Wyndham's Pal

It looked as if the Mulatto knew this.
By HAROLD BINDLOSS
Author of The Buccaneer Farmer, The Girl from Keller's, Brandon of the Engineers, etc.
WITH FRONTISPIECE
A. L. BURT COMPANY Publishers New York
Published by arrangement with Frederick A. Stokes Company
COPYRIGHT, 1919, BY FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND UNDER THE TITLE WYNDHAM'S PARTNER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRINTED IN U. S. A.

The breeze had dropped as the tide ebbed, and Red Rose plunged languidly across the shining swell. Faint mist obscured the horizon and the yachts engaged in the fifty-mile race had vanished, although Wyndham thought he had not long since distinguished a sail in the distance. He was curious about this because if he had seen canvas it was Deva 's, and her skipper had probably seen Red Rose . The rest of the fleet was scattered about to the north. Wyndham had noted their positions carefully before the haze rolled up. He wanted to win and meant to leave nothing to chance.
In the meantime, the yacht crept slowly through the sparkling water, close-hauled to a light wind that Wyndham knew would not last. Her canvas, tapering in a tall white pyramid, swayed with a regular heave against the sky. In her shadow, the sea was a cool, luminous green, but the sun was hot and Wyndham had taken off his coat. He wore a white jersey, blue trousers, and very neat white shoes. His age was twenty-six, his figure was thin but athletic, and the molding of his face was good. On the whole, he was a handsome man and was generally marked by a careless, twinkling smile. The smile, however, was to some extent deceptive, and at times his blue eyes were hard. Wyndham was popular; he had a way of inspiring confidence, and knew and used his talent.