heaven is my judge, I swear to
you that we both thought you were dead!'

The trader's eyes met his in a long, searching glance, then turned to
where the unconscious, figure of the white woman lay, supported in the
arms of Melanie, who, with affrighted eyes, gazed appealingly to them
both.

He reached out his hand to the other man. 'That's all right, Laurance.
Let us go outside and talk. See, _your wife_ has fainted, but Melanie
will see to her.'

* * * * *

That night, whilst Masters and Laurance, cigars in mouth, were gravely
picking out the former's trade goods on board the _Palestine_ the White
Lady and the Brown 'Woman' talked.

'Is you any better now?' said Melanie, as she caressingly ran her hand
down the golden locks of Mrs Laurance.

A smothered sob was her answer, and the yellow head buried itself among
the pillows of the couch.

Melanie turned away despairingly, and then lit a cigarette. What a fool
was this beautiful white woman--nothing but sob, sob, sob! What could be
done to dry her tears?

Presently the Brown 'Woman' slid her hand under the waist of the weeping
White Lady, and pressed her cheek to hers.

'Don' you wan' to stay here now?'

'No, no, no! Let me go away. I wish I were dead!'

'What for?' and the philosophical Melanie sent two long streaks of smoke
through her nostrils. 'Why are you 'shamed? You have a husban' now, and
yo' don' wan' to _faotane_, do you?'

'What is _faotane?_'

Melanie laughed. '_Faotane_ is Samoa language; it means stealing a
husban.... And yo' won' steal my husban' from me, will you? Yo' hav' got
a new husban', and yo' won' take Tom from me, will yo'?'

Mrs Laurance sprang to her feet and placed her hands on the Brown
'Woman's' shoulders.

'Tell me,' she said, 'did he ever talk of me?'

'Yes,' said the truthful Melanie. 'He tell me that yo' have hair like
gold, and that your eye was blue like the sky.'

'No more?'

Melanie shook her black locks. 'No more. My man never talk too much. You
like to eat some roast pigeon now?'

The White Lady turned her head aside and sobbed. 'And for a soulless
being like this!' Then she remembered that Masters was not to blame, and
waited, trembling and sobbing, for the two men to return.

* * * * *

Masters, having finished his business on board the barque, held out his
hand to Laurance.

'Good-bye, Harry. Nothing can be done. Tom Masters was drowned