The Castle Of The Shadows

ardiner, on the contrary, was greatly interested. Never had she been more alert; never had her black eyes been so keen. She wanted to go everywhere; she wanted to se

other or cousin suggested that they had come to this strange spot "at the end of the world" with any object save that of amusement. They behaved just as they had behaved at Sydney, or any other port at which they had called. All five strolled up, under a blaze of tropical sunshine, to t

ont, as the former was supposed to have studied the subject of

f an atrocious criminal who had been expatriated to Noumea some years before. When she looked hurriedly

elf for her carelessness in letting them slip away. "Dear me! what has

t her. The others wanted to go somewhere or do something without her, and this little brown-faced, sharp-eyed ma

ing or other souvenirs of convict make," said th

helpless in the plotters' hands, being made to dance when they pulled the strings, and to know that this "horrid little brown man" was secretly laughing at her behind his polite air of concern. Yet she was helpless, and had to acknowledge it. If she left t

don't know it. But I'm not as simple as you seem to believe. I'm perfectly well aware that t

e enlightened than I am," he returned mildly. "I'm rea

perfectly well where they are, but they've ordered you to keep out of the way, and you are doing

ount, that either you or I have anything to complain of," said the doctor. "We are outsiders, and are both very well paid fo

wave of angry blood flowed back from her brain, and she recovered presence of mind, she turned abruptly and walked away from the doctor. But he was at her side again almost immediately, keeping up with her without any appearance of haste, though she quickened her pac

plague here, about three years ago. It is leading you rather out of the way of the hotel, where we were all to meet for

diner cut in sharply. "I

ly, that is

elegraph from this

charmed with it? One ca

Is it a holiday f

s we are

to prevent my communicating with my fri

were attached t

that to do

se. In either case, we surely owe her fealty. I have been informed that she do

nformed of t

ht that you would be

nny. At least, I suppose, there are no

ong as we a

our idea of discret

New Caledonia. Few tourists come this way. Probably we are the fir

we haven't come on business

fore anybody else, if I were yo

underscored his words with sinister meaning, that Kate dared not ask whether the "trouble" to which he suggestively referred would come to her through him or the inhabitants of Noumea. She thought that he looked

Dr. Grayle ordered luncheon for two, though the prospect of a meal tête-à-tête was not enjoyable. She complained, however, of being too warm and dusty to eat, unless she could refresh herself by spla

hen she rang, and stood waiting eagerly for a servant to answer the summons. Presently came the expected knock. Sh

he methods are not all civilized. Now, here is the servant you rang for. If you persist in carrying out your intention I shall lock you in this room, take the key, a

door in the little man's face, which was the only satisfaction she got out of the incident. She was inclined to remain sulking in the bedroom, but though th

like children escaped from school; since the least imprudence might lose them the stake for which they played, and Kate's presence had been a check and cause of delay. Fortunately, it was not yet the hour of

assing in and out on various errands, all gazing with surprised, if furtive, interest at the extraordinarily beautiful girl in white. Presently the Governor was ready to receive his guests, and his turn came to be astonished by Virginia. She was the first lady who had ever come to Noumea, he said, on a journe

the Governor) chose to be ungracious, they might go back whence they had come without even attempting that bold stroke in the hope of which they had paid this visit. They had

en they were ushered into a large, cool, dusky room, strangely still behind its heavy

, indeed (save those who went because they must), had been suffered by the authorities to pass the prison gates. But what Frenchman could refuse any favour in his power to the all-conquering Virginia? The Director would have been well within his rights, and could not have been accused o

e and her brother had been commissioned to write by a prominent American publishing firm; how it was to be all about this yachting trip, with Noumea as the pièce de resistance of the story. They expected, George Trent chimed in by saying

them to lunch with him. The thought of eating was repulsive to Virginia; but Roger telegraphed her a warning look, and she knew that she must accept. It wo

ray clothing, their faces shaded with broad, ribbonless straw hats, were working at loading a boat with large boxes, which they carried to the quay from a truck on a miniature local railway line. These men were directed in their labour by other men in white; and Virginia shivered all over, for this w

n awning which protected them as well as the passengers from the sun, but Virginia, glancing almost fearfully at their faces, saw that their skins were tanned to the colour of mahogany by exposure. Their featu

brother was supposed to be on the Ile Nou. The time had not come yet to ask the questions tha

, and as the canot approached the quay of the strange little settlement, an officer of the p

uld be classified by no other word. The Ile Nou was not to the eye the terrible place of which she had so often dreamt. There were more low, white houses, clustering cosily together or separated by thick, dark trees, and there we

ss to give themselves the trouble of accompanying him to

nfused her thoughts. She was afraid that she should forget, that she should make some irretrievable blunder, and that everything would be ruined by her fault. But much might depend now upon a look or a gesture, a

have done anything to win one of those distracting smiles which brought into play two little round dimples. He ordered his own carriage to take his guests to the grim hill behind the town; he sat by Virginia

ial of the place, who has ever entered at this gate, mademoisell

ecution," said her guide. "In the early morning, at sunrise, a condemned man is brought here to die by the guillotine. Through that door yonder he

"I would die myself, sooner. What has he done-

mpted to

em for that, if-t

the hour strikes-this man and another, who were imprisoned at the Isle of Pines, stole a small open fishing-boat, and with the branch of a tree for a mast and a shirt for a sail, started out in the desperate hope of eventually reaching Australia. Bu

was

ve with sharks. Bathing even near shore is dangerous. A

. And the other

aken he snatched a surveillant's revolver and shot him dead. He was tried, condemn

the frock which she had chosen from her prettie

to ask, her voice sounding strange and