Part 43 (1/2)

”Then,” said Austin, a trifle hoa.r.s.ely, ”I can only thank you--and endeavour to give you no cause for being sorry afterwards that you fixed on me.”

They had a little more to say, but the nurse appeared during the course of it and informed Brown that the surgeon was coming to dress Austin's arm.

”Just a minute,” said the latter. ”Will you be kind enough to pa.s.s me that pad and pencil?”

She gave it to him, and he scribbled hastily, and then tore off the sheet and handed it to Brown.

”I wonder if that message meets with your approval, sir?” he said.

Brown put on his gla.s.ses, and smiled as he read: ”Miss Brown, Casa-Brown, Las Palmas. Ran away without a cause. Almost well. May I come back as your father's partner?”

Brown chuckled softly, though there was a curious and somewhat unusual gentleness in his eyes.

”It has my full approbation, though, considering the cable company's charges, isn't it a trifle loquacious?”

”Does that matter?” asked Austin.

Brown laughed, and grasped the hand he held out. ”No,” he said, ”I don't suppose it does. After all, these things only happen once in the average lifetime. Well, I must evidently go now, but I will come back to see what Jacinta says to-morrow.”

He went out, and that night Austin got Jacinta's answer.

”Come!” was all it said, but Austin was well content, and, though he was not a very sentimental man, went to sleep with the message beneath his pillow.

It was, however, rather more than three weeks later when, as a yellow-funnelled mailboat slid into Las Palmas harbour, Austin, leaning down from her rail, saw Jacinta and Mrs. Hatherly in one of the crowding boats below. The little lady discreetly remained where she was, and when Jacinta came up the ladder Austin met her at the head of it. She flashed a swift glance into his face, and then for a moment turned hers aside.

”Ah!” she said, ”you have forgotten what I said to you, and you are really well again?”

Austin laughed, a quiet, exultant laugh. ”I was never particularly ill, but you know all that, and we have ever so much more pleasant things to talk about,” he said. ”In the meanwhile, I fancy we are blocking up the gangway.”

Holding the hand she had given him, he drew her behind the deck-house masterfully, and looked down on her with a little smile.

”I almost think you are pleased to see me back,” he said.