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Philip was passing through a purgatorial fire, and his old master was feeding it with fuel on every side. They were nearing Tynwald, and could see the flags, the tents, and the crowd as of a vast encampment, and hear the deep hum of a multitude, like the murmur of a distant sea. Tynwald Hill is the ancient Parliament ground of Man.
After looking for the light of intelligence in every face, waiting for a word, watching for a glance, expecting every moment that some one from south or north, or east or west, would say, "I've seen her;" yet, covering up the burning coal of his anxiety with the ashes of mock merriment, he tried to persuade himself that Kate was not on the island if nobody at Tynwald had seen her; that he had told the truth unwittingly, and that he was as happy as the day was long.
"A fortnight," muttered Philip. "There'll be daisies growing on her grave by this time," said Pete softly. The parson had put up his nose-glasses. "Who's this fellow, Crow? Captain what? His honour's cousin? Cousin? Oh, of course yes I remember Tynwald ah h'm!" The coach set down its passengers in the market-place.
I should think so. Get up, then, and I'll drive you to St. John's." "Don't think I'll go to-day, sir," said Philip in a feeble whimper. "Not go? Holy saints! Judge of his island and not go to Tynwald! What will the Governor say?" "He said last night he would excuse my absence." "Excuse your fiddlesticks! The air will do you good. I've got the carriage below.
"We can't be turning here, sir," said the coachman. "The vehicles are coming up like bees going a-swarming. We'll have to go as far as Tynwald, anyway." "Go on," said Philip in a determined voice. After a while the Clerk said, "Christian, it isn't worth while getting into trouble over this affair. After all, the Governor is the Governor. Besides, he's been a good friend to you."
And as she realised this a new fear possessed her, more bitter than any humiliation, more crushing than any shame the fear that he would cease to love her, the terror that he would come to hate her, as he recognised the depth to which she had dragged him down. Back from Tynwald, Philip was standing in his room.
Between that day and Tynwald day Pete was to enlist the sympathy of Philip, and to go to Port St. Mary to get the co-operation of the south-side fishermen. The town was astir by this time, the sun was on the beach, and the fishermen trooped off to bed. Pete was back in his ship's cabin in the garden the same evening with a heart the heavier because for one short hour it had forgotten its trouble.
"The harbours are our fathers' harbours, and were freed to us forty years ago." "Nevertheless," said Philip, "the dues are to be demanded. The Governor has issued an order." "Then we'll rise against it every fisherman in the island," said Pete. "And when they're making you Dempster, you'll back us up in the Tynwald Coort." "Take care, Pete, take care," said Philip.
"Fretting again, your Honour," said the man, in a half whisper. He busied himself in the room a moment, and then added, "Somehow she gets to know things. Yesterday evening now I was taking down some of the bottles, and I met her on the stairs. Next time I saw her she was crying." Philip said in a confused way, fumbling the razor. "Tell her I intend to see her after Tynwald." "I have, your Honour.
A friend's a friend, say I, and we're for bucking up for the man that's bucking up for us. And when he goes to the Tynwald Coort there, it'll be lockjaw and the measles with some of them. If the ould Governor's got a tongue like a file, Philip's got a tongue like a scythe he'll mow them down. 'No harbour-dues, says he, 'till we've a raisonable hope of harbour improvements.
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