ean style of costume.

"And," added Joseph, on politeness bent, "it don't surprise me. I'm
wonderfully fond of the little nig--nippers already. I am--straight."

The truth was that the position of this grave and still comely woman was
ambiguous. Neither Joseph nor his master called her by the name she had
offered for their use. Joseph compromised by the universal and elastic
"Missis"; his master simply avoided all names.

Ambiguity is one of those intangible nothings that get into the
atmosphere and have a trick of remaining there. Marie seemed in some
subtle way to pervade the atmosphere of Msala. It would seem that Guy
Oscard, in his thick-headed way, was conscious of this mystery in the
air; for he had not been two hours in Msala before he asked "Who is that
woman?" and received the reply which has been recorded.

After dinner they passed out on to the little terrace overlooking
the river, and it was here that the great Simiacine scheme was pieced
together. It was here beneath the vast palm trees that stood like
two beacons towering over the surrounding forest, that three men
deliberately staked their own lives and the lives of others against a
fortune. Nature has a strange way of hiding her gifts. Many of the most
precious have lain unheeded for hundreds of years in barren plains, on
inaccessible mountains, or beneath the wave, while others are thrown at
the feet of savages who know no use for them.

The man who had found the Simiacine was eager, restless, full of
suspicion. To the others the scheme obviously presented itself in
a different light. Jack Meredith was dilettante, light-hearted, and
unsatisfactory. It was impossible to arouse any enthusiasm in him--to
make him take it seriously. Guy Oscard was gravely indifferent. He
wanted to get rid of a certain space of time, and the African forest,
containing as it did the only excitement that his large heart knew, was
as good a place as any. The Simiacine was, in his mind, relegated to
a distant place behind weeks of sport and adventure such as his soul
loved. He scarcely took Victor Durnovo au pied de la lettre. Perhaps he
knew too much about him for that. Certain it is that neither of the
two realised at that moment the importance of the step that they were
taking.

"You men," said Durnovo eagerly, "don't seem to take the thing
seriously."

"I," answered Meredith, "intend at all events to take the profits very
seriously. When they begin to come in, J. Mer