“You know how quickly darkness falls in those latitudes. And it was just before sunset that I saw a boat shoot away from the side of the yacht and come full speed for the shore. I remember I wondered casually who was the mug who would leave a comfortable yacht for Nwambi, especially after the report of it that must have been given by our two morning visitors. And then it struck me that, whoever it might be, he was evidently in the deuce of a hurry. Almost before the boat came alongside a man sprang out and scrambled up the steps. Then at a rapid double he came sprinting towards me as I stood at the door of the bar. It was the smaller of the two men who had been ashore that morning, and something was evidently very much amiss.
“‘Where is she?’ he shouted, as soon as he came within earshot. ‘Where’s my wife, you damned scoundrel?’
“Seeing that he was quite beside himself with worry and alarm, I let the remark go by.
“‘Steady!’ I said, as he came gasping up to me. ‘I haven’t got your wife; I haven’t even seen her.’
“‘It’s that card-sharper!’ he cried. ‘By God! I’ll shoot him like a dog, if he’s tried any monkey-tricks!’
“‘Dry up, and pull yourself together,’ I said angrily. ‘If you’re alluding to Jimmy Mainwaring——’
“And at that moment Jimmy himself stepped out of his office and strolled across the road.
“‘You swine, you cursed card-cheat—where’s Sylvia?’
“‘What the devil are you talking about?’ said Jimmy, and his voice was tense.
“‘She came ashore this afternoon, saying she would return in an hour,’ said the other man. ‘I didn’t know it at the time, Mr.—er—Mainwaring, I believe you call yourself. The boat came back for her, and she was not there. That was four hours ago. Where is she?’
“He was covering Jimmy with his revolver as he spoke.
“‘Four hours ago, Clavering! Good heavens! man—put down your gun. This isn’t a time for amateur theatricals.’ He brushed past him as if he was non-existent and came up to me. ‘Did you see Lady Clavering?’
“‘Not a trace,’ I answered, and the same fear was in both of us.
“‘Did she say what she was coming on shore for?’ He swung round on the husband.
“‘To have a look round,’ answered Clavering, and his voice had altered. No longer was he the outraged husband; he was a frightened man relying instinctively on a bigger personality than himself.