Page:Barbour--Joan of the ilsand.djvu/45

Rh heart, at least his pocket, had been broken? And he had had to revert to a less romantic though more practical means of making a livelihood at the moment when success had appeared just within (and yet just without) his grasp, like some maddening, tantalizing ignus fatuus luring him on to destruction.

"But what has Tamba got to do with pearling off Tao Tao? Please understand, Miss Trent, I still do not want to ask any question that seems inquisitive."

"There is no direct connection," the girl said, "and yet I fear that there may be if Chester is not very careful. Primarily he went across for stores. That was rather an urgent matter. There were certain other things that he had to do, and also, I think, he had been growing increasingly restless for a little society other than mine."

"Does Moniz do any special trade in—in the sort of stores that come bottled?" Keith asked.

"Yes, and that, I fear, may account for the delay. I am sure Chester would never have stayed away as long as this if that were not the case. Moniz is crafty, and he would have an ulterior object in extending too-generous hospitality. When he came over here Chester asked him a number of questions about pearls which undoubtedly put the Portuguese on the scent of the fact that we had actually found some. Moniz hinted that he would like to have a