CHAPTER XXIV
NUGGY POLK'S SET-BACK
Laying the dead body of the Buddhist priest in the court-yard of the joss house, Gilbert and his men covered it with a matting and some loose stones, that the dogs might not get at it, and then hurried back to the headquarters of the first battalion.
Both Major Morris and Captain Banner were delighted to see the yoimg lieutenant back safe and sound, and all were eager to learn the particulars of his thrilling experience.
"You have had a narrow escape, Pennington," said the major. "You must be more careful of yourself in the future. We have already lost officers enough."
"Rest assured I'll be more careful," answered Gilbert. "I'll venture into no more such lions' dens."
It had been reported to the major that Gilbert had gone off to do some private looting, but this the commander of the first battalion would not believe. "He's too much of an American to do that," said the major. Looting still went on by some of the foreign troops; but the American soldiers were kept in constant check, and two men who would not obey the rules were placed under arrest.
For several days after the adventure at the Chinese house of worship, Gilbert was kept busy attending to his duties as an officer; and, consequently, he got no opportunity to call upon the Bartletts. And during that time he heard nothing as to how Amos Bartlett was faring.
The days to follow the capture of Tien-Tsin were, on the whole, quiet; for the Boxers and the Chinese government troops had fled to parts unknown, and the Alhes were as yet in no condition to hunt them up. The cry of "On to Pekin!" was frequently heard; but it was felt by all that the troops in Tien-Tsin must be re-enforced before a proper advance could be made.
Troops, however, were arriving daily at Taku and other ports; and the repairs to the railroad between Tien-Tsin and Tongku were pushed forward with all speed. In the past the different nationalities had acted largely on their individual responsibility. It was now felt that all must act in concert, or a further advance into the enemy's country might be attended with a severe set-back.
During the days spent at Tien-Tsin came news from Pekin which was both cheering and alarming. It was to the effect that so far all of the ministers but the German were safe. Several of the legations had been burnt down, and the various foreigners in Pekin had retreated to the English compound. They were being bombarded almost daily by the Chinese; and, whereas the Boxers had started the crusade against them, they were now being besieged by the government troops as well. They hoped to hold out until rehef came, but both rations and ammunition were alarmingly low.
This news stirred each of the foreign nations as they had never been stirred before. "Pekin must be relieved at any cost," was what every one said. "Our ministers and our people must be saved." Then the preparations for the advance were hurried more than ever.
One afternoon, when all was quiet, Gilbert obtained leave of absence for a few hours, and lost no time in hurrying to that section of the foreign quarter where the Bartletts resided. The walk was one not easily to be forgotten; for the dead Chinese still lay everywhere, the corpses being continually turned over by the savage "chow" dogs, who would growl fiercely at the approach of man. There was small use in trying to kill these dogs, for they numbered into the thousands.
Arriving in the neighborhood for which he had been bound, the first thing that caught Gilbert's eye was the ruins of the great warehouse which had before been damaged by fire. It was now burnt to the ground, and the broken tea-boxes lay in all directions with the tea stamped in the mud of the roadway.
The tea-merchant's residence had also suffered some; but, luckily, at the time of the conflagration the wind was in the opposite direction, and only a piazza was burnt off and the side of the building badly scorched.
"That fire must have been an awful shock to Mr. Bartlett," thought Gilbert, and quickened his steps to the side entrance opposite to where the fire had occurred.
As he stood ready to knock on the door, the sound of a familiar voice broke upon his ear. Nuggy Polk was inside, talking to Mrs. Bartlett and Jennie.
"I think it's foolishness that you won't let me talk to Mr. Bartlett," Nuggy was saying. "I have travelled all the way from the United States for that purpose."
"I am sorry, but my husband is very low," answered the lady of the house. "That last fire completely unnerved him; and our doctor says, if he is not kept perfectly quiet, he may go out of his mind completely."
"I won't excite him, Mrs. Bartlett. In fact, I think what I have to say will make him feel better."
"I presume you came to see about his shares in the Richmond Importing Company."
"That's it. I came to offer him a fair price for his stock. He knows the company is about on its last legs, and that the stock is hardly worth a pinch of salt. But my father wants to push things and build the company up again, and he is willing to give an old shareholder like Mr. Bartlett a fair price for his holdings."
"I don't think my husband wishes to sell out."
At this Nuggy Polk's face grew dark. "He'll make the mistake of his life, if he doesn't sell out," he returned. "For, if my father can't get hold of the stock, he intends to drop the whole thing; and then the company will be bankrupt inside of three months, and the stock won't be worth the paper it's printed on. If you are wise, you'll get him to sell out, and without delay."
