"Yes. Bithiah received a letter from him only last week. He will help her to go away, as he has no love for us, Brother Korah."
"A mocker!" said Brand, sadly. "Bithiah cannot go away. She has no money."
"She has the pearls; and they are worth three thousand pounds at least."
"How do you know that she took them?"
"I am certain she took them," said Johnson, emphatically, "although I have only circumstantial evidence to go on. Bithiah was the only person who knew that they were locked in this drawer. Unfortunately, I left my keys behind me when I went out visiting yesterday; so it was easy for her to take them away."
Korah frowned, and combed his beard with his fingers. "So far as I can judge from your story," said he, rebukingly, "this maiden has departed to avoid your love."
"Say rather because I wished to keep her from Finland."
"Well, I will see Finland, brother. If he knows where Bithiah is, she shall be brought back--but not to you. I myself will take her to Koiau and deliver her to her father."
"You take no account of my feelings," said Johnson, bitterly.
"The Lord's work cannot be hindered for your earthly passion. If Buli knew that you wished to take his child from him, he would not protect our missionaries, and the good seed would be sown in barren ground. But we can speak of these things later, Brother Johnson. The first thing to do is to rescue the maiden from the consequences of her foolish flight, I will question Finland. And you?"