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were muffled in the distance。 The palms along the shore
glistened like silver； and overhead the Southern Cross shone
white against a sky of purple。 The silence deepened and
continued for so long a time that Mrs。 Collier felt its
significance； and waited for the girl to end it。
Miss Cameron raised her eyes to the stars and frowned。 〃I am not
surprised that he is content to stay here；〃 she said。 〃Are you？
It is so beautiful； so wonderfully beautiful。〃
For a moment Mrs。 Collier made no answer。 〃Two years is a long
time； Florence；〃 she said； 〃and he is all I have； he is not only
my only brother； he is the only living soul who is related to me。
That makes it harder。〃
The girl seemed to find some implied reproach in the speech； for
she turned and looked at her friend closely。 〃Do you feel it is
my fault； Alice？〃 she asked。
The older woman shook her head。 〃How could it be your fault？〃
she answered。 〃If you couldn't love him enough to marry him； you
couldn't； that's all。 But that is no reason why he should have
hidden himself from all of us。 Even if he could not stand being
near you； caring as he did； he need not have treated me so。
We have done all we can do； and Robert has been more than fine
about it。 He and his agents have written to every consul and
business house in Central America； and I don't believe there is a
city that he hasn't visited。 He has sent him money and letters
to every bank and to every post…office〃
The girl raised her head quickly。
〃but he never calls for either；〃 Mrs。 Collier continued； 〃for I
know that if he had read my letters he would have come home。〃
The girl lifted her head as though she were about to speak； and
then turned and walked slowly away。 After a few moments she
returned； and stood； with her hands resting on the rail； looking
down into the water。 〃I wrote him two letters；〃 she said。 In
the silence of the night her voice was unusually clear and
distinct。 〃Iyou make me wonderif they ever reached him。〃
Mrs。 Collier； with her eyes fixed upon the girl； rose slowly from
her chair and came towards her。 She reached out her hand and
touched Miss Cameron on the arm。
〃Florence；〃 she said； in a whisper； 〃have you〃
The girl raised her head slowly； and lowered it again。 〃Yes；〃
she answered； 〃I told him to come backto come back to me。
Alice；〃 she cried； 〃II begged him to come back！〃 She tossed
her hands apart and again walked rapidly away； leaving the older
woman standing motionless。
A moment later； when Sir Charles and Mr。 Collier stepped out upon
the deck； they discovered the two women standing close together；
two white； ghostly figures in the moonlight； and as they advanced
towards them they saw Mrs。 Collier take the girl for an instant
in her arms。
Sir Charles was asking Miss Cameron how long she thought an
immigrant should be made to work for his freehold allotment； when
Mr。 Collier and his wife rose at the same moment and departed on
separate errands。 They met most mysteriously in the shadow of
the wheel…house。
〃What is it？ Is anything wrong with Florence？〃 Collier asked；
anxiously。 〃Not homesick； is she？〃
Mrs。 Collier put her hands on her husband's shoulders and shook
her head。
〃Wrong？ No； thank Heaven！ it's as right as right can be！〃 she
cried。 〃She's written to him to come back； but he's never
answered； and soand now it's all right。〃
Mr。 Collier gazed blankly at his wife's upturned face。 〃Well； I
don't see that；〃 he remonstrated。 〃What's the use of her being
in love with him now when he can't be found？ What？ Why didn't
she love him two years ago when he was where you could get at
himat her house； for instance。 He was there most of his time。
She would have saved a lot of trouble。 However；〃 he added；
energetically； 〃this makes it absolutely necessary to find that
young man and bring him to his senses。 We'll search this place
for the next few days； and then we'll try the mainland again。 I
think I'll offer a reward for him； and have it printed in
Spanish； and paste it up in all the plazas。 We might add a line
in English； 'She has changed her mind。' That would bring him
home； wouldn't it？〃
〃Don't be unfeeling； Robert；〃 said Mrs。 Collier。
Her husband raised his eyes appealingly； and addressed himself to
the moon。 〃I ask you now；〃 he complained； 〃is that fair to a man
who has spent six months on muleback trying to round up a
prodigal brother…in…law？〃
That same evening； after the ladies had gone below； Mr。 Collier
asked Sir Charles to assist him in his search for his wife's
brother； and Sir Charles heartily promised his most active co…
operation。 There were several Americans at work in the interior；
he said； as overseers on the coffee…plantations。 It was possible
that the runaway might be among them。 It was only that morning；
Sir Charles remembered； that an American had been at work
〃repairing his lawn…mower；〃 as he considerately expressed it。 He
would send for him on the morrow。
But on the morrow the slave of the lawn…mower was reported on the
list of prisoners as 〃missing；〃 and Corporal Mallon was grieved；
but refused to consider himself responsible。 Sir Charles himself
had allowed the vagrant unusual freedom； and the vagrant had
taken advantage of it； and probably escaped to the hills； or up
the river to the logwood camp。
〃Telegraph a description of him to Inspector Garrett；〃 Sir
Charles directed； 〃and to the heads of all up stations。 And when
he returns； bring him to me。〃
So great was his zeal that Sir Charles further offered to join
Mr。 Collier in his search among the outlying plantations； but Mr。
Collier preferred to work alone。 He accordingly set out at once；
armed with letters to the different district inspectors； and in
his absence delegated to Sir Charles the pleasant duty of caring
for the wants of Miss Cameron and his wife。 Sir Charles regarded
the latter as deserving of all sympathy； for Mr。 Collier； in his
efforts to conceal the fact from the Governor that Florence
Cameron was responsible； or in any way concerned； in the
disappearance of the missing man； had been too mysterious。 Sir
Charles was convinced that the fugitive had swindled his brother…
in…law and stolen his sister's jewels。
The days which followed were to the Governor days and nights of
strange discoveries。 He recognized that the missionaries
from the great outside world had invaded his shores and disturbed
his gods and temples。 Their religion of progress and activity
filled him with doubt and unrest。
〃In this century；〃 Mr。 Collier had declared； 〃nothing can stand
still。 It's the same with a corporation； or a country； or a man。
We must either march ahead or fall out。 We can't mark time。
What？〃
〃Exactlycertainly not；〃 Sir Charles had answered。 But in his
heart he knew that he himself had been marking time under these
soft tropical skies while the world was pushing forward。 The
thought had not disturbed him before。 Now he felt guilty。 He
conceived a sudden intolerance； if not contempt； for the little
village of whitewashed houses； for the rafts of mahogany and of
logwood that bumped against the pier…heads； for th