a modish riding-gown. The broad brim of a grey hat with scarlet
sweep of ostrich plume shaded an oval face upon which the climate of
the Tropic of Cancer had made no impression, so delicately fair was its
complexion. Ringlets of red-brown hair hung to her shoulders. Frankness
looked out from her hazel eyes which were set wide; commiseration
repressed now the mischievousness that normally inhabited her fresh
young mouth.

Peter Blood caught himself staring in a sort of amazement at that
piquant face, which seemed here so out of place, and finding his stare
returned, he shifted uncomfortably. He grew conscious of the sorry
figure that he cut. Unwashed, with rank and matted hair and a
disfiguring black beard upon his face, and the erstwhile splendid suit
of black camlet in which he had been taken prisoner now reduced to rags
that would have disgraced a scarecrow, he was in no case for inspection
by such dainty eyes as these. Nevertheless, they continued to inspect
him with round-eyed, almost childlike wonder and pity. Their owner put
forth a hand to touch the scarlet sleeve of her companion, whereupon
with an ill-tempered grunt the man swung his great bulk round so that he
directly confronted her.

Looking up into his face, she was speaking to him earnestly, but the
Colonel plainly gave her no more than the half of his attention. His
little beady eyes, closely flanking a fleshly, pendulous nose, had
passed from her and were fixed upon fair-haired, sturdy young Pitt, who
was standing beside Blood.

The Governor had also come to a halt, and for a moment now that little
group of three stood in conversation. What the lady said, Peter could
not hear at all, for she lowered her voice; the Colonel's reached him
in a confused rumble, but the Governor was neither considerate nor
indistinct; he had a high-pitched voice which carried far, and believing
himself witty, he desired to be heard by all.

"But, my dear Colonel Bishop, it is for you to take first choice from
this dainty nosegay, and at your own price. After that we'll send the
rest to auction."

Colonel Bishop nodded his acknowledgment. He raised his voice in
answering. "Your excellency is very good. But, faith, they're a weedy
lot, not likely to be of much value in the plantation." His beady eyes
scanned them again, and his contempt of them deepened the malevolence of
his face. It was as if he were annoyed with them for being in no better
condition. Then he beckoned f