had a bombshell fallen through the skylight of the saloon and settled itself in the centre of the table, it could scarcely have caused greater consternation than did maas’s simple remark. browne felt that his face was visibly paling, and that guilt must be written on every inch of it. as for jimmy, his mouth opened and shut like that of an expiring fish. he could scarcely believe he had heard aright. he had certainly once in an idle moment joked in the fashion maas had attributed to him; but what had induced the latter to remember and to bring it up now, of all times, when their nerves were so tightly stretched? maas’s face, however, was all innocence. he seemed not to have noticed the amazement he had caused, but ate his caviare with the air of a man who had said something worthy, the point of which had fallen a trifle flat. it was not until the meal was over, and they had ascended to the deck once more, that browne found an opportunity of having a few words with jimmy.
“what on earth did he mean by that?” he asked. “do you think he can have heard anything? or do you think he only suspects?”
“neither,” said jimmy. “i’ll tell you what i think it was; it was a perfectly simple remark, which by sheer ill-luck just happened to touch us in the wrong place. it was, as the shooters say, an unintentional bull’s-eye. but, by jove! i must confess that it made me feel pretty bad at the moment.”
“then you think we need not attach any importance to it?”
“i’m quite sure we need not,” his friend replied. “look at it in this way: if the man had known anything he most certainly would not have said anything about it. if we had suspected him of knowing our secret, and had put ourselves out in order to bring him to the point, and he had kept silence, then we might have thought otherwise; as it is, i am positive we need not be afraid.”
as if to reassure them, maas said nothing further on the subject. he was full of good-humour, absorbed the sunshine like a neapolitan, and seemed to enjoy every hour he lived. he also did his best to make the others do likewise. he talked upon every conceivable subject, and did not feel in the least annoyed when the others appeared occupied. they passed plymouth soon after twelve next day, and said good-bye to old england shortly afterwards. how little those on board guessed what was to happen before they could see her shores again? five days later they were at gibraltar, anchored in the harbour beneath the shadow of the batteries. though he grudged every minute, and though he had seen the rock a dozen times before, browne accompanied them ashore, explored the galleries, and lunched at the officers’ mess.
“what rum beggars we are, to be sure!” said young bramthwaite, of the 43rd midlandshire, to browne, as they lit their cigars afterwards. “here are you, posting off for the east, and as anxious as you can be to turn your back on old england; while i, poor beggar, am quartered here, and am longing to get home with all my might and main. do you think, if i had your chance, i would go abroad? not i.”
“circumstances alter cases,” returned browne. “if you were in my place you would want to be out of england. you should just have seen london as we left. fogs, sleet, snow, drizzle, day after day, while here you are wrapped in continual sunshine. i don’t see that you have much to grumble at.”
“don’t you?” said his friend. “well, i do. let us take my own case again. i am just up from a baddish attack of rock-fever. i feel as weak as a cat — not fit for anything. and what good does it do me? i don’t even have the luck to be properly ill, so that i could compel them to invalid me. and, to make matters worse, my brother writes that they are having the most ripping hunting in the shires; from his letters i gather that the pheasants have never been better; and, with it all, here i am, like the johnny in the heathen mythology, chained to this rock, and unable to get away.”
browne consoled him to the best of his ability, and shortly afterwards collected his party and returned to the yacht. the work of coaling was completed, and captain mason, who resembled a badly blacked christy minstrel, was ready to start as soon as his owner desired. browne, nothing loath, gave the order, and accordingly they steamed out of the harbour, past the rock, and were in blue seas once more. they would not touch anywhere again until they reached port said.
that night on deck browne was lamenting the fact that the yacht did not travel faster than she did.
“my dear fellow,” said maas, “what a hurry you are in, to be sure! why, this is simply delightful. what more could you wish for? you have a beautiful vessel, your cook is a genius, and your wines are perfect. if i had your money, do you know what i would do? i would sail up and down the mediterranean at this time of the year for months on end.”
“i don’t think you would,” replied browne. “in the meantime, what i want is to get to japan.”
“i presume your fiancée is to meet you there?” said maas. “i can quite understand your haste now.”
there was a silence for a few moments, and then maas added, as if the idea had just struck him: “by the way, you have never told me her name.”
“her name is petrovitch,” answered browne softly, as if the name were too precious to be breathed aloud. “i do not think you have ever met her.”
“now i come to think of it, i believe i have,” maas responded. “at least, i am not acquainted with her personally, but i have met some one who knows her fairly well.”
“indeed!” said browne, in some astonishment. “and who might that some one be?”
“you need not be jealous, my dear fellow,” maas continued. “my friend was a lady, a miss corniquet, a french artist. miss petrovitch, i believe, exhibited in the salon last year, and they met shortly afterwards. i remember that she informed me that the young lady in question showed remarkable talent. i am sure, browne, i congratulate you heartily.”
