ranger, "and begged me to
find you, if possible, and take you to him. I have been on board the
Great Eastern looking for you, and was directed here."

"That's strange," returned Sam, "I have seldom spoken to the man. Are
you sure he did not send you for some one else--one of his mess-mates?"

"Quite sure, sir. And he bade me urge you to go quickly, else you may
be too late."

"Well--lead the way. Come, Robin, I'm sorry to quit this gay and
festive scene--especially before supper--but it can't be helped. You'll
go with me, and we can return together."

The stranger seemed to hesitate a moment, as if annoyed at Robin being
thus asked to go, but, as if quickly making up his mind, led them out of
the Rajah's residence, and, after a smart walk, conducted them into one
of the poorer districts of the city.

"What sort of trouble has the man got into?" asked Sam as they went
along.

"I really do not know. He will tell you when you see him, I suppose. I
am only a casual acquaintance of his, and came on this errand to oblige
him, solely because he seemed in great mental distress and was very
urgent."

Soon the conversation turned upon cable-laying, and, finding that Robin
had been at the laying of the Atlantic cable of 1856, the stranger
inquired about the attempts that had been made to injure that cable.

"Tell me, now, would you think it a sin," he said, with a peculiar look
at Sam, "to drive a nail into the cable so as to destroy it, if you were
offered the sum of ten thousand pounds?"

"Of course I would," said Sam, looking at his conductor with surprise.
"I wonder that you should ask the question."

"Why should you wonder," returned the man with a smile, "at any question
which aims at the investigation of that great enigma styled the human
mind? I am fond of the study of character, and of those principles of
good and evil which influence men. Under given circumstances and
conditions, the commission of a certain sin is greatly more blameworthy
than the commission of the same sin under different conditions and
circumstances. Do you not think so?"

"Of course I do," said Sam. "The man who, having been born and brought
up among pickpockets, and under strong temptation commits a theft, is
not nearly so guilty as the man would be who, having been trained under
refined and Christian influences, should commit a similar theft; but I
do not see the application of your argument, for your question did not
refer