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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