population into a great stock company, retaining four-fifths of the
property themselves. This seemed to be a satisfactory arrangement,
despite the fact that some of the more warlike leaders were difficult to
appease. But, as Messrs. Wyckholme and Skaggs owned the land and the
other grants, there was little left for the islanders but arbitration.
It is only necessary to add that the beautiful island of Japat, standing
like an emerald in the sapphire waters of the Orient, brought millions
in money to the two men who had been unlucky in love.

And now, after more than thirty years of voluntary exile, both of them
were dead, and both of them were buried in the heart of an island of
rubies, their deed and their deeds remaining to posterity--with
reservations.





CHAPTER II

AN EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENT


It appears that the Messrs. Skaggs and Wyckholme, as their dual career
drew to a close, set about to learn what had become of their daughters.
Investigation proved that Wyckholme's daughter had married a London
artist named Ruthven. The Ruthvens in turn had one child, a daughter.
Wyckholme's wife and his daughter died when this grandchild was eight or
ten years old. By last report, the grandchild was living with her father
in London. She was a pretty young woman with scores of admirers on her