n old man. I went to the
house of my cousin -- he in whom runs my grandfather's heroic
blood -- and there sat Annette. It was the season of cherries.
They took a double stalk. At each end was a cherry. My cousin
put one into his mouth, Annette put the other in hers. Then
they drew the stalks in till their eyes met -- and alas, alas
that I should have to say it! -- they kissed. The game was a
pretty one, but it filled me with fury. The heroic blood of
my grandfather boiled up in me. I rushed into the kitchen.
I struck my cousin with the old man's crutch. He fell -- I had
slain him. Alas, I believe that I did slay him. Annette screamed.
The gendarmes came. I fled. I reached the harbour. I hid
aboard a vessel. The vessel put to sea. The captain found me
and beat me. He took an opportunity. He posted a letter from
a foreign port to the police. He did not put me ashore because
I cooked so well. I cooked for him all the way to Zanzibar.
When I asked for payment he kicked me. The blood of my heroic
grandfather boiled within me, and I shook my fist in his face
and vowed to have my revenge. He kicked me again. At Zanzibar
there was a telegram. I cursed the man who invented telegraphs.
Now I curse him again. I was to be arrested for desertion,
for murder, and que sais-je? I escaped from the prison. I fled,
I starved. I met the men of Monsieur le Cure. They brought
me here. I am full of woe. But I return not to France. Better
to risk my life in these horrible places than to know the Bagne.'

He paused, and we nearly choked with laughter, having to turn
our faces away.

'Ah! you weep, messieurs,' he said. 'No wonder -- it is a sad
story.'

'Perhaps,' said Sir Henry, 'the heroic blood of your
grandparent will triumph after all; perhaps you will still be
great. At any rate we shall see. And now I vote we go to bed.
I am dead tired, and we had not much sleep on that confounded
rock last night.'

And so we did, and very strange the tidy rooms and clean white
sheets seemed to us after our recent experiences.

CHAPTER V
UMSLOPOGAAS MAKES A PROMISE

Next morning at breakfast I missed Flossie and asked where she was.

'Well,' said her mother, 'when I got up this morning I found
a note put outside my door in which -- But here it is, you can
read it for yourself,' and she gave me the slip of paper on which
the following was written: --

'Dearest M--, -- It is just dawn, and I am o