he looked some ten years past middle life—perhaps sixty. He was a pure Hindoo, as I could see by his complexion and general figure—rather slight naturally, with small bones, but round and in- clined to fat, like all high-caste Hindoos. He was a light caste, I could see, or he would have been much darker than he was, One time he might have been handsome— probanly. was. A sensual, voluptuous sort of yeauty, with the soulless regularity of a Greek statue, skin deep, Now his face was seamed with the deep lines of strong passion into many furrows, and his ven- erable beard was snow white, hiding something of his full under lip, that looked as ifits owner were fond of the table. He was dressed as a Hindoo servant of the up- r class, what they calla kitmuggar or butler in Singapore. fie Jooked intensly respectable and exceed- ingly crafty and bypocritical in his old age, end I fel6 much repulsion toward him, as Vander- decken said: * Dundoo will be with you day and night, and will go with you to your patients’ rooms all but here. He will carry your instruments for you and help you; but you are not to require any menial service of him, for he is a high-caste Brahmin. Do you object to his presence?” ‘* Decidedly 1 would if I could,” I said testily. ‘** He'll be a confounded nuisance to me.” ‘* Nevertheless, I require it on your pledge,” said Mr. Vanderdecken, Bemty. ‘Tt is neces- sary to my safety. You will be questioned every where, now it is known you visit bere, and Dundoo must hear what is said. Do you or do you not ee to submit to his constant pres- ence, and not attempt to evade it?” “of promise,” I said, grinding my teeth, and adding mentally, “If I don’t choke the old thief some , my name is not Sam Peters.” Mr. Vanderdecker held out his hand to me, saying: ‘Farewell, doctor. You will not see me again till your patient is well. Use this house as yourown. If you want anything, tell Dun- doo, and he will see that you get itatonce. He represents me,” ‘Hold on,” I said, as he was turning away. **T want Hassim to-morrow cr next day. Where will he be?” Vanderdecken pursed up his lips. ** He will be with me, at sea.” * Well, I want him for another transfusion, in case my patient will stand it.” Vanderdecken shook his head. **You can’t have him. He will be away. Won’t any one else answer wr purpose?” “No,” I said shortly, ‘If I can’t have him I won’t answer for the girl’s life.” Vanderdecken took a turn up and down the corridor, and at last snapped out in the first angry tone I’d heard him use: ‘*You doctors are worse tyrants than rajabs. When do you want him?” ‘To-morrow evening, if I can.” * Will midnight do?’ “It will. If she’s asleep. so much the better.” ‘You shall have him. Good-day.” . And off he went, leaving me alone in his gor- geous house, with that old thief Dundoo watch- pg me, in the most ultra respectful and hypo- critical way. I bardly knew what to do at first, whether to go back to Batavia, and look after my other patients, or stay where I was. Finally, I con- cluded to do the latter, and take a look over the house, so I said to Dundoo: ‘‘Show me over the house. I want to see if there are any rooms in it better for my patient than the one she’s in now.” He salaamed and beckoned me to follow him, when he took me over every room in a bouse that was fit to bea king’s palace, both iv the size of rooms ard the richness of the furniture. Of course it was difficult for me to extract The Flying Dutchman of 1880. z O_o much information out of a dumb man who could only answer by signs, but I came to retty strong evidence in certain parts of the ouse that Mr. Vanderdecken was either a Buddhist or Mohammedan in his religion, if he had any, and that he had been in the habit of keeping a regular harem of women around his house, for there were all sorts of articles of Malay feminine toilet in the different roo though I saw no women but a few servants o the lower classes. At last it struck me that if I could find Inez Diaz, she might give me information, and I asked Dundoo; ‘““Where is the Spanish girl—Miss Bruce's maid? She was here last night with the old gentleman and I sent them both away.” Dundoo nodded and led me to another part of the house, where I found Inez Diaz, witha lot of Malay girls, crying asif her heart would break, while they were trying to soothe her and get her to eat some breakfast. As soon as she saw me she ran to tell me how they wouldn’t let her go see her dear mistress any more. ‘“‘That’s all right,” I told her. ‘* They obey orders well here. If you go in there, eh ou’ll send your mistress off into a fit and k er. She’s got one of the Sisters there for a nurse, who'll do better than you could. If you’re a very good girl and promise to obey or- ders faithfully I’ll let you help to-night. But you must sleep half to-day and be fresh. I didn’t intend to find you awake now. Where's Mr. Bruce?” ‘Asleep, doctor. Oh, I'll be very good if you'll only let me take care of my mistress.” I saw she was heavy eyed yet from the opium so I told her if she would eat a good breakfast and go to sleep again | would let her help Sister Angela at night. I knew Sister Angela couldn’t keep up thirty six hours ata stretch without getting more or less worn out. Bat I couldn’t do what 1 wanted, question Inez with all those Malay girls and old Dundoo shonin and I began to realize that Vander- decken didn’t mean I should, either. I went to see old Bruce and found bim sleep- ing hard as if he was worn out; so I didn’t care to disturb him either, and concluded 1 would go to Batavia and make my usval round. ‘You can depend on one thing, | rode like a madman when I left the house with old Dundoo. I bad two reasons for this, 1 was riding another man’s horse and didn’t care whether I hurt him or not, and I wanted to make things as uncomfortable as I could for that old Hindoo spy set on me, But be seemed to be a tough old chap, and he kept up with me withoutany apparent pie a grin on his swartby, cunning old face till Igo to my lodging with the horses with sweat, having ridden the six miles in less than twenty-five minutes. Tben I took my own pony and made my rounds, with Dundoo behind meé carrying my box of instruments and a medi- cine-chest, for I was bound to make bim as un- comfortable as I could, and I loaded him down pretty well. As I might have expected, every one had beard I was visiting Vanderdecken’s, and there was much curiosity as to what the case was. But it didn’t take much to stop their mouths when I told them it was against etiquette for me to speak of one patient toanother. There wes still some curiosity left about Dundoo, who followed me every where; so I told them be was my new assistant, whom I had hired to carry medicines about so that I might be certain [ bad them pure. When I had got through my round I looked at old Dundoo, expecting to find him tired out. He had been carrying some twenty pounds in his hands all day Jong, what witb the medicine- chest and all. But the old rat hatin’t turned a hair, and there was the same respectful grin on his face, as he mounted bis horse to follow me to Vanderdecken's, that be wore when he started. I came to the conclusion he was as tough as I was, if not mere so, and I began to hate the old scoundrel wi'!) » virulence that increased every moment as 1}: Je on as hard as I could teer. T picked cut the worst ground on purp: se to tire him out, and tried my best to run both horses to a standstill, but it was no use. When I pulled up at Vanderdecken’s the ani- mals were reeking with sweat, and so was J, but old Dundoo was as cool as a cucumber, and I caught a covert grin on his face, as much as to say: N I'll play that game with you all day, sir.” I had to wait and cool off before I went up te my patient’s room. When I got there I found her asleep still, and Sister Angela told me she bad taken her broth six times that day and was getting on well. CHAPTER IX, MY SHADOW. THAT night I slept at Vanderdecken’s house in my clothes, ready within call. Next day I knew that my patient’s brain would become clearer and she would want to ask questions, so that I must be ready to keep her quiet. I found old Bruce restored to comparative strength, and let bim take a look At Mamie while she slept, under strict injunctions of si- S (ECON MICE Ooo) (EC) on