The Queen's Scarlet Part 41

"Oh, no; I will not forget," she replied, with a pleasant smile.

"Will you attend to me, and take--off--your--cap, sir?" came sharply from behind d.i.c.k, who started, coloured, and s.n.a.t.c.hed off his cap, conscious now that the bandmaster was speaking to him, and the words had been heard by Mark Frayne and his partner, to whom Mark made some playful remark, at which she smiled, as they both gazed at the young bandsman.

Then, as d.i.c.k's eyes met his cousin's with an angry stare, the latter's countenance changed, and he gave an involuntary start, but tossed his head in a contemptuous manner the next moment as he pa.s.sed on, bending down to say something to the lady.

Then _tap_--_tap_--_tap_ went Wilkins' baton, the band played a short introduction, and then glided off into one of Waldteuffel's waltzes; and, as d.i.c.k played, the cold perspiration stood out upon his forehead, while his eyes followed the couple as they went on down one side of the long mess-room, pa.s.sed across, and then easily and gracefully swung round and round as they approached. Once they were quite close, and then pa.s.sed him so near that he could have stretched out his hand, leaned forward, and touched Mark Frayne, who, however, never once lifted his eyes all through the dance, evidently forgetful, in his efforts to make himself agreeable, of the countenance which had given him so sudden a shock.

For, after he had started on the waltz, he had dismissed the idea with one word--

"Absurd!"

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

THE ALARM.

Dance succeeded dance; the refreshment-room was visited in the intervals; and, as the various couples pa.s.sed the musicians, sc.r.a.ps of their conversation told, from time to time, how great a success the ball was considered to be; while, among the faces, all looked bright and animated except two--those of d.i.c.k and Lieutenant Lacey--who, between the dances, came by the orchestra several times to attend to the two ladies seated near, but more often to the elderly lady alone.

For the big, handsome Adonis of the regiment was by no means happy. He told himself that he was not in the least jealous; but he had antic.i.p.ated taking the lady of his choice in to supper and been thwarted by that lady's aunt, who had said, sweetly:

"I shall expect you to take me in to supper, Lieutenant Lacey. Sir Mark Frayne has kindly said that he will see to my niece."

As for d.i.c.k, he worked hard at his task, and tried to think of nothing else but the waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles; and, consequently, thought of them hardly at all, but of the handsome young officer in scarlet, who came again and again to where the Deanes were seated--the last time just as supper was announced, at the break between the two divisions of the music.

"Almost a pity to stop the dances," said Mark, as he offered his arm to Miss Deane. And d.i.c.k saw that the lady darted a deprecating look at Lacey, who offered his arm to the aunt, and joined in the long line of dancers trooping out to the great marquee, now opened for the first time by the drawing back of the heavy drapery which had hidden the interior from the guests.

For the officers had determined that there should be no scrambled-for, stand-up supper, but a comfortably-arranged meal, with seats for every guest; while now a hurried movement was made by the band to a fresh orchestra inside the marquee, which was reached by a ladder from the back, and a selection of operatic airs was commenced at once to the rattle of knife, fork, and plate, and jingle of gla.s.s.

The marquee was soon crowded; and from high up where he stood d.i.c.k had a good view of the prettiest part of the scene; while, as he played, his eyes wandered round and round in search of Mark, to find, after a time, that he had overlooked him: for he was seated with Miss Deane, almost below and to the right, while Lacey was with the aunt on the other side of the table--one of the four which reached from end to end.

Once he had made out where they were, d.i.c.k could hardly keep his eyes off his cousin, who was evidently, to the lady's annoyance, making himself far too attentive; while, more than once, it was plain to see from Lacey's lowering countenance that a storm was brewing.

But Lacey was a steward for the occasion, and more than once servants came up to him for orders and instructions; while Jerry, who was busily seeing to the wants of those at that end of the table, was also going about, apparently with messages to the colonel and major.

"What an abominable smell of gas!" said Wilkins, after a piece or two had been played.

"Yes, sir; I noticed it as we came up here first."

"Humph! the pipes not properly joined, I suppose," said Wilkins. "Play the next."

Then a selection from Sullivan's operas was played, but half-drowned by the noise from the tables.

"This gas is suffocating up here," said the bandmaster, calling attention to it again.

"Yes, sir; I wonder they don't grumble down below."

"Humph! all up here, and along the upper part of the tent," grumbled the bandmaster; and then his attention was taken off by the appearance of Jerry through the curtain of canvas opening upon the orchestra.

"Lieutenant Lacey, sir, says the band needn't play no more during supper; and there's refreshments all ready in the little tent outside."

"Oh, thanks!" cried Wilkins. "Bring your instruments and music, and then we needn't come up here again before we go to the ball-room.

Halloa! you smell it?"

"Yes, sir," said Jerry, who had been sniffing loudly. "Someone's been turning on the gas here, and no mistake! Temp'ry pipes, I suppose."

