ther, and you shall have a third of the
profits."

I expected Dan to give a point-blank refusal. But he only asked:

"Would that clear you for starting?"

"With that," said Zachary, "I can get to sea in a fortnight."

"Good!" Dan said slowly. "Give me a written promise! To sea in fourteen
days and my fair share on the five hundred pounds--no more--no less."

Again I thought Pearse would have jumped at this, but he leaned his chin
on his hand, and looked at Dan, and Dan looked at him. While they were
staring at each other like this, Pasiance came up with a kitten.

"See!" she said, "isn't it a darling?" The kitten crawled and clawed its
way up behind her neck. I saw both men's eyes as they looked at
Pasiance, and suddenly understood what they were at. The kitten rubbed
itself against Pasiance's cheek, overbalanced, and fell, clawing, down
her dress. She caught it up and walked away. Some one, I don't know
which of us, sighed, and Pearse cried "Done!"

The bargain had been driven.

"Good-bye, Mr. Pearse," said Dan; "I guess that's all I'm wanted for.
I'll find my pony waiting in the village. George, you'll see Pasiance
home?"

We heard the hoofs of his pony galloping down the road; Pearse suddenly
excused himself, and disappeared.

This venture of his may sound romantic and absurd, but it's
matter-of-fact enough. He's after L. s. d.! Shades of Drake, Raleigh,
Hawkins, Oxenham! The worm of suspicion gnaws at the rose of romance.
What if those fellows, too, were only after L. s. d....?

I strolled into the pine-wood. The earth there was covered like a bee's
body with black and gold stripes; there was the blue sea below, and
white, sleepy clouds, and bumble-bees booming above the heather; it was
all softness, a summer's day in Devon. Suddenly I came on Pearse
standing at the edge of the cliff with Pasiance sitting in a little
hollow below, looking up at him. I heard him say:

"Pasiance--Pasiance!" The sound of his voice, and the sight of her soft,
wondering face made me furious. What business has she with love, at her
age? What business have they with each other?

He told me presently that she had started off for home, and drove me to
the ferry, behind an old grey pony. On the way he came back to his offer
of the other day.

"Come with me," he said. "It doesn't do to neglect the Press; you can
see the possibilities. It's one of the few countries left. If I once
get this business started