"It seemed such a nice mystery to unravel," she murmured, "but if Toni
persists in saying that he knows nothing of the white waterfall the
investigation falls to the ground."

The Fijian was backing away with renewed protestations when a head came
round the corner of the galley, and a voice that was deeper than the
caves of Atiu fired a question at us.

"What about the white waterfall?"

"Oh, Mr. Leith," cried Miss Barbara, "we have just been investigating a
mystery. Mr. Verslun discovered it this afternoon in Levuka. But you
haven't met Mr. Verslun yet, have you?"

"I haven't," growled the owner of the voice.

"Mr. Verslun, this is Mr. Leith, who is father's partner," said Miss
Barbara. "He knows a lot about the Islands, but he refuses to tell any
of his experiences."

I looked at the man who stood in front of me, and a curious thing
flashed through my mind. I was reminded at that moment of a story I had
read of a man charged with an attempt upon the life of a prince. The
would-be murderer informed the judge that a terrible hate of the
princeling had gripped him the moment he put eyes on him, and he had
made the attempt upon his life before he had managed to control the
unexplainable surge of hate. I understood the emotion that had gripped
that unfortunate as I stood face to face with Leith. A feeling of
revulsion gripped me, and I experienced a peculiar squalmy sensation as
I took his hand. It was unexplainable. Perhaps some ancestor of mine had