thinks it is my duty to do what is best for Msala. That
is why I asked you to speak to me."

Mario did not seem to be listening. She was looking over his head up the
river, in the direction from whence the message had come, and there was
a singular hopelessness in her eyes.

"I cannot leave until he tells me to," she said doggedly.

Guy Oscard took the pipe from his lips and examined the bowl of it
attentively for a moment.

"Excuse me," he said gently, "but I insist on your leaving with the
children to-morrow. I will send two men down with you, and will give you
a letter to Miss Gordon, who will see to your wants at Loango."

She looked at him with a sort of wonder.

"You insist?" she said.

He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Yes," he answered.

She bowed her head in grave submission, and made a little movement as if
to go.

"It is chiefly on account of the children," he added.

Quite suddenly she smiled, and seemed to check a sob in her throat.

"Yes," said she softly, "I know." And she went into the house.

The next morning brought further rumours of approaching danger, and
it seemed certain that this news must have filtered through Durnovo's
fortified camp further up the river. This time the report was more
definite. There were Arabs leading the tribes, and rumour further stated
that an organised descent on Msala was intended. And yet there was
no word from Durnovo--no sign to suggest that he had even thought of
securing the safety of his housekeeper and the few aged negroes in
charge of Msala. This news only strengthened Oscard's determination
to send Marie down to the coast, and he personally superintended their
departure before taking his seat in the canoe for the up-river voyage.
The men of his division had all preceded him, and no one except his own
boatmen knew that Msala was to be abandoned.

There was in Guy Oscard a dogged sense of justice which sometimes
amounted to a cruel mercilessness. When he reached the camp he
deliberately withheld from Durnovo the news that the Msala household had
left the river station. Moreover, he allowed Victor Durnovo to further
inculpate himself. He led him on to discuss the position of affairs, and
the half-breed displayed an intimate knowledge of the enemy's doings.
There was only one inference to be drawn, namely, that Victor Durnovo
had abandoned his people at Msala with the same deliberation which had
characterised his cowardly faithlessness to Jack Mere