"Doesn't it smell down below?"

"Yes, I did notice it a bit, sir, all along the tables; but nothing like this."

"Never mind; let's get out of it. Soon blow away."

Wilkins set the example, and hurried out and down the step-ladder, which took them outside, and, followed by the bandsmen, he made for the little tent where their supper was laid.

They had to pa.s.s the end of the great marquee, and d.i.c.k and Jerry, who were last, paused, while the latter drew the drapery a little on one side, holding it back before letting it fall after him.

"I must get back to my table, sir," he said. "Like a peep from here?"

d.i.c.k nodded and stood at the opening, gazing along the marquee toward the opening into the mess-room at the other end, the effect being very beautiful, with the long row of gaseliers and the vista of flags and red and white striped drapery running up to the narrow ridge of the roof.

But d.i.c.k saw nothing of this; his eyes sought the group right at the other end beneath the little elevated orchestra he had just left, and he was just making out where his cousin sat when there was a flash like sheet-lightning running along the upper part of the canvas, reaching from end to end. He felt himself thrust violently back, as he seemed to be struck with something heavy and soft; then there was a deep, dull report, as of thunder, and all was dark, while from where the marquee had stood there came wild shrieks, cries for help, and a strange babel of sounds, which, issuing from beneath what in the darkness looked like a chaotic sea, were for the most part smothered and strange.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

A FIERY TRIAL.

It needed no explanation. d.i.c.k grasped in an instant, as he sprang to his feet, that the whole roof of the marquee had become filled with escaped gas, and that at last this had exploded, bursting up the canvas, which had fallen back with the chandeliers, drapery, flags, decorations, and broken poles on the gaily-dressed crowd within, burying them helplessly.

The shrieks and cries increased as d.i.c.k tore off back along the side of the fallen tent, heedless of the heaving and sinking of the canvas and the figures struggling out beneath the edges. For he had but one thought: to get in by the way he had come and try and help those he knew--Lacey and the tall, fair girl who had been seated there a few minutes before.

As he reached the mess-room end the smothered cries and shrieks were horrible; but people were struggling out fast now, and officers in uniform could be seen dragging ladies from beneath the canvas. In other places, knives were being plunged through and slits made from within, out of which hands appeared, and, the holes being enlarged, people were rapidly dragged out by the servants and soldiers who came hurrying up from the barrack yard and by those who had been outside listening.

And all the time, amidst the hubbub of cries, appeals, and groans, the canvas kept on heaving where the frightened, suffocating people beneath were struggling together now and fighting vainly to escape.

Suddenly one of the bandsmen put his cornet to his lips and blew a familiar call, with the result that a number of the soldiers fell into line. One of the escaped officers began to give short, sharp, decisive orders, and then, leading and directing the men, an attack was made upon the canvas ropes. Stakes were torn up, and great openings made, out of which numbers escaped--the ladies with their gay ball habiliments torn, their hair dishevelled, many of them to fall fainting and be borne into the ball-room by the side entrance.

These efforts were soon being continued on all sides, the military discipline displaying itself more and more as the officers got free and then kept back the gathering crowd and those who made frantic efforts to help, but only hindered, the workers. The doctors were established in the tea-room, which was turned into a hospital, and the insensible and injured were rapidly borne in to them, while the cooler people who kept their heads, a.s.sisted.

It was quite time that the aid was effectual, for now a fresh horror was making itself evident. The explosion had resulted in darkness; but in two places smoke was arising, and one of these spots was where the canvas and poles lay thickest, and from whence d.i.c.k, who worked frantically, had dragged over a dozen people out, and helped to bear others who lay insensible, suffocated by those who had fallen and crushed them down.

Again and again he had plunged in under the canvas, feeling in the darkness amidst entangled chairs, portions of the table, with the chaos of broken china, gla.s.s, and cutlery, hoping that he was exactly in the place where Miss Deane must be, but always disappointed and helping to carry out someone else.

At last, when the fire began to burn, and the suffocating smoke to roll out, people hung back, and cries were raised for the engine and for buckets of water. But the barrack engine was already there, at the far end of the wreck, and the soldiers who manned it were striving hard to get out the hose and fit it together.

"My niece! my niece!" shrieked a voice close by; and, recognising the frantic woman who strove to escape from those who held her and to aid in the search, d.i.c.k made a fresh plunge in beneath the canvas, working round, cutting himself badly, and still in vain, till, half-suffocated, he was forced to try and creep back, but only to find that there in the darkness, where he was crawling, he had lost his way.

For a few minutes his senses reeled, and he felt as if all were over; but he recovered directly, for, in groping along, his hands touched something soft--a warm, bare arm, and the next minute he realised its owner's position. She was held tightly by someone, and there were pieces of the frame of the marquee and a portion of a pole forcing them down; while over all the folds of the canvas and drapery lay thick.