“many thanks,” remarked the other; and so the matter dropped for the time being.
port said and the work of coaling being things of the past, they proceeded through the suez canal and down the red sea; coaled once more at aden, and later on at colombo. by the time they reached singapore, browne’s impatience could scarcely be controlled. with every day an increased nervousness came over him. at last they were only a few hours’ steam from hong-kong. it was there that browne was to interview the famous johann schmidt, of whom herr sauber had spoken to him in paris. what the result of that interview would be he could only conjecture. he wanted to get it over in order that he might have his plans cut and dried by the time they reached japan, where katharine and madame bernstein must now be. if all went well, he would soon join them there.
at ten o’clock on a lovely morning they entered the ly-ee-moon pass, steamed past green island, and at length they came in sight of the crowded harbour of victoria. once at anchor, the steam-launch was slung overboard and brought alongside, browne and his friends took their places in her, and she forthwith made her way to the shore. none of the men had seen the wonderful city, they were now visiting, before, so that all its marvels, its wealth, and its extraordinary mixture of races were new to them. though they had encountered him in his american hybrid condition, it was the first time they had been brought into actual contact with their marvellous yellow brother, who in hong-kong may be seen in all the glory of his dirt and sumptuousness. reaching the praya, they disembarked, and ascended the steps. accosting an english inspector of police whom they met, they inquired in what direction they should proceed in order to reach the club. he pointed out the way, and they accordingly set off in search of it. turning into the queen’s road, they made their way along it until they reached the place in question. browne had a letter of introduction to one of the members, given to him in london, and he was anxious to present it to him in order to learn something, if possible, of johann schmidt before going in search of him. leaving his two friends outside, he entered the club and inquired for the gentleman in question. the servant who received him informed him that the member was not at the time in the building.
“can you tell me his address?” said browne. “it’s just possible i may find him at his office.”
the man furnished him with what he wanted, and showed him how he could reach it. rejoining his companions, browne proceeded down the street, passed the law courts, and went in the direction of the barracks. at last he reached the block of buildings of which he was in search. the name of the man he wanted was to be seen on a brass plate upon the door. he entered, and accosting a white-clad englishman in an enormous solar topee, whom he found there, inquired if he could tell whether his friend was at home.
“i believe he is,” the man replied. “at any rate, if you will wait a moment i’ll soon find out.” leaving them, he departed down the passage, to return presently with the information that the person they wanted to see was in his office.
foote and maas remained in the street, while browne entered a cool and airy room at the farther end of the passage. here, seated at an office-table, was another white-clad englishman. he had a cigar in his mouth, and possessed a handsome face and a close-cropped beard.
“mr. ——?” said browne, after he had thanked his conductor for his courtesy.
“that is my name,” the gentleman replied. “what can i have the pleasure of doing for you?”
“i have a letter of introduction to you,” said browne, producing the document in question from his pocket, and handing it across the table. “i believe we are common friends of george pellister?”
“george pellister!” cried the man. “i should rather think so; when i was home three years ago he was awfully kind to me. so you are a friend of his? pray forgive my not having come out to greet you. come and sit down. how long have you been in the island?”
“only an hour and a half,” browne replied.
“an hour and a half!” the other repeated. “i had no idea there was an english mail-boat in. the p. & o. only left yesterday.”
“i didn’t come in a mail-boat,” said browne. “i’ve got my own tub. we left london on the 7th of last month.”
the man behind the table opened his eyes in surprise. gentlemen who travelled as far as hong-kong in their own steam-yachts, were few and far between, and had to be treated with proper respect. he accordingly found an opportunity of opening the letter of introduction. had browne been watching his face, he would have seen the expression of astonishment that spread over it, as he realized that his visitor was no less a person than the fabulously wealthy john grantham browne, of whose doings in the social and sporting world he had so often read.
“i am very glad indeed that you have called on me,” he said, after he had somewhat recovered from his astonishment. “while you are here you must let me do the honours of hong-kong, such as they are. of course i can put you up at the club, if that’s any use to you, and show you all there is to be seen, though i fear it will bore you fearfully after london. how long are you staying?”
“well,” answered browne, “i’m afraid i shall not be able to remain very long on the outward voyage. i should not have called here at all, but that i had some rather important business to transact. i’m on my way to japan.”
“indeed!” exclaimed the other. “well, i shall be only too happy if you will let me help you in any way i can.”
“it’s not a very big matter,” replied browne. “all i want to know is the address of a certain person living in hong-kong whose name is schmidt — johann schmidt.”
“johann schmidt?” asked the other. “i am not quite certain that i know this particular one; there are so many of that name here, and i dare say a large proportion of them are johanns. however, i will send some one to find out; and if you will take tiffin with me at the club, my clerks shall make inquiries while we are doing so.”
browne thereupon explained that he had two friends travelling with him, with the result that the other replied that he would only be too happy if they would join the party. they accordingly adjourned, and, picking up maas and foote in the street, proceeded to the club. tiffin was almost at an end, when a servant entered and placed a card beside their host’s plate. he glanced at it, and, turning to browne, he pushed it towards him.
“if i’m not mistaken, that is the man you want,” he remarked. “i think it only fair to tell you that i know the fellow, and he is rather an extraordinary character. between ourselves, he does not bear any too good a reputation.”
“oh, that doesn’t matter to me in the least,” responded browne. “my business with him is purely of a commercial nature.”
after that no more was said on the subject, and, when they rose from the table, browne proposed that he should go in search of the man in question. “i am anxious, if possible, to leave hong-kong at daybreak tomorrow morning,” he said; and then added, by way of explanation, “i am due in japan, and have no time to spare.”
“i am sorry to hear that,” returned the other. “i had hoped you would have stayed longer. however, while you are away, your friends had better remain with me. i will do my best to amuse them.”
browne thereupon rose to take leave. his host accompanied him to the street, and, having put him in a rickshá, told the coolie where he was to take him.
“i am exceedingly obliged to you for your kindness,” said browne, as he shook hands. “will you not let me return it by asking you to dine with us on board my boat to-night? she is the lotus blossom. i don’t suppose you will have much difficulty in finding her.”
“i shall be delighted,” replied the other. “at what time do you dine?”
“at half-past seven,” answered browne.
“au revoir, then, until half-past seven.”
they waved hands to each other, and browne laid himself back in the rickshá, mumbling as he did so, “now for our friend johann schmidt.”
