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It would seem that Guy Oscard, in his thick-headed way, was conscious of this mystery in the air; for he had not been two hours in Msala before he asked "Who is that woman?" and received the reply which has been recorded. After dinner they passed out on to the little terrace overlooking the river, and it was here that the great Simiacine scheme was pieced together.
He is quite straight upon that point, whatever he may be upon others. He knows this country, and he is not making any mistake about the Simiacine, whatever " "His powers of sick-nursing may be," suggested Jack. "Yes, that's it. We'll put it that way if you like." "Thanks, I do prefer it. Any fool could call a spade a spade.
Nearly six weeks had elapsed since Oscard with his little following had turned their backs for ever on the Simiacine Plateau. But now the period of acute danger had passed away. They had almost reached civilisation. Oscard was content. When Oscard was content he smoked a slower pipe than usual watching each cloud of smoke vanish into thin air.
"Then," cried Jocelyn, with flaming cheeks, "I will tell you. You were to be admitted into the Simiacine scheme by Mr. Durnovo if you could persuade or force me to marry him." None of them had foreseen this. It had come about so strangely, and yet so easily, in the midst of their first greeting. "Yes," admitted Maurice, "that was it." "And what answer did you give?" asked Jocelyn.
By the train leaving Wiesbaden for Cologne, "over Mainz," as the guide-book hath it, Jack Meredith left for England, in which country he had not set foot for fifteen months. Guy Oscard was in Cashmere; the Simiacine was almost forgotten as a nine days' wonder except by those who live by the ills of mankind. Millicent Chyne had degenerated into a restless society "hack."
He has a right to know. Tell him upon what condition Mr. Durnovo proposed to admit you into the Simiacine." Maurice still hesitated, bewildered, at a loss as men are when a seemingly secure secret is suddenly discovered to the world.
Guy Oscard led the way to the smoking-room at the back of the house the room wherein the eccentric Oscard had written his great history the room in which Victor Durnovo had first suggested the Simiacine scheme to the historian's son. The two survivors of the originating trio passed into this room together, and closed the door behind them.
Oscard produced a match, and, striking it on his boot, sheltered it with the hollow of his hand, while Jack read: "We, the undersigned, hereby enter into partnership to search for and sell, to our mutual profit, the herb known as Simiacine, the profits to be divided into three equal portions, after the deduction of one-hundredth part to be handed to the servant, Joseph Atkinson.
He took the decanter and put it to the worst use he could have selected. "Not so soon as that," he said; "but in time in time." "Lucky beggar!" muttered Maurice Gordon, with a little sigh. "I don't mind telling you," said Durnovo, with a sudden confidence begotten of Madeira, "that it's Simiacine that's what it is. I can't tell you more."
And this man the mighty warrior whose name was as good as an army in Central Africa went down on his knees one night to Guy Oscard, imploring him to abandon the Simiacine Plateau, or at all events to allow him to go down to Loango with Meredith and Joseph. "No," said Oscard; "Meredith held this place for us when he could have left it safely. He has held it for a year. It is our turn now.
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