Ellison put his hand on the small man's deformed shoulder.
"Silas, I don't grasp what you're driving at!"
"Then, as I say, don't seek to know. Believe that I'm a dreamer. Believe that I'm a little mad. I shall never speak of it to you again. But to-night I felt as if I must speak out—the hand of the Future was upon me. Good-night!"
"Good-night!"
As Murkard went in the woman rose from her chair, advanced to the veranda rails, and once more stood looking out across the bay. A clock in the Kanakas' hut struck ten. Then she too turned to go in. But before doing so she looked across at Ellison, and said kindly, "Good-night!"
"Good-night!" he called in return.
And all the silence of the world seemed to echo that "Good-night!"
CHAPTER III.
THE WORLD, THE FLESH, AND THE DEVIL.