"I shan't bother him now."
"But I've just said it won't bother him," persisted the young man from Richmond.
"I am the best judge of that, Mr. Polk," returned the lady, coldly.
"You had better call next week," put in Jennie. And she added in a whisper to her mother, "Papa may hear him talking, and that will make trouble."
"Yes, Mr. Polk, you can call next week," went on Mrs. Bartlett. "Then, if my husband improves, perhaps you can see him."
"You seem to be in an awful hurry to get rid of me," grumbled the visitor.
"We do not wish you to disturb a very sick man."
"I am not disturbing anybody."
"He may hear you, and any loud talking excites him. I wish you would go away now."
"I'll go away quick enough," said Nuggy Polk, in as loud a voice as ever. "But you don't seem to know what is for Mr. Bartlett's good."
At that moment came a voice from a bed-chamber close at hand. "Viola, who is that? Who is talking about me?" The tone was weak and wild, as if the sick one was suffering from fever.
"Hush! you have already disturbed him!" cried Mrs. Bartlett. "Please go away, please do!" And she motioned Nuggy Polk to the door.
But the young man had no notion of departing just yet, and he held his ground.
"I'm disturbing nobody," he said as loudly as before. "You are standing in your own light. If you'll let me talk to Mr. Bartlett—"
"Hush! do hush!" cried Jennie, in a low voice. "My poor father has a heavy fever, and—"
"Yes, but look here, Miss Bartlett. I offer— Who is this? Pennington, by Jove! Lieutenant, how did you get here?"
"We'll talk about that when we are outside, Polk," answered Gilbert, sternly. "Come out with me."
"Why, I—I don't understand you," stammered Nuggy.
"I told you to come outside. Are you going to obey orders?"
"Orders?"
"Yes, orders. This city is under martial law, and I am a lieutenant in the United States service. Now, then, will you come out, or must I have you placed under arrest?"
For the moment the young man from Richmond was struck speechless. This was an entirely new turn of affairs, and he knew not what to say. As for Gilbert, the young lieutenant did not know if he was doing exactly right; but for the sake of Mrs. Baxtlett and Jennie he was willing to risk it.
"You—you will ar—arrest me?"
"Yes, unless you march out of here immediately." And now Gilbert caught the intruder by the arm. "Not another word!" and his face grew so stern that Nuggy collapsed completely. Still keeping hold of his man, Gilbert led the way out of the house and around the corner of the street.
"Lieutenant Pennington, this is an—an outrage!" burst out Nuggy, as soon as he could collect himself.
"It is not half as much of an outrage as it was for you to disturb the household of a man who is almost on his death-bed."
"I was there for the man's own good."
"I don't think so; and I am pretty certain Mrs. Bartlett doesn't think so, either."
"You talk as if you knew the Bartletts pretty well," sneered the angry young man.
"I have become fairly well acquainted with them since my arrival in Tien-Tsin."
"I suppose you—that is—you overheard some of my talk," continued Nuggy, showing that he was much disturbed.
"I did overhear all I wanted to."
"See here, Pennington, perhaps we had better come to an understanding. I know what you are up to."
"And I know what you are up to, Polk."
"What am I up to?"
"You are going to try to cheat Mr. Bartlett out of his shares in the Richmond Importing Company, just as your father cheated my mother out of the most of what was coming to her after my father died."
"It's not so. I—I am trying to save Mr. Bartlett's money for him."
"You are the last person in the world to do any such thing, Polk. You know how to spend money, but there is nothing charitable in your make-up."
"You think you have got a case against my father, and now you are trying to make out a case against me."
"You are making out the case against yourself. Why don't you leave the Bartletts alone?"
"I haven't hurt them."
"Mr. Bartlett is very sick, and must not be disturbed."
"I came thousands of miles to see him."
"That makes no difference. You have got to leave him alone, so long as Mrs. Bartlett wishes it."
"Is that another of your orders?"
"It is. And, let me add, I am going to see that it is enforced. If you are caught around that house again without the lady's permission, I will have you placed under arrest, and stowed away in the Tien-Tsin prison. That prison is about the worst hole I have yet seen; and, if you know when you are well off, you'll do your best to keep out of it."
"You think you are big because you are a lieutenant," blustered Nuggy.
"I am big enough to handle you, Polk. Now you go about your business, and"—Gilbert put a peculiar emphasis to the words—"don't try to steal any more letters. They are easily duplicated, and such work may land you in prison."
For the instant Nuggy Polk glared at the young lieutenant. Then he turned on his heel, and made down the roadway at a rapid walk. At a far corner Jerry Nickerson was waiting for him, and the pair soon passed out of sight.