CHAPTER XV

A STRANGE STORY

"Who is this?" asked the magistrate, amazed at the commotion. The Grimleigh people, recognizing Tera, were talking loudly and excitedly amongst themselves.

A babel of voices rose in answer to the question; but the usher of the court having proclaimed silence. Captain Jacob took upon himself to step forward.

"This, sir," said he, with his nasal drawl, "is the young gal Tera, or Bithiah, who was supposed to have been scragged."

"What does the man mean?" demanded the Bench. "How dare you interrupt the court, man?"

"Mean?" interposed the accused. "Well, I guess he means that I'm here to answer to the charge of murdering a girl who's not dead. This is Tera--the young lady herself, your worship!"

"Dear me! dear me!" said the magistrate, fretfully--he was a little man, most careful of the dignity of his position--"all this is very irregular, not to say unseemly. Mr. Inspector, perhaps you can enlighten us?"

Chard rose, and cast no very friendly glance towards Jacob, whom he strongly suspected of having contrived this dramatic master-stroke.

"The girl is Tera, I believe; usually called Bithiah, your worship. What was thought to be her body was found in a cornfield at Grimleigh, as set forth in the charge. It now seems that there has been some mistake as to identity. This is the girl herself, your worship."

"And I am innocent!" finished Jack.

"Silence in the court," roared the usher, as the crowd manifested signs of giving vent to their feelings.

"I am to understand, then, that this young woman is the supposed victim of this murder," said Mr. Benker, in his most pompous tones. "It is really most extraordinary. I don't know that I have ever heard of anything more so. There is some one here, I presume, prepared and competent to swear to her identity?"

"Her guardian is in court, your worship."

"Who is her guardian?"

"The Reverend Mr. Johnson, your worship."

"Let Mr. Johnson be called and sworn."

In response to the clerk's call, the minister stepped up to the box. He looked white and haggard, and seemed to be suffering acutely. Hitherto he had schooled himself to endure the loss of Tera. Now she was here in the flesh, and likely to become the wife of the man who stood there accused of having murdered her. The revulsion of feeling was terrible, and, despite himself, he felt a very demon of jealousy awake within his breast. With an effort he controlled his emotion, and deposed that Tera was his ward, and that it was she who stood before them now.

The magistrate decided that his evidence was sufficient to warrant the accused's discharge on the score of murder; "but," he added, glancing at the charge-sheet, and then frowning down on the applause which once again showed signs of ebullience, "there is the charge of robbery from the body. I think we must have some evidence upon that. I should like to know, too," he added, looking at Tera, "as you were not the woman who was killed, who she is; and how such a very serious mistake has come about. Perhaps you can help us, my girl."

These remarks were addressed in part to Tera, and in part to Mr. Benker's confidential clerk, from whom he was invariably accustomed to take his cue. A short discussion between them _sotto voce_ ended in the magistrate's giving instructions for Tera to be sworn.

Up to this time Tera had not spoken. With her eyes fixed on Jack, she had remained standing by Captain Shackel.

She now lifted her eyes to the magistrate, and proceeded to reply to the question he had addressed to her.

"Great Chief," she said sadly (there was a slight elevation of the magistrate's eyebrows as she said the words), "the one who is dead is Zara!"

"Zara?" repeated Mr. Benker, puzzled. Again he turned to his clerk.

Pharaoh, who had been standing quietly by the minister, gave a gasp and sprang forward.

"You killed her--devil-woman that you are!" he hissed savagely.

"Silence, sir."

"I did not kill her," continued Tera, with dignity, perfectly heedless of the irregularity of such intrusion. "Alas! why should I slay one so kind to me?"

"You wear her clothes; I saw that as you came in," went on Lee.

"Yes, I wear her clothes; but these she gave to me for one of my pearls."

"Silence in the court," from the usher.

"If the decorum of this court is not more properly observed I shall clear it," said the magistrate, with all the impressiveness he could muster. "Understand, please, my girl, that I cannot have interruptions of this kind. You will proceed with what you have to say unaided, if you please."

