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the old man so abruptly as to drop him violently into the chair。
〃My word； sir；〃 said Daughtry。 〃You must 'a' ben havin' a time of it。Here； you fella Kwaque； this fella wringin' wet。 You fella take 'm off shoe stop along him。〃
But before Kwaque； immediately kneeling； could touch hand to the shoelaces； Daughtry； remembering that Kwaque was likewise unclean； had thrust him away。
〃My word； I don't know what to do；〃 Daughtry murmured； staring about helplessly as he realised that it was a leper…house； that the very chair in which the old man sat was a leper…chair； that the very floor on which his exhausted feet rested was a leper… floor。
〃I'm glad to see you； most exceeding glad；〃 the Ancient Mariner panted； extending his hand in greeting。
Dag Daughtry avoided it。
〃How goes the treasure…hunting？〃 he queried lightly。 〃Any prospects in sight？〃
The Ancient Mariner nodded； and with returning breath； at first whispering； gasped out：
〃We're all cleared to sail on the first of the ebb at seven this morning。 She's out in the stream now； a tidy bit of a schooner； the Bethlehem； with good lines and hull and large cabin accommodations。 She used to be in the Tahiti trade； before the steamers ran her out。 Provisions are good。 Everything is most excellent。 I saw to that。 I cannot say I like the captain。 I've seen his type before。 A splendid seaman； I am certain； but a Bully Hayes grown old。 A natural born pirate； a very wicked old man indeed。 Nor is the backer any better。 He is middle…aged； has a bad record； and is not in any sense of the word a gentleman； but he has plenty of moneymade it first in California oil； then grub…staked a prospector in British Columbia； cheated him out of his share of the big lode he discovered and doubled his own wealth half a dozen times over。 A very undesirable； unlikeable sort of a man。 But he believes in luck； and is confident that he'll make at least fifty millions out of our adventure and cheat me out of my share。 He's as much a pirate as is the captain he's engaged。〃
〃Mr。 Greenleaf； I congratulate you； sir；〃 Daughtry said。 〃And you have touched me； sir； touched me to the heart； coming all the way out here on such a night； and running such risks； just to say good…bye to poor Dag Daughtry； who always meant somewhat well but had bad luck。〃
But while he talked so heartily； Daughtry saw； in a resplendent visioning； all the freedom of a schooner in the great South Seas； and felt his heart sink in realisation that remained for him only the pest…house； the sand…dunes； and the sad eucalyptus trees。
The Ancient Mariner sat stiffly upright。
〃Sir； you have hurt me。 You have hurt me to the heart。〃
〃No offence； sir； no offence；〃 Daughtry stammered in apology； although he wondered in what way he could have hurt the old gentleman's feelings。
〃You are my friend； sir；〃 the other went on； gravely censorious。 〃I am your friend； sir。 And you give me to understand that you think I have come out here to this hell…hole to say good…bye。 I came out here to get you； sir； and your nigger； sir。 The schooner is waiting for you。 All is arranged。 You are signed on the articles before the shipping commissioner。 Both of you。 Signed on yesterday by proxies I arranged for myself。 One was a Barbadoes nigger。 I got him and the white man out of a sailors' boarding…house on Commercial Street and paid them five dollars each to appear before the Commissioner and sign on。〃
〃But； my God； Mr。 Greenleaf； you don't seem to grasp it that he and I are lepers。〃
Almost with a galvanic spring； the Ancient Mariner was out of the chair and on his feet； the anger of age and of a generous soul in his face as he cried：
〃My God； sir； what you don't seem to grasp is that you are my friend； and that I am your friend。〃
Abruptly； still under the pressure of his wrath； he thrust out his hand。
〃Steward； Daughtry。 Mr。 Daughtry； friend； sir； or whatever I may name you； this is no fairy…story of the open boat； the cross… bearings unnamable； and the treasure a fathom under the sand。 This is real。 I have a heart。 That； sir〃here he waved his extended hand under Daughtry's nose〃is my hand。 There is only one thing you may do； must do； right now。 You must take that hand in your hand； and shake it； with your heart in your hand as mine is in my hand。〃
〃But 。 。 。 but。 。 。 〃 Daughtry faltered。
