Old Jim stood up by the fireplace after that, never stirring nor speaking, with his eyes fixed on Miss Falkland, who had got back her colour, and though she panted a bit and looked raised like, she wasn't much different from what we'd seen her before at the old place.The two Misses Whitman, poor girls, were standing up with their arms round one another's necks, and the tears running down their faces like rain.Mrs.Whitman was lying back in her chair with her hands over her face cryin' to herself quiet and easy, and wringing her hands.
Then Starlight moved forward and bowed to the ladies as if he was just coming into a ballroom, like I saw him once at a swell ball they gave for the hospital at Turon.
`Permit me to apologise, Mrs.Whitman, and to you, my dear young ladies, for the rudeness of one of my men, whom I unhappily was not able to restrain.
I have had the pleasure of meeting Mr.Whitman, and I hope you will express my regret that I was not in time to save you from the great annoyance to which you have been subjected.'
`Oh! I shall be grateful all my life to you, and so, I'm sure, will Mr.Whitman, when he returns; and oh! Sir Ferdinand, if you and these two good young men, who, I suppose, are policemen in plain clothes, had not come in, goodness only knows what would have become of us.'
`I am afraid you are labouring under some mistake, my dear madam.
I have not the honour to be Sir Ferdinand Morringer or any other baronet at present; but I assure you I feel the compliment intensely.I am sure my good friends here, James and Richard Marston, do equally.'
Here the Misses Whitman, in spite of all their terror and anxiety, were so tickled by the idea of their mother mistaking Starlight and the Marstons for Sir Ferdinand and his troopers that they began to laugh, not but what they were sober enough in another minute.
Miss Falkland got up then and walked forward, looking just the way her father used to do.She spoke to Starlight first.
`I have never seen you before, but I have often heard of you, Captain Starlight, if you will allow me to address you by that title.
Believe me when I say that by your conduct to-night you have won our deepest gratitude -- more than that, our respect and regard.
Whatever may be your future career, whatever the fate that your wild life may end in, always believe there are those who will think of you, pray for you, rejoice in your escapes, and sorrow sincerely for your doom.
I can answer for myself, and I am sure for my cousins also.'
Here the Misses Whitman said --
`Yes, indeed, we will -- to our life's end.'
Then she turned to Jim, who still stood there looking at her with his big gray eyes, that had got ever so much darker lately.
`You, poor old Jim,' she said, and she took hold of his brown hand and held it in her own, `I am more sorry than I can tell to hear all I have done about you and Dick too.This is the second time you have saved me, and I am not the girl to forget it, if I could only show my gratitude.
Is there any way?'
`There's Jeanie,' just them two words he said.
`Your wife? Oh yes, I heard about her,' looking at him so kind and gentle-like.`I saw it all in the papers.She's in Melbourne, isn't she? What is her address?'
`Esplanade Hotel, St.Kilda,' says Jim, taking a small bit of a letter out of his pocket.
`Very well, Jim, I have a friend who lives near it.She will find her out, and do all for her that can be done.But why don't you --why don't all of you contrive to get away somehow from this hateful life, and not bring ruin and destruction on the heads of all who love you?
Say you will try for their sake -- for my sake.'
`It's too late, Miss Falkland,' I said.`We're all thankful to you for the way you've spoken.Jim and I would be proud to shed our blood for you any time, or Mr.Falkland either.We'll do what we can, but we'll have to fight it out to the end now, and take our chance of the bullet coming before the rope.Good-night, Miss Falkland, and good luck to you always.'
She shook hands heartily with me and Jim, but when she came to Starlight he raised her hand quite respectful like and just touched it with his lips.
Then he bowed low to them all and walked slowly out.