such luxuries; and the treasure-trove of an old
acquaintance within a day's journey--an old acquaintance like Carl, who
had come also into happy possession of a rich brother. A rich
brother!--probably that was what Schwartz called him!

At any rate, rich or poor, Schwartz had it all. With the exception of
one hundred dollars which he had left at San Miguel as a deposit, he had
now only five dollars in the world; Carl had gambled away his all.

It was a hard blow.

He lifted his brother in his arms and carried him in to his hammock. A
few minutes later, staff in hand, he started down the live-oak avenue
toward the old road which led northward to San Miguel. The moonlight was
brilliant; he walked all night. At dawn he was searching the little
city.

Yes, the man was known there. He frequented the Esmeralda Parlors. The
Esmeralda Parlors, however, represented by an attendant, a Northern
mulatto, with straight features, long, narrow eyes, and pale-golden
skin, a bronze piece of insolence, who was also more faultlessly dressed
than any one else in San Miguel, suavely replied that Schwartz was no
longer one of their "guests"; he had severed his connection with the
Parlors several days before. Where was he? The Parlors had no idea.

But the men about the docks knew. Schwartz had been seen the previous
evening negotiating passage at the last moment on a coasting schooner
bound South--one of those nondescript little craft engaged in smuggling
and illegal trading, with which the waters of the West Indies are
infested. The schooner had made her way out of the harbor by moonlight.
Although ostensibly bound for Key West, no one could say with any
certainty that she would touch there; bribed by Schwartz, with all the
harbors, inlets, and lagoons of the West Indies open to her, pursuit
would be worse than hopeless. Deal realized this. He ate the food he had
brought with him, drank a cup of coffee, called for his deposit, and
then walked back to the plantation.

When he came into the little plaza, Carl was sitting on the steps of
their small house. His head was clear again; he looked pale and wasted.

"It's all right," said Deal. "I've traced him. In the mean time, don't
worry, Carl. If I don't mind it, why should you?"

Without saying more, he went inside, changed his shoes, then came out,
ordered dinner, talked to Scip, and when the meal was ready called Carl,
and took his place at the table as though nothing had happened. Ca