They sailed next morning and eventually arrived in Victoria after the boat which crossed the Strait had gone, but the breeze was fair from the westwards, and after dispatching a telegram Vane put to sea again. The sloop made a quick passage, and for most of the time her passengers lounged in the sunshine on her gently-slanted deck. It was evening when they ran through the Narrows into Vancouver's land-locked harbour. Half an hour later, Vane landed his passengers, and it was not until he had left them they discovered that he had thrust a roll of paper currency into the little girl's hand. Then he and Carroll set off for the C.P.R. hotel. CHAPTER IV A CHANGE OF ENVIRONMENT. On the evening after his arrival in Vancouver, Vane, who took Carroll with him, paid a visit to one of his directors and, in accordance with the invitation, reached the latter's dwelling some little time before the arrival of other guests, whose acquaintance it was considered advisable that he should make. Vane and his companion were ushered into a small room with an uncovered floor and simple, hardwood furniture. It was obviously a working room, for, as a rule, the work of the Western business man goes on continuously except when he is asleep; but a somewhat portly lady with a good-humoured face reclined in a rocking-chair. A gaunt, elderly man of rugged appearance rose from his seat at a writing-table as his guests entered. "So ye have come at last," he said. "I had you shown in here, because this room is mine, and I can smoke when I like. The rest of the house is Mrs. Nairn's, and it seems that her friends do not appreciate the smell of my cigars. I'm not sure that I can blame them." Mrs. Nairn smiled placidly. "Alec," she explained, "leaves them lying everywhere, and I do not like the stubs on the stairs. But sit ye down and he will give ye one." Vane felt at home with both of them. He had met people of their kind before, and, allowing for certain idiosyncrasies, considered them the salt of the Dominion. Nairn had done good service to his adopted country, developing her new industries, with some profit to himself, for he was of Scottish extraction; but while close at a bargain he could be generous afterwards. When his guests were seated he laid two cigar boxes on the table. "Those," he said, pointing to one of them, "are mine. I think ye had better try the others; they're for visitors." Vane, who had already noticed the aroma of the cigar that was smouldering on a tray, decided that he was right, and dipped his hand into the second box, which he passed to Carroll. "Now," said Nairn, "we can talk comfortably, and Clara will listen. Afterwards it's possible she will favour me with her opinion." Mrs. Nairn smiled at them encouragingly, and her husband proceeded: "One or two of my colleagues were no pleased at ye for putting off the meeting." "The sloop was small, and it was blowing rather hard," Vane explained.