"Oh, it's very easy to talk," said Mr Perowne, whose previous night's blandness seemed to be quite gone, to leave a weak, querulous childishness in its place. "Knowing what I do of the Malay character, Perowne, I ought to have watched her, but I confess I was so wrapped up in my own feelings that I did not think." "I thought you wanted to marry her, I gave you my consent at once. I told you nothing would please me better," continued the father, querulously; "but ever since you both landed you seem to have done nothing but shilly-shally." "Don't talk like that, Perowne," said the Resident, impatiently. "A man does not take a wife like you make a bargain. I want to win her love as well as have her hand." "And you hang back--I've seen you--and let these other fellows cut you out. Hilton and Chumbley, and then this Rajah. I say--I must say, Harley, it is much too bad." "Yes, yes, I have done as you say; but I had a reason for it, Perowne, I had indeed; but I find I can manage natives better than a beautiful girl. If I had foreseen--" "If I had foreseen it," cried Perowne, interrupting, "I'd have had her kept in England. Confound the girl!" "It never occurred to me," said the Resident, "though it ought, that danger might arise from her flirtations." "Danger! Why I shall lose thousands!" cried Perowne. "The fellow will never forgive me, and throw endless obstacles in my way with his people." "Helen refused him, of course?" said the Resident. "Of course--of course," said the merchant, pettishly. "I blame myself deeply for not being more observant," said the Resident. "Others have seen what I failed to see, and it was always so. Lookers-on see most of the game; but I am awake to the danger now." "Danger? danger?" said Perowne, looking up now in a startled way. "Do you think there is danger? I hope not; but we ought to be prepared. What do you think it will be best to do?" "See Hilton, and tell him to double all guards; fill your revolver with cartridges; and be always on the alert. We must make no show of begin in danger, but go on as usual, while reinforcements are quietly sent for from Singapore." "Do--do you think it will be as bad as that?" "Worse, for aught I know," said the Resident, bitterly. "That fellow, with all his smoothness and French polish, may turn out, now he is thwarted, a perfect demon. Perowne, we have contrived to make him our bitterest foe." "But--but it couldn't be helped, Harley," said Perowne, in an apologetic tone. "Helen could not--" "Suppose you leave Miss Perowne's name out of the question, Mr Perowne," said the Resident, sternly. "I'll go on and see Hilton now, and we must do the best we can." VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. MRS BOLTER AT HOME. It cannot be denied that Mrs Bolter's mature little heart had developed, with an intense love and admiration of her lord, a good deal of acidity, such as made her jealous, exacting, and tyrannical to a degree.