"So I did. That Major of yours nearly spotted me last time I was here. I thought I'd better skip."
"Yes, he did spot you, as you call it," replied Miriam quietly. "But I persuaded him to leave you alone. I had some difficulty. But when I told him our relationship he consented."
"Damn! if I'd known that I wouldn't have skipped. Why the devil didn't you let me know?"
"How could I? I couldn't find you. Where have you been?"
"Oh, back to the Cape—cleared out there two days after you saw me. I didn't think it was good enough to run any risks."
"Do you still call yourself Maxwell?"
"No—chucked it for another."
"I see," she said sorrowfully, "you are in low water again."
"I swear I'm the most unfortunate man on God's earth," he whined. "I started square enough out there, and made a tidy pile. You saw for yourself last time I was pretty flush. Well, as I told you, I left my pal to look after our claim while I did a scamper round, and what did the devil do but clear out to America with the whole swag. That cleaned me out, and I had to start all afresh. But every blessed thing I touched went wrong, till I got so sick of it that I scraped what I could together, and here I am. You'll give me a lift-up, Miriam, for the last time?"
"All my life I have been doing that, Jabez, and each time has been the last, hasn't it? But it is more difficult for me to help you now; you see——"