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outside　world　it　was　all　equally　provincial。

But　their　enjoyment　was　apparently　unfeigned　and　generous。　　It
was　evident　that　they　had　known　each　other　for　many　years；　yet
they　received　every　remark　that　any　of　them　made　as　though　it　had
been　pronounced　by　a　new　and　interesting　acquaintance。　　Sir
Charles　found　it　rather　difficult　to　keep　up　with　the　talk　across
the　table；　they　changed　the　subject　so　rapidly；　and　they　half
spoke　of　so　many　things　without　waiting　to　explain。　　He　could　not
at　once　grasp　the　fact　that　people　who　had　no　other　position　in
the　world　save　that　of　observers　were　speaking　so　authoritatively
of　public　men　and　public　measures。　　He　found；　to　his　delight；
that　for　the　first　time　in　several　years　he　was　not　presiding　at
his　own　table；　and　that　his　guests　seemed　to　feel　no　awe　of　him。

〃What's　the　use　of　a　yacht　nowadays？〃　Collier　was　saying〃
what's　the　use　of　a　yacht；　when　you　can　go　to　sleep　in　a　wagon…
lit　at　the　Gare　du　Nord；　and　wake　up　at　Vladivostok？　　And　look　at
the　time　it　saves；　eleven　days　to　Gib；　six　to　Port　Said；　and
fifteen　to　Colombothere　you　are；　only　half…way　around；　and
you're　already　sixteen　days　behind　the　man　in　the　wagon…lit。〃

〃But　nobody　wants　to　go　to　Vladivostok；〃　said　Miss　Cameron；　〃or
anywhere　else　in　a　wagon…lit。　　But　with　a　yacht　you　can　explore
out…of…the…way　places；　and　you　meet　new　and　interesting　people。　
We　wouldn't　have　met　Sir　Charles　if　we　had　waited　for　a　wagon…
lit。〃　　She　bowed　her　head　to　the　Governor；　and　he　smiled　with
gratitude。　　He　had　lost　Mr。　Collier　somewhere　in　the　Indian
Ocean；　and　he　was　glad　she　had　brought　them　back　to　the　Windless
Isles　once　more。

〃And　again　I　repeat　that　the　answer　to　that　is；　'Why　not？　said
the　March　Hare；'〃　remarked　Mr。　Collier；　determinedly。

The　answer；　as　an　answer；　did　not　strike　Sir　Charles　as　a　very
good　one。　　But　the　ladies　seemed　to　comprehend；　for　Miss　Cameron
said：　　〃Did　I　tell　you　about　meeting　him　at　Oxford　just　a　few
months　before　his　deathat　a　children's　tea…party？　　He　was　so
sweet　and　understanding　with　them！　　Two　women　tried　to　lionize
him；　and　he　ran　away　and　played　with　the　children。　　I　was
more　glad　to　meet　him　than　any　one　I　can　think　of。　　Not　as　a
personage；　you　know；　but　because　I　felt　grateful　to　him。〃

〃Yes；　that　way；　distinctly；〃　said　Mrs。　Collier。　　〃I　should　have
felt　that　way　towards　Mrs。　Ewing　more　than　any　one　else。〃

〃I　know；　'Jackanapes；'〃　remarked　Collier；　shortly；　〃a　brutal
assault　upon　the　feelings；　I　say。〃

〃Some　one　else　said　it　before　you；　Robert；〃　Mrs。　Collier
commented；　calmly。　　〃Perhaps　Sir　Charles　met　him　at　Apia。〃　　They
all　turned　and　looked　at　him。　　He　wished　he　could　say　he　had　met
him　at　Apia。　　He　did　not　quite　see　how　they　had　made　their　way
from　a　children's　tea　party　at　Oxford　to　the　South　Pacific
islands；　but　he　was　anxious　to　join　in　somewhere　with　a　clever
observation。　　But　they　never　seemed　to　settle　in　one　place
sufficiently　long　for　him　to　recollect　what　he　knew　of　it。　　He
hoped　they　would　get　around　to　the　west　coast　of　Africa　in　time。　
He　had　been　Governor　of　Sierra　Leone　for　five　years。

