his savagery, but I said coolly:

"And the lady?"

"The lady believes what she is told, and will do as her cousin bids
her. Is she not his affianced wife?"

"The deuce she is!" I cried in amazement, fixing a keen scrutiny on
Vlacho's face. The face told me nothing.

"Certainly," he said, gently. "And they will rule the island
together."

"Will they, though?" said I. I was becoming rather annoyed. "There are
one or two obstacles in the way of that. First, it's my island."

He shrugged his shoulders again. "That," he seemed to say, "is not
worth answering." But I had a second shot in the locker for him, and
I let him have it for what it was worth. I knew it might be worth
nothing, but I tried it.

"And secondly," I observed, "how many wives does Constantine propose
to have?"

A hit! A hit! A palpable hit! I could have sung in glee. The fellow
was dumb-founded. He turned red, bit his lip, scowled fiercely.

"What do you mean?" he blurted out, with an attempt at blustering
defiance.

"Never mind what I mean. Something, perhaps, that the Lady Euphrosyne
might care to know. And now, my man, what do you want of me?"

He recovered his composure, and stated his errand with his old, cool
assurance; but the cloud of vexation still hung heavy on his brow.

"On behalf of the lady of the island--" he began.

"Or shall we say her cousin?" I interrupted.

"Which you will," he answered, as though it were not worth while to
wear the mask any longer. "On behalf, then, of my Lord Constantine, I
am to offer you safe passage to your boat, and a return of the money
you have paid."

"How's he going to pay that?"

"He will pay it in a year, and give you security meanwhile."

"And the condition is that I give up the island?" I asked; and I began
to think that perhaps I owed it to my companions to acquiesce in this
proposal, however distasteful it might be to me.

"Yes," said Vlacho; "and there is one other small condition, which
will not trouble you."

"And what's that? You're rich in conditions."

"You are lucky to be offered any. It is that you mind your own
business."

"I came here for the purpose," I observed.

"And that you undertake, for yourself and your companions, on your
word of honor, to speak not a word of what has passed in the island,
or of the affairs of the Lord Constantine."

"And if I won't give my word?"

"The yacht is in our hands; Demetri and Spiro are our men; there will
be no ship here for