in
protest.

"My dear sirs!" he whined. "No offence, I am sure! I hope you have taken
no offence, for none was intended, and I did not mean to disturb any
person--I was simply asking alms for a seamen's chapel, and I do most
sincerely beg your pardons, gentlemen."

He went into the street, and a sallow-faced man with a slender malacca
cane held in his hand as if it were a rapier, came to the door of the
room and said something in French, indignant that he should be disturbed.
He waved the cane menacingly after Meeker and slammed the door.

Leaving the bank, I turned toward the Escolta, which is the principal
business street of Manila. The shop windows attracted me, and I sauntered
for half an hour or more. I wanted a new field-glass, and as I stood on
the pavement at a corner and looked in at a jeweller's window I caught
the image of Meeker in the glass, which was thrown in a shadow by an
awning.

I turned without thinking Meeker could have any interest in what I might
do, and saw him half a block away talking to the little red-headed beggar
who had looked in at the bank door. Meeker evidently caught me looking at
him, for he whispered to the beggar, who hastened away, taking a furtive
glance at me over his shoulder as he left. I turned toward Meeker, and he
swung away down the street as I approached him, with more nimbleness than
I supposed was in his old bones.

"I suppose the pest will be at my heels for the next week," I told
myself, annoyed at the way the missionary crossed my path. That was the
fourth time I had seen him in an hour, and I dreaded to go to the hotel,
sure I would meet him again--for, of course, he could not have gone
anywhere else but to the Oriente.

I thought it strange that he should be talking to the little beggar,
although it never occurred to me that they were watching me; and, even if
they were, I would have not concerned myself much about it. As it was, I
ascribed Meeker's embarrassment when I last saw him to what had passed
between us in the bus, and concluded that he was trying to avoid me,
which I considered a praiseworthy effort on his part.

There was a possibility of orders awaiting me at the hotel; and, although
it was not yet noon, I hailed a rig and drove there. The clerk passed
over the familiar yellow envelope, and my message read: "Proceed to
Hong-Kong for orders." I replied that I would leave at once, and the
message was gone before I discovered that there wasn't a ste