His　success　that　night　at　dinner　on　the　yacht　was　far　better。　
The　others　seemed　a　little　tired　after　the　hours　of　sight…seeing
to　which　he　had　treated　them；　and　they　were　content　to　listen。　
In　the　absence　of　Mr。　Clarges；　who　knew　them　word　by　word；　he
felt　free　to　tell　his　three　stories　of　life　at　Sierra　Leone。　　He
took　his　time　in　the　telling；　and　could　congratulate　himself　that
his　efforts　had　never　been　more　keenly　appreciated。　　He　felt　that
he　was　holding　his　own。

The　night　was　still　and　warm；　and　while　the　men　lingered　below　at
the　table；　the　two　women　mounted　to　the　deck　and　watched　the
lights　of　the　town　as　they　vanished　one　by　one　and　left　the　moon
in　unchallenged　possession　of　the　harbor。　　For　a　long　time　Miss
Cameron　stood　silent；　looking　out　across　the　bay　at　the　shore　and
the　hills　beyond。　　A　fish　splashed　near　them；　and　the　sound　of
oars　rose　from　the　mist　that　floated　above　the　water；　until　they
were　muffled　in　the　distance。　　The　palms　along　the　shore
glistened　like　silver；　and　overhead　the　Southern　Cross　shone
white　against　a　sky　of　purple。　　The　silence　deepened　and
continued　for　so　long　a　time　that　Mrs。　Collier　felt　its
significance；　and　waited　for　the　girl　to　end　it。

Miss　Cameron　raised　her　eyes　to　the　stars　and　frowned。　　〃I　am　not
surprised　that　he　is　content　to　stay　here；〃　she　said。　　〃Are　you？　
It　is　so　beautiful；　so　wonderfully　beautiful。〃

For　a　moment　Mrs。　Collier　made　no　answer。　　〃Two　years　is　a　long
time；　Florence；〃　she　said；　〃and　he　is　all　I　have；　he　is　not　only
my　only　brother；　he　is　the　only　living　soul　who　is　related　to　me。

That　makes　it　harder。〃

The　girl　seemed　to　find　some　implied　reproach　in　the　speech；　for
she　turned　and　looked　at　her　friend　closely。　　〃Do　you　feel　it　is
my　fault；　Alice？〃　she　asked。

The　older　woman　shook　her　head。　　〃How　could　it　be　your　fault？〃
she　answered。　　〃If　you　couldn't　love　him　enough　to　marry　him；　you
couldn't；　that's　all。　　But　that　is　no　reason　why　he　should　have
hidden　himself　from　all　of　us。　　Even　if　he　could　not　stand　being
near　you；　caring　as　he　did；　he　need　not　have　treated　me　so。　
We　have　done　all　we　can　do；　and　Robert　has　been　more　than　fine
about　it。　　He　and　his　agents　have　written　to　every　consul　and
business　house　in　Central　America；　and　I　don't　believe　there　is　a
city　that　he　hasn't　visited。　　He　has　sent　him　money　and　letters
to　every　bank　and　to　every　post…office〃

The　girl　raised　her　head　quickly。

〃but　he　never　calls　for　either；〃　Mrs。　Collier　continued；　〃for　I
know　that　if　he　had　read　my　letters　he　would　have　come　home。〃

The　girl　lifted　her　head　as　though　she　were　about　to　speak；　and
then　turned　and　walked　slowly　away。　　After　a　few　moments　she
returned；　and　stood；　with　her　hands　resting　on　the　rail；　looking
down　into　the　water。　　〃I　wrote　him　two　letters；〃　she　said。　　In
the　silence　of　the　night　her　voice　was　unusually　clear　and
distinct。　　〃Iyou　make　me　wonderif　they　ever　reached　him。〃

Mrs。　Collier；　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　girl；　rose　slowly　from
her　chair　and　came　towards　her。　　She　reached　out　her　hand　and
touched　Miss　Cameron　on　the　arm。

