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The vessel was now dropping up the river, with anchor swinging, and the women on the pier were walking inland slowly, keeping pace and waving a greeting from time to time in answer to a husband's shout. "That is she, Monsieur L'Abbe," said Hoel Grall, with a peculiar twitch of his coarse mouth, as if from pain. "That is she with the little child!" Rene Drucquer bowed his head, saying nothing.

While Christian Vellacott was assisting the sailors he glanced occasionally towards the kneeling priest, and on the narrow, intelligent face he read a truth that never was forgotten. He saw that Rene Drucquer was unconscious of his surroundings unmindful of the fact that he was on board a disabled vessel at the mercy of the wild wind.

The manner in which this was spoken did not bear the slightest resemblance to the cold superiority with which Rene Drucquer had been treated. The Englishman sat with one lean hand resting on the table and watched. He knew that some reply was expected, but in face of that knowledge he chose to remain silent. It was a case of Greek meeting Greek.

Such men and better men there were and are in the Society of Jesus, otherwise the power of the great Order would not be what it is; but Rene Drucquer had never come in contact with them.

Whatever this sickness might prove to be, Rene Drucquer felt that the blame of it lay at his own door. If Christian Vellacott were to die, he, Rene Drucquer, was in the eyes of God a murderer, for he had forcibly brought him to his death.

If Rene Drucquer was on the point of committing a great mistake, he at least would not urge him on towards it, so he smoked in silence, looking practical and unsympathetic. The priest laughed a little short, deprecating laugh, in which there was no shadow of mirth. "I have not," he said, rubbing his slim hands together, palm to palm, slowly, "and I know it."

It appears to me that there is still something unsatisfactory respecting your successfully executed mission. It is in connection with this Englishman. Is it not so?" Rene Drucquer moved a little, changing his attitude and clasping his hands one over the other. "He is not such as I expected," he replied after a pause. "No," said the Provincial meditatively. "They are a strange race.

"Thank you, my son!" he said, in smooth, heartless tones, "I will not trouble you any more to-night. You will need food and rest. Good night, my son. You have done well!" Rene Drucquer rose and gravely passed down the long room. Before he reached the door, however, the clear voice of his superior caused him to pause for a moment.

These two men had come on board at the same moment that the Abbe stepped ashore, and Christian noticed that no word of greeting or recognition passed between them and Rene Drucquer.

"As you go down to the refectory," he said, "kindly make a request that Mr. Vellacott be sent to me as soon as he is refreshed. I do not want you to see him before I do!" When the door had closed behind Rene Drucquer the Provincial rose from his seat and slowly paced backwards and forwards from the door to the table.