Tera was looking calmly round at the crowd before her. Her eyes fell on the white face of her guardian, and then on Pharaoh. He, too, seemed to be labouring under great stress of emotion. A reporter at the solicitors' table was intent upon his notes, delighted, no doubt, at the turn events had taken. No mere chronicle of legal jargon this; but a dramatic tale set forth by the principal witness herself--a pretty girl--the very "stuff" he knew his editor would revel in.

With a glance, first at Jack, and then at her guardian again, Tera began--

"I am the daughter of Buli, the High Chief of Koiau. Mr. Johnson brought me to this country by my father's wish, that I might, with its good people, become civilized, and take back with me to my land the fruits of civilization. I had pearls--which Buli gave to me that I might buy goods for my people when I returned. I lived with Mr. Johnson after I had finished my education. I wished to marry Jack, but my guardian would not let me. He said that Jack was not a good man. He told me that Buli had sent Misi Brand to take me home, and that I must go with him. I was afraid I should be parted from Jack, and never see him again. That was the reason I ran away. On the night I left I took my pearls from the drawer in Mr. Johnson's desk. He had left his keys behind him, and I had no difficulty in getting them. The pearls were mine, so I did not think there was any harm in taking them. I left the house with the intention of walking to Poldew, and taking the train to London. I was going to see Captain Shackel, in whose ship I had come to England."

"Did you know his address?" asked the magistrate, who was now following the recital with much interest.

"Oh yes, sir! I knew his address. He had written me a letter shortly before I left, stating that he had come back from the South Seas and was in London. I determined to go to him, and afterwards send for Jack. Then we could go away together to Koiau. I was sorry to leave Mr. Johnson, who had been good to me; but I was afraid he would make me go with Misi Brand, and part me from Jack."

"Why did you not tell any one where you were going?" asked Mr. Benker, "or at least leave a note behind you explaining your absence?"

"I was afraid," said Tera, simply; "I did not wish to be followed and given to Misi Brand. I left the house when Mr. Johnson was away, and walked up to Farmer Carwell's field on my way to Poldew. There I met with a girl very like myself. She was a gipsy."

"Zara!" said Lee, with a sigh, but not loud enough to call for rebuke.

"She told me her name was Zara, and wanted to tell my fortune," resumed Tera. "Then I thought if I could change clothes with her I might escape the more easily from my guardian and Misi Brand. At first, Zara refused to change clothes, but I promised to give her one of my pearls if she would. Then she consented. We went behind a hedge and changed clothes. I gave her the pearl, and we parted. I never saw her again."

"In which direction did she go?" asked the magistrate, to whom Chard had sent up a note.

"Towards Grimleigh, by the road I had come."

"Did she say why she was going to Grimleigh?"

"Yes; she said she was seeking her husband."

"And his name--his name!" shouted Pharaoh, unable longer to keep silence.

"If you interrupt, I shall commit you for contempt of court," said the magistrate, angrily. "How dare you raise your voice here?"

"I do not know his name," continued the witness, when Pharaoh had been suppressed. "Zara never told me; we were only together for twenty minutes."

"Did you see any one about?"

"No; no one."

"Do you know who murdered this gipsy girl?"

"No, sir," said Tera, very earnestly. "How was I to know that she went to meet her death?"

"Where did you go then--to Poldew?"