〃Florence；〃　she　said；　in　a　whisper；　〃have　you〃

The　girl　raised　her　head　slowly；　and　lowered　it　again。　　〃Yes；〃
she　answered；　〃I　told　him　to　come　backto　come　back　to　me。　
Alice；〃　she　cried；　〃II　begged　him　to　come　back！〃　　She　tossed
her　hands　apart　and　again　walked　rapidly　away；　leaving　the　older
woman　standing　motionless。

A　moment　later；　when　Sir　Charles　and　Mr。　Collier　stepped　out　upon
the　deck；　they　discovered　the　two　women　standing　close　together；
two　white；　ghostly　figures　in　the　moonlight；　and　as　they　advanced
towards　them　they　saw　Mrs。　Collier　take　the　girl　for　an　instant
in　her　arms。

Sir　Charles　was　asking　Miss　Cameron　how　long　she　thought　an
immigrant　should　be　made　to　work　for　his　freehold　allotment；　when
Mr。　Collier　and　his　wife　rose　at　the　same　moment　and　departed　on
separate　errands。　　They　met　most　mysteriously　in　the　shadow　of
the　wheel…house。

〃What　is　it？　　Is　anything　wrong　with　Florence？〃　Collier　asked；
anxiously。　　〃Not　homesick；　is　she？〃

Mrs。　Collier　put　her　hands　on　her　husband's　shoulders　and　shook
her　head。

〃Wrong？　　No；　thank　Heaven！　it's　as　right　as　right　can　be！〃　she
cried。　　〃She's　written　to　him　to　come　back；　but　he's　never
answered；　and　soand　now　it's　all　right。〃

Mr。　Collier　gazed　blankly　at　his　wife's　upturned　face。　　〃Well；　I
don't　see　that；〃　he　remonstrated。　　〃What's　the　use　of　her　being
in　love　with　him　now　when　he　can't　be　found？　　What？　　Why　didn't
she　love　him　two　years　ago　when　he　was　where　you　could　get　at
himat　her　house；　for　instance。　　He　was　there　most　of　his　time。　
She　would　have　saved　a　lot　of　trouble。　　However；〃　he　added；
energetically；　〃this　makes　it　absolutely　necessary　to　find　that
young　man　and　bring　him　to　his　senses。　　We'll　search　this　place
for　the　next　few　days；　and　then　we'll　try　the　mainland　again。　　I
think　I'll　offer　a　reward　for　him；　and　have　it　printed　in
Spanish；　and　paste　it　up　in　all　the　plazas。　　We　might　add　a　line
in　English；　'She　has　changed　her　mind。'　　That　would　bring　him
home；　wouldn't　it？〃

〃Don't　be　unfeeling；　Robert；〃　said　Mrs。　Collier。

Her　husband　raised　his　eyes　appealingly；　and　addressed　himself　to
the　moon。　　〃I　ask　you　now；〃　he　complained；　〃is　that　fair　to　a　man
who　has　spent　six　months　on　muleback　trying　to　round　up　a
prodigal　brother…in…law？〃

That　same　evening；　after　the　ladies　had　gone　below；　Mr。　Collier
asked　Sir　Charles　to　assist　him　in　his　search　for　his　wife's
brother；　and　Sir　Charles　heartily　promised　his　most　active　co…
operation。　　There　were　several　Americans　at　work　in　the　interior；
he　said；　as　overseers　on　the　coffee…plantations。　　It　was　possible
that　the　runaway　might　be　among　them。　　It　was　only　that　morning；
Sir　Charles　remembered；　that　an　American　had　been　at　work
〃repairing　his　lawn…mower；〃　as　he　considerately　expressed　it。　　He
would　send　for　him　on　the　morrow。

But　on　the　morrow　the　slave　of　the　lawn…mower　was　reported　on　the
list　of　prisoners　as　〃missing；〃　and　Corporal　Mallon　was　grieved；
but　refused　to　consider　himself