"Not even your sick natives. Well, but for Miss Malotte some of your fishermen would have starved this winter, and you might have been short-handed next year." "We give them work. Why should we support them?" "I don't know of any legal reason, and ethics don't count for much up there. Nevertheless, Cherry Malotte has seen to it that the children, at least, haven't suffered. She saved a little brother of this Constantine you mention." "Constantine has no brother," Marsh answered. "I happen to know, because he worked for me." "This was a little red-headed youngster." "Ah!" Marsh's ejaculation was sharp. "What was the matter with it?" "Measles." "Did it get well?" "It was getting along all right when I left." The other fell silent, while Miss Wayland inquired, curiously: "What is this mysterious woman like?" "She is young, refined--thoroughly nice in every way." "Good-looking also, I dare say?" "Very." She was about to pursue her inquiries further, but the dinner was finished and Mr. Wayland had asked for his favorite cigars, so she rose and Boyd accompanied her, leaving the others to smoke. But, strangely enough, Marsh remained in such a state of preoccupation, even after their departure, that Mr. Wayland's attempts at conversation elicited only the vaguest and shortest of answers. In the music-room Mildred turned upon Boyd. "Why didn't you tell me about this woman before?" "I didn't think of her." "And yet she is young, beautiful, refined, lives a romantic sort of existence, and entertained you--" She tossed her head. "Are you jealous?" he inquired, with a smile. "Of such a person? Certainly not." "I wish you were," he confessed, truthfully. "If you would only get really jealous, I should be delighted. I should begin to feel a little sure of you." She seated herself at the piano and struck a few idle notes, inquiring, casually: "Kalvik is the name of the place where you are going, isn't it?" "It is." "I suppose you will see a great deal of this--Cherry Malotte?" "Undoubtedly, inasmuch as we are partners." "Partners!" Mildred ceased playing and swung about. "What do you mean?" "She is interested in this enterprise; the cannery site is hers." "I see!" After a moment, "Does this new affair of father's have any particular effect on your plans?" "Yes and no," he answered, feeling again the weight of this last complication, forgotten for the moment. "What do you wish me to do?" "Nothing; only for the present please don't mention my scheme either to him or to Mr. Marsh. I am a bit uncertain as to my course. You see, it means so much to me that I can't bear to give it up, and yet it may lead to great--unpleasantness." She nodded, comprehendingly. The others joined them, and Boyd made his adieus; but in leaving he bore with him a weight of doubt and uneasiness in strange contrast with the buoyancy he had felt upon his arrival.