"After two weeks' residence," the Governor recited, impressively, "all
able-bodied persons who will not work are put to work or deported. Have
you made any effort to find work?"

Again the young man smiled charmingly. He shook his head and laughed.
"Oh dear no," he said.

The laugh struck the Governor as impertinent.

"Then you must leave by the next mail-steamer, if you have any money to
pay your passage, or, if you have no money, you must go to work on the
roads. Have you any money?"

"If I had, I wouldn't--be a vagrant," the young man answered. His voice
was low and singularly sweet. It seemed to suit the indolence of his
attitude and the lazy, inconsequent smile. "I called on our consular
agent here," he continued, leisurely, "to write a letter home for money,
but he was disgracefully drunk, so I used his official note-paper to
write to the State Department about him, instead."

The Governor's deepest interest was aroused. The American consular agent
was one of the severest trials he was forced to endure.

"You are not a British subject, then? Ah, I see--and--er--your
representative was unable to assist you?"

"He was drunk," the young man repeated, placidly. "He has been drunk
ever since I have been here, particularly in the mornings."

He halted, as though the subject had lost interest for him, and gazed
pleasantly at the sunny bay and up at the moving palms.

"Then," said the Governor, as though he had not been interrupted, "as
you have no means of support, you will help support the colony until you
can earn money to leave it. That will do, sergeant."

The young man placed his hat upon his head and turned to move away, but
at the first step he swayed suddenly and caught at the negro's shoulder,
clasping his other hand across his eyes. The sergeant held him by the
waist, and looked up at the Governor with some embarrassment.

"The young gentleman has not been well, Sir Charles," he said,
apologetically.

The stranger straightened himself up and smiled vaguely. "I'm all
right," he murmured. "Sun's too hot."

"Sit down," said the Governor.

He observed the stranger more closely. He noticed now that beneath the
tan his face was delicate and finely cut, and that his yellow hair clung
closely to a well-formed head.

"He seems faint. Has he had anything to eat?" asked the Governor.

The sergeant grinned guiltily. "Yes, Sir Charles; we've been feeding him
at the barracks. It's fever, sir."

Sir Charl