〃If you don't； then I shall not depart from this place。 I shall remain here； die here。 I know you are a leper。 You can't tell me anything about that。 There's my hand。 Are you going to take it？ My heart is there in the palm of it； in the pulse in every finger… end of it。 If you don't take it； I warn you I'll sit right down here in this chair and die。 I want you to understand I am a man； sir； a gentleman。 I am a friend； a comrade。 I am no poltroon of the flesh。 I live in my heart and in my head； sirnot in this feeble carcass I cursorily inhabit。 Take that hand。 I want to talk with you afterward。〃
Dag Daughtry extended his hand hesitantly； but the Ancient Mariner seized it and pressed it so fiercely with his age…lean fingers as to hurt。
〃Now we can talk；〃 he said。 〃I have thought the whole matter over。 We sail on the Bethlehem。 When the wicked man discovers that he can never get a penny of my fabulous treasure； we will leave him。 He will be glad to be quit of us。 We； you and I and your nigger； will go ashore in the Marquesas。 Lepers roam about free there。 There are no regulations。 I have seen them。 We will be free。 The land is a paradise。 And you and I will set up housekeeping。 A thatched hutno more is needed。 The work is trifling。 The freedom of beach and sea and mountain will be ours。 For you there will be sailing； swimming； fishing； hunting。 There are mountain goats； wild chickens and wild cattle。 Bananas and plantains will ripen over our headsavocados and custard apples； also。 The red peppers grow by the door； and there will be fowls； and the eggs of fowls。 Kwaque shall do the cooking。 And there will be beer。 I have long noted your thirst unquenchable。 There will be beer； six quarts of it a day； and more； more。
〃Quick。 We must start now。 I am sorry to tell you that I have vainly sought your dog。 I have even paid detectives who were robbers。 Doctor Emory stole Killeny Boy from you； but within a dozen hours he was stolen from Doctor Emory。 I have left no stone unturned。 Killeny Boy is gone； as we shall be gone from this detestable hole of a city。
〃I have a machine waiting。 The driver is paid well。 Also； I have promised to kill him if he defaults on me。 It bears just a bit north of east over the sandhill on the road that runs along the other side of the funny forest 。 。 。 That is right。 We will start now。 We can discuss afterward。 Look！ Daylight is beginning to break。 The guards must not see us 。 。 。 〃
Out into the storm they passed； Kwaque； with a heart wild with gladness； bringing up the rear。 At the beginning Daughtry strove to walk aloof； but in a trice； in the first heavy gust that threatened to whisk the frail old man away； Dag Daughtry's hand was grasping the other's arm； his own weight behind and under； supporting and impelling forward and up the hill through the heavy sand。
〃Thank you； steward； thank you； my friend；〃 the Ancient Mariner murmured in the first lull between the gusts。
CHAPTER XXII
Not altogether unwillingly； in the darkness of night； despite that he disliked the man； did Michael go with Harry Del Mar。 Like a burglar the man came； with infinite caution of silence； to the outhouse in Doctor Emory's back yard where Michael was a prisoner。 Del Mar knew the theatre too well to venture any hackneyed melodramatic effect such as an electric torch。 He felt his way in the darkness to the door of the outhouse； unlatched it； and entered softly； feeling with his hands for the wire…haired coat。
And Michael； a man…dog and a lion…dog in all the stuff of him； bristled at the instant of intrusion； but made no outcry。 Instead； he smelled out the intruder and recognised him。 Disliking the man； nevertheless he permitted the tying of the rope around his neck and silently followed him out to the sidewalk； down to the corner； and into the waiting taxi。
His reasoningunless reason be denied himwas simple。 This man he had met； more than once； in the company of Steward。 Amity had existed between him and Steward； for they had sat at table； and drunk together。 Steward was lost。 Michael knew not where to find him； and was himself a prisoner in the back yard of a strange place。 What had once happened； could again happen。 It had happened that Steward； Del Mar； and Michael had sat at table together on divers occasions。 It was probable that such a combination would happen again； was going to happen now； and； once more； in the bright…lighted cabaret； he would sit on a chair； Del Mar on one side； and on the other side beloved Steward with a glass of beer before himall of which might be called 〃leaping to a conclusion〃； for conclusion there was； and upon the conclusion Michael acted。
Now Michael could not reason to this conclusion nor think to this conclusion； in words。 〃Amity；〃 as an instance； was no word in his consciousness。 Whe