d. A touch of
hauteur involuntarily entered into his manner. They reached the hotel.
When he had arranged about his room Bateman asked to be directed to the
premises of Braunschmidt & Co. They were on the front, facing the
lagoon, and, glad to feel the solid earth under his feet after eight
days at sea, he sauntered down the sunny road to the water's edge.
Having found the place he sought, Bateman sent in his card to the
manager and was led through a lofty barn-like room, half store and half
warehouse, to an office in which sat a stout, spectacled, bald-headed
man.

"Can you tell me where I shall find Mr Edward Barnard? I understand he
was in this office for some time."

"That is so. I don't know just where he is."

"But I thought he came here with a particular recommendation from Mr
Braunschmidt. I know Mr Braunschmidt very well."

The fat man looked at Bateman with shrewd, suspicious eyes. He called to
one of the boys in the warehouse.

"Say, Henry, where's Barnard now, d'you know?"

"He's working at Cameron's, I think," came the answer from someone who
did not trouble to move.

The fat man nodded.

"If you turn to your left when you get out of here you'll come to
Cameron's in about three minutes."

Bateman hesitated.

"I think I should tell you that Edward Barnard is my greatest friend. I
was very much surprised when I heard he'd left Braunschmidt & Co."

The fat man's eyes contracted till they seemed like pin-points, and
their scrutiny made Bateman so uncomfortable that he felt himself
blushing.

"I guess Braunschmidt & Co. and Edward Barnard didn't see eye to eye on
certain matters," he replied.

Bateman did not quite like the fellow's manner, so he got up, not
without dignity, and with an apology for troubling him bade him
good-day. He left the place with a singular feeling that the man he had
just interviewed had much to tell him, but no intention of telling it.
He walked in the direction indicated and soon found himself at
Cameron's. It was a trader's store, such as he had passed half a dozen
of on his way, and when he entered the first person he saw, in his shirt
sleeves, measuring out a length of trade cotton, was Edward. It gave him
a start to see him engaged in so humble an occupation. But he had
scarcely appeared when Edward, looking up, caught sight of him, and gave
a joyful cry of surprise.

"Bateman! Who ever thought of seeing you here?"

He stretched his arm across the counter and w