Sentence Deferred Read online

  Produced by David Widger

  SAILORS' KNOTS

  By W.W. Jacobs

  1909

  SENTENCE DEFERRED

  "An elderly man with a wooden leg, who joined theindignant officer in the pursuit."]

  Fortunately for Captain Bligh, there were but few people about, and theonly person who saw him trip Police-Sergeant Pilbeam was an elderly manwith a wooden leg, who joined the indignant officer in the pursuit. Thecaptain had youth on his side, and, diving into the narrow alley-waysthat constitute the older portion of Wood-hatch, he moderated his paceand listened acutely. The sounds of pursuit died away in the distance,and he had already dropped into a walk when the hurried tap of the woodenleg sounded from one corner and a chorus of hurried voices from theother. It was clear that the number of hunters had increased.

  He paused a second, irresolute. The next, he pushed open a door thatstood ajar in an old flint wall and peeped in. He saw a small, brick-paved yard, in which trim myrtles and flowering plants stood about infreshly ochred pots, and, opening the door a little wider, he slipped inand closed it behind him.

  "Well?" said a voice, sharply. "What do you want?"

  Captain Bligh turned, and saw a girl standing in a hostile attitude inthe doorway of the house. "H'sh!" he said, holding up his finger.

  The girl's cheeks flushed and her eyes sparkled.

  "What are you doing in our yard?" she demanded.

  The captain's face relaxed as the sound of voices died away. He gave hismoustache a twist, and eyed her with frank admiration.

  "Escaping," he said, briefly. "They nearly had me, though."

  "You had no business to escape into our yard," said the girl. "What haveyou been escaping from?"

  "Fat policeman," said the skipper, jauntily, twisting his moustache.

  Miss Pilbeam, only daughter of Sergeant Pilbeam, caught her breathsharply.

  "What have you been doing?" she inquired, as soon as she could controlher voice.

  "Nothing," said the skipper, airily, "nothing. I was kicking a stonealong the path and he told me to stop it."

  "Well?" said Miss Pilbeam, impatiently.

  "We had words," said the skipper. "I don't like policemen--fatpolicemen--and while we were talking he happened to lose his balance andgo over into some mud that was swept up at the side of the road."

  "Lost his balance?" gasped the horrified Miss Pilbeam.

  The skipper was flattered at her concern. "You would have laughed if youhad seen him," he said, smiling. "Don't look so frightened; he hasn'tgot me yet."

  "No," said the girl, slowly. "Not yet."

  She gazed at him with such a world of longing in her eyes that theskipper, despite a somewhat large share of self-esteem, was almoststartled.

  "And he shan't have me," he said, returning her gaze with interest.

  Miss Pilbeam stood in silent thought. She was a strong, well-grown girl,but she realized fully that she was no match for the villain who stoodbefore her, twisting his moustache and adjusting his neck-tie. And herfather would not be off duty until nine.

  "I suppose you would like to wait here until it is dark?" she said atlast.

  "I would sooner wait here than anywhere," said the skipper, withrespectful ardor.

  "Perhaps you would like to come in and sit down?" said the girl.

  Captain Bligh thanked her, and removing his cap followed her into a smallparlor in the front of the house.

  "Father is out," she said, as she motioned him to an easy-chair, "but I'msure he'll be pleased to see you when he comes in."

  "And I shall be pleased to see him," said the innocent skipper.

  Miss Pilbeam kept her doubts to herself and sat in a brown study,wondering how the capture was to be effected. She had a strongpresentiment that the appearance of her father at the front door would bethe signal for her visitor's departure at the back. For a time there wasan awkward silence.

  "Lucky thing for me I upset that policeman," said the skipper, at last.

  "Why?" inquired the girl.

  "Else I shouldn't have come into your yard," was the reply. "It's thefirst time we have ever put into Woodhatch, and I might have sailed awayand never seen you. Where should we have been but for that fatpoliceman?"

  Miss Pilbeam--as soon as she could get her breath--said, "Ah, whereindeed!" and for the first time in her life began to feel the need of achaperon.

  "Funny to think of him hunting for me high and low while I am sittinghere," said the skipper.

  Miss Pilbeam agreed with him, and began to laugh--to laugh so heartilythat he was fain at last to draw his chair close to hers and pat hersomewhat anxiously on the back. The treatment sobered her at once, andshe drew apart and eyed him coldly.

  "I was afraid you would lose your breath," explained the skipper,awkwardly. "You are not angry, are you?"

  He was so genuinely relieved when she said, "No," that Miss Pilbeam,despite her father's wrongs, began to soften a little. The upsetter ofpolicemen was certainly good-looking; and his manner towards her sonicely balanced between boldness and timidity that a slight feeling ofsadness at his lack of moral character began to assail her.

  "Suppose you are caught after all?" she said, presently. "You will go toprison."

  The skipper shrugged his shoulders. "I don't suppose I shall be," hereplied.

  "Aren't you sorry?" persisted Miss Pilbeam, in a vibrant voice.

  "Certainly not," said the skipper. "Why, I shouldn't have seen you if Ihadn't done it."

  Miss Pilbeam looked at the clock and pondered. It wanted but fiveminutes to nine. Five minutes in which to make up a mind that was in astate of strong unrest.

  "I suppose it is time for me to go," said the skipper, watching her.Miss Pilbeam rose. "No, don't go," she said, hastily. "Do be quiet.I want to think."

  Captain Bligh waited in respectful silence, heedless of the fatefulseconds ticking from the mantelpiece. At the sound of a slow, measuredfootfall on the cobblestone path outside Miss Pilbeam caught his arm anddrew him towards the door.

  "Go!" she breathed. "No, stop!"

  She stood trying in vain to make up her mind. "Upstairs," she said."Quick!" and, leading the way, entered her father's bedroom, and, after amoment's thought, opened the door of a cupboard in the corner.

  "Get in there," she whispered.

  "But--" objected the astonished Bligh.

  The front door was heard to open.

  "Police!" said Miss Pilbeam, in a thrilling whisper. The skipper steppedinto the cupboard without further parley, and the girl, turning the key,slipped it into her pocket and sped downstairs.

  Sergeant Pilbeam was in the easy-chair, with his belt unfastened, whenshe entered the parlor, and, with a hungry reference to supper, satwatching her as she lit the lamp and drew down the blind. With alifelong knowledge of the requirements of the Force, she drew a jug ofbeer and placed it by his side while she set the table.

  "Ah! I wanted that," said the sergeant. "I've been running."

  Miss Pilbeam raised her eyebrows.

  "After some sailor-looking chap that capsized me when I wasn't preparedfor it," said her father, putting down his glass. "It was a neat bit o'work, and I shall tell him so when I catch him. Look here!"

  He stood up and exhibited the damage.

  "I've rubbed off what I could," he said, resuming his seat, "and I s'posethe rest'll brush off when it's dry. To-morrow morning I shall go downto the harbor and try and spot my lord."

  He drew his chair to the table and helped himself, and, filling his mouthwith cold meat and pickles, enlarged on his plans for the capture of hisassailant; plans to which the undecided Miss Pilbeam turned a somewhatabstracted ear.

  By the time her father had
finished his supper she was trying, but invain, to devise means for the prisoner's escape. The sergeant had openedthe door of the room for the sake of fresh air, and it was impossible foranybody to come downstairs without being seen. The story of a sicklygeranium in the back-yard left him unmoved.

  "I wouldn't get up for all the geraniums in the world," he declared."I'm just going to have one more pipe and then I'm off to bed. Runningdon't agree with me."

  He went, despite his daughter's utmost efforts to prevent him, and shesat in silent consternation, listening to his heavy tread overhead.