Regardless of the people who were sitting about, Henry Casalle leapt to his feet, his dark eyes shining with great joy. Then they filled with tears.
'God is good to me, and I thought He had deserted me! The world is bright to me again.'
Then entering a quiet room he knelt down and buried his face in his hands, as Mr. Wallis led Nita away.
CHAPTER XIII
JACK HAS MISGIVINGS
After dinner that evening, as the two men were sitting in the hotel garden smoking, and talking, of course, about the return of the Malolo and the Lady Alicia, Jack, who had been unusually quiet and thoughtful, came up to his father.
'Father, there has been something troubling me all day--ever since we got Tom's letter from Mr. Biffen this morning. Let me have it, please, to read again, and Captain Casalle's as well.'
'What is it, Jack, that is troubling you?'
'Let me read the letters first, dad, then I'll tell you.'
His father gave him both, and Jack, whose always serious face was now more serious than ever, went quietly away into a sitting-room, and placing them side by side, read them through carefully.