did not want to lose her power, but she
wanted money. Nominally, the shares were worth a much larger sum, but
she had found out that nobody else was willing to buy the block. For all
that, Cartwright was cunning and she wondered whether he knew something
she did not. She asked for a higher price, but Cartwright refused. He
was cool and humorous, although he knew _Arcturus_ was steadily nearing
the harbor. Perhaps in a few minutes the look-out on the Isleta would
read her flags. At length he pulled out his watch.

"I have an engagement, but I rather want the shares. My getting them
would help me at the meeting," he said. "Shall we say twelve-and-sixpence?
This is the limit."

"Very well," said Mrs. Seaton and smiled with a sense of triumph. "It
looks very greedy, but when can I have a check? You see, I'm nearly
bankrupt."

"Now," said Cartwright, and taking out his fountain pen, rang a bell.
"Send a page for some notepaper and write an undertaking to deliver me
the shares."

Mrs. Seaton did so and Cartwright wrote the check. Then she signed to
one of the young men she had sent off. "Since you are very
business-like, you had better have a witness! I'm relieved to get the
check, particularly since I expected you would be forced to ask Clara
for the money."

Cartwright had to smile. The sneer was Ellen's Parthian shot. She was
retiring from the field, but he owned that she might have beaten him by
a bold attack and he had been afraid.

He went to the bar and ordered a drink, and then going out saw fresh
signals blow from the Isleta staff. _Arcturus'_ hull was visible in the
tugs' thick smoke; the look-out on the hill with his big telescope had
read her flags and was signaling her name and number to the town.
Cartwright had won by a few minutes and was satisfied, although he had
given Mrs. Seaton twelve-and-sixpence for her shares, when perhaps he
need not. This was now about their just value, and, for old time's sake,
he had not meant to cheat her. In the meantime a launch was waiting to
take him on board _Arcturus_ and he hurried to the mole.

Barbara saw the launch start, with mixed emotions. She was something of
a rebel and had anybody but Cartwright ordered her to stop she would not
have obeyed. She waited in the shade, fixing her eyes on the laboring
tugs. Sometimes she felt a thrill of triumph because Lister had
conquered; sometimes she was tortured by suspense. She did not know if
he stood at the levers in