ask you something
about him!'

Cargrim looked surprised and slightly nervous. 'Beyond that he is a
missionary, and is down here for his health's sake, I know nothing about
him,' he said hastily.

'You introduced him to the bishop, didn't you?' 'Yes. He brought a
letter of introduction to me from the Vicar of St Ann's in Kensington,
but his biography was not given me.'

'He's been in the South Seas, hasn't he?'

'I believe that his labours lay amongst the natives of the islands!'

'Well, I know him!' said Brace, with a nod.

'You know him!' repeated the chaplain, anxiously.

'Yes. Met him five years ago in Samoa; he was more of a beach-comber
than a missionary in those days. Ben Baltic he calls himself, doesn't
he? I thought so! It's the same man.'

'He is a very worthy person, Sir Harry!'

'So you say. I suppose people improve when they get older, but he wasn't
a saint when I knew him. He racketed about a good deal. Humph! perhaps
he repented when I saved his life.'

'Did you save his life?'

'Well, yes. Baltic was raising Cain in some drunken row along with a set
of Kanakas, and one of 'em got him under to slip a knife into him. I
caught the nigger a clip on the jaw and sent him flying. There wasn't
much fight in old Ben when I straightened him out after that. So he's
turned devil-dodger. I must have a look at him in his new capacity.'

'Whatever he has been,' said Cargrim, who appeared uneasy during the
recital of this little story, 'I am sure that he has repented of his
past errors and is now quite sincere in his religious convictions.'

'I'll judge of that for myself, if you don't mind,' drawled the baronet,
with a twinkle in his dark eyes, and nodding to Cargrim, he strolled
off, leaving that gentleman very uncomfortable. Sir Harry saw that he
was so, and wondered why any story affecting Baltic should render the
chaplain uneasy. He received an explanation some days later from the
missionary himself.

Brace possessed a handsome family seat, embosomed in a leafy park, some
five miles from the city. At present it was undergoing alterations and
repairs, so that it might be a more perfect residence when the future
Lady Brace crossed its threshold as a bride. Consequently the greater
part of the house was in confusion, and given over to painters,
plasterers, and such-like upsetting people. Harry, however, had decided
to live in his own particular rooms, so that he might see that
everything was carried o