“I do not know; but before long, Sam. My husband must soon kill himself, you know.”
“I’ve heard something of the sort. Will it make you unhappy to become a widow?”
“No, I shall be glad. I hate Mai Lo,” she replied, simply.
I glanced at Mai Mou.
“And you, little Pearl?” I inquired.
“I do not like my father, either,” she replied. “But I do not know him very well. Perhaps he is better than he seems.”
“No, he is worse,” said Archie, positively. “I’m sure of it.”
“But when the time comes,” continued Ko-Tua, raising her big, wistful eyes, “my husband——”
She gave a great start, and a look of horror spread over her beautiful face and actually transformed it. For her eyes had caught some object beyond our circle, and remained fixed and dilated.
Mai Mou followed her gaze and gave a little cry that conveyed the agony of a wounded deer. Nor Ghai stood up in her place and the smile faded from her pallid face.