substance the result of his conference with Gabrielle, and begged his
consideration for Luke if the worst should happen. Alencon Barre gave
his word as a man of honour that the matter should be sacred to him.
As they sat there, a messenger came from the commandant to say that the
detachment was to start that afternoon for Bompari. Then a note was
handed to Shorland from Governor Rapont offering him a horse and a native
servant if he chose to go with the troops. This was what Shorland had
come for--news and adventure. He did not hesitate, though the shadow of
the twenty-fifth was hanging over him. He felt his helplessness in the
matter, but determined to try to be back in Noumea on that date. Not
that he expected anything definite, but because he had a feeling that
where Gabrielle was on that day he