American Fishin' Company, and wanted me to take charge of a first-class
schooner on shares. Said he heard of me afore, and knew I was an
American and a white man, and just the chap ez could knock them
Eytalians outer the market."

"Yes," interrupted Mrs. Bunker quickly, but emphatically, "the fishing
interest ought to be American and protected by the State, with regular
charters and treaties."

"I say, Mollie," said her astonished but admiring husband, "you've been
readin' the papers or listenin' to stump speakin' sure."

"Go on," returned Mrs. Bunker impatiently, "and say what happened next."

"Well," returned Zephas, "I first thought, you see, that it had suthin'
to do with that Marion business, particklerly ez folks allowed he was
hidin' somewhere yet, and they wanted me to run him off. So I thought
Rider might as well know that I wasn't to be bribed, so I ups and tells
him how I'd been lyin' off Saucelito the other day workin' for the
other side agin him. With that he laughs, says he didn't want any better
friends than me, but that I must be livin' in the backwoods not to
know that Wynyard Marion had escaped, and was then at sea on his way
to Mexico or Central America. Then we agreed to terms, and the long and
short of it is, Mollie, that I'm to have the schooner with a hundred and
fifty dollars a month, and ten per cent. shares after a year! Looks like
biz, eh, Mollie, old girl? but you don't seem pleased."

She had put aside the arm with which he was drawing her to him, and
had turned her white face away to the window. So HE had gone--this
stranger--this one friend of her life--she would never see him again,