m. "I saw the _Maritana_ early this morning in
tow of the boats, so I started off in the cutter at once. Brabant gone
ashore?"

"Yes, about an hour ago," replied the chief mate. "Almost a
newly-married man, you see," he added, with a laugh.

Dr. Bruce gave his friend a quick, penetrating glance, but there was no
answering smile on his lips. He knew Brabant well, and knew _of_ Mrs.
Brabant more than did her husband.

The three men sat down under the awning for nearly an hour, smoking
and drinking their whiskey-and-soda, and talking freely together.
Bruce--much the oldest man of the three--was aware that both his
companions were devoted to Brabant, and knew him far better than
himself, and so, being a straightforward, purposeful man, he said what
he had to say about Mrs. Brabant in very plain language.

"You, Jim, _can_ and ought to give him a hint. I can't. If I did he
would most likely haul off and knock me down. But he ought to stay
ashore this time. She may be only a brainless little fool of a flirt,
but there's a lot' of talk about her, especially since that young sweep
of a Danvers came here."

"Who is he?" asked Lester.

Dr. Bruce leant back in his seat, and flicked the ash off his cigar.
"He's the manager of the new Land and Trading Company here--a little,
pretty-faced fellow, with a yellow moustache, curly hair, and as much
principle in him as a damned rat. He has the command of any amount of
money, and the women here think no end of him. Was in the army--Rifles,
I think--but believe, though I can't be sure of it, was kicked out.
Thorough beast, but just the kind of man to get along too well with
women who don't know him. Now I'll take another whiskey-and-soda after
thus traducing Mr. Danvers, who I'm perfectly willing to boot along
Levuka beach from one end to the other if he gives me a chance to do it
on my own account. And, by Jove, I'll give him a chance to-night."

"Where?" asked Pedro Diaz, with a gleam of sombre light in his dark
eyes. 189

The Trader's Wife

"At Manton's. He's sure to come in there about eleven to-night. Goodbye
for the present. I'll meet you there about eight."

As the doctor went over the side again the Chilian turned to Lester.

"What did I tell you?" he said gloomily.

CHAPTER II

AT five o'clock in the afternoon, as Dr. Bruce was seated on the wide
verandah of Manton's Hotel, smoking his pipe, and wondering in a lazy
sort of a way whether Brabant would hear any