In Strange Company

was called "Sacred and Profane Love," and it may possibly have been by one of the Old Masters. But wherever or whatev

er than links of iron. For it must not be imagined that my first visit to the "Orient" was my last. In fact, now that I had once fallen her victim, I was hardly to be found elsewhere. As the first proof of the power she exercised ov

bout the island, or climbing Fortification Hill to admire the beautiful panorama visible from its summit. Looking back on that period, I am smitten w

a encouraged his advances, for I think, though she preferred him to the majority of those who paid court to her, they were not always on the best of terms. How she came to take to me so quickly I have never been able to understand, but somehow she was never tired of listening to my adventures, and particularly those relating to my sea career. On the point of my capabilities to take charge of and navigate a vessel she cross-questioned me continually, until I felt compelled to ask if she thought of sett

ion. Then our tête-à-tête was interrupted by the entrance of a third party, who, as ill-luck had it, was none other than Count Panuroff before-mentioned. I could see that Juanita was not best pleased at his appearance, and during the time he remained in the room her behaviour towards him was barely civil. He noticed this, and his glances towards myself

ind blowing, and a full moon dodging inky clouds across a somewhat unhappy-looking sky. Leaving the Sea-Front I struck inland towards my abode, but I had not proceeded very far before my ear caught the sound of footsteps following me. Presently a voice I hardly recognized called upon me to stop. I

I'll kill you!

his for an indefinite time had I

ou'll get yourself into trouble. In this country you won't

on his already surcharged fires. He almost foame

d! I knew you

. It was a futile attempt, however, for he leapt on one side,

most dancing in the m

the circumstances, "you've done it, and I'l

"Come with me, and we'll settle it now and fo

bow of the hill to an open spot among ferns and aloe bushes, about the centre of the island. It was a strange place surrounded by gi

had armed himself on purpose for the present occasion. I had of course my sheath-knife. While we were making our preparations the moon emerged

strange fact that man is never so dangerous as when his passions are not roused, that is to say, when he is able to enter upon the work of

ther, and leapt towards me. I sprang on one side, but not before his knife had grazed my arm. The struggle had commenced in downright earnest. Like game cocks, we

With the strength of despair I clutched the wrist of the hand that held the knife, and backwards and forwards, round and round, here, there, and everywhere about that little plot of ground we passed, swaying to and fro, breathing hard, and wrestl

when both our lives trembled in the balance, I remember, distinctly, thin

ng throttled, he fell to the ground, I with him. Here the battle recommenced, for both our holds were loosened by the fall. Rolling over, he seized upon me, and raised his knife; yet again I clut

was a strange sort of room that I found myself in, and one that it did not take me a year to see, had lately been in the occupation of Chinamen. A couple of celestial jumpers hung on pegs behind the door, and an opium pipe stood on a shelf upon the wall. Through the small window opposite my bed I could distinctly he

what was more important still, among mangrove trees. Now I knew that the beach on the settlement side of Thursday Island was sandy, while that on the other side I had heard was pebbly; on the form

rk but for a candle burning on a table by my side. Rather dazed by my long sleep, I looked around me, a

just moved by the draught from the window; and his eyes, which I discovered later to be of a peculiar shade of pink, flashed and twinkled like e

d down from his perch and approached me,

ain! Well, you've had a wonderful nap,

to hear it, and went on to ask w

s morning, lying like a dead man, with pints of good blood run to waste round about you. From the look of the ground I fixed it, young man, that you'd been

msay he would have let me lie there. But the reason for t

extraordinary talents, he numbered a knowledge of surgery, and under his care I made rapid progress towards rec

ed to hear had fled the settlement, believing he had killed me), but had made himself conversant with my passion for Juanita. On his own side he was more reticent, and do what I would, I could not draw out of him either his business on the island, or in fact anything important connected with himself or his affairs. That he had seen more of the world than even the majority

" I asked, surprised that he sh

hey pry they make mischief, and when they make mischief they're

nkling little eyes watching me

want to make new friends. There you have it in a nutshell. If you told your sweeth

ed of me, and then bidding him good-bye, set off across the island (for his hou

she had always thought something of the sort would happen, for Panuroff had dropped hints which frightened her. Why she had not warned me I could not make out, and indeed her whole attitude towards myself was extremely puzzling. Of course she knew I loved

e to it, until I began to hate even the sound of the word "schooner." At last one night she asked me point blank if I could see any w

should first tell me why she wanted to go. Then the whole mystery came out. Drawing me into a c

. As I have so often told you, I am from Santiago, and it was from a convent there that I ran away to marry the young Englishman, who, you may have heard, so cruelly ill-treated me. Together we wandered here, there, and everywhere; always in debt, always in difficulty;

d; but what he did with it, or where he kept it, I could never find out. Then he fell ill, and the doctors said he must have

ing the excuse that it would cost more money than he could afford. But as he had to have rest, he took passages f

every hour. Oh, the horror of those days, I shall never forget it! At last he died

ffairs. They replied that my husband had drawn his money from the bank in gold, and had hinted to them that he was going to bury it. But something further, mark you! That, to the best of their knowledge, he

locket. Now I have told you my secret; I am in your hands entirely. I love you, and I trust you implicitly. If any one else

I was compelled to take her in my arms and comfort her with promis

at I might assist her in her search. I felt, to do a service of this kind would be to win her gratitude for ever,