"No; as I had changed my clothes, I thought it best to avoid Poldew. I walked to the station beyond, and caught the train there. On arriving in London, I went to Captain Jacob, and told him what I had done. He promised to assist me if I would befriend him with my father, Buli, when we returned to Koiau. I consented, and he hid me in the house where his sister lived. I waited in London for some time, until I thought Mr. Johnson would have given up looking for me. Then I asked Captain Jacob to write for Jack. When he came up, the captain brought him to me, and Jack agreed that we should all go back to Koiau. He and Captain Shackel were both anxious to buy a schooner to return in, and to use for trading round the islands. I agreed that he should take my pearls and sell them for that purpose. He got two thousand pounds for them, although they were worth three--but he could not get more. With this money, and Captain Jacob's savings, they together bought the _Dayspring_. That took all the money, except such small sum as was necessary to man the ship and bring her round here. Jack's object in coming to Grimleigh was to get a sum of money from his uncle, so that we could procure some more sailors, and proper provisions for the voyage, I did not want to come, because I was afraid that Mr. Johnson would get hold of me, and take me away from Jack. But Captain Shackel and Jack arranged that I should stay on board the schooner until they came ashore and got the money; and then I could sail away to Koiau without any one being the wiser. I heard about the murder, but I was frightened to come forward. I knew, of course, that it was Zara who had been killed. Then Jack was arrested, and Captain Shackel told me that he wished me to come and show myself; which I have done," finished Tera, with a glance round the court.

"Ah!" whispered Chard to Jacob, in an angry tone, "so you could read that cypher?"

"You bet," replied Shackel, softly, with a wink; "read it the moment you clapped it on the table. Jack taught it to me; and mighty useful it's been. No, there ain't no fault to find with the cypher."

Here the whispering attracted the attention of the magistrate. He eyed both the inspector and Jacob severely, but proceeded with the case without further rebuke.

"As this girl was the owner of the pearls," he said, "she had, of course, a perfect right to give them to the accused. As she is here, there is obviously no case of murder. Therefore, on both charges, the accused is discharged. But I feel I must say a few words about this case."

Whereupon, Mr. Benker delivered a lecture upon Tera's wickedness in causing so much trouble by not communicating with her guardian. At this, Tera, afraid of the great chief, as Mr. Benker was in her eyes, began to weep. She upset the magistrate, and upset his dignity. He hastily discharged the prisoner, and ordered the court to be cleared.

When Johnson came out, he looked very grave. He walked up to the girl.

"Bithiah," he said reproachfully, "you have not treated me well."

"I am not Bithiah," replied Tera, her eyes sparkling. "I will call myself by the name Buli gave me. I am sorry if you think I have treated you badly, but it was your own fault. You need not reproach me, Mr. Johnson," she said in lower tones; "I spared you, in my story!"

The minister winced. "I thank you for that. I suppose I have no right to complain," he said bitterly. "You still intend to marry Finland?"

"Of course she does," cried Jack, taking Tera's arm. "Do you think I'm going to let you take her from me now?"

"I have not the power to do so," rejoined the preacher; "but Brother Brand will certainly demand that Tera be given back to him. He has authority from Buli to take charge of her."

"I do not recognize it," cried Tera, fiercely. "I refuse to go with him."

"If Brother Brand comes my way, I'll knock his head off," said Jack, clenching his fist. "Come along, Tera. Let us go back to the schooner."

"Wait," said Carwell, coming up to them. "I am prepared to take Tera under my roof until you are married."

"I think it would be better," put in Johnson, in a low voice.

"Yes, and have Brand after her!" said Jack.

"No, I promise you that shall not be. She will be safe with us until she leaves as your wife. Come, Jack, you had better agree."

"Will you give me that five hundred?" asked Finland.

"We will talk of that later, nephew. In the mean time, is Tera to come with us? If you are wise you----"

"Will you go, Tera?"

"Yes," replied the girl, leaving Jack's arm for that of his uncle. "I shall be quite safe with Mr. Carwell. I shall marry no one but you, Jack."

Johnson could stand it no longer. Turning on his heel, without a word he walked away. He still loved the girl, and he realized that she was lost to him for ever. In the distance he espied a fellow-sufferer in the person of Pharaoh Lee. He, too, had lost the girl he loved, and in a more cruel way. Johnson hastened up to him and touched him on the shoulder.

"What are you thinking of, Lee?" he asked, with a wretched smile.

"I am thinking how to find out Zara's husband, and hang him."

"Hang him?"

"Yes," said Lee, savagely. "She was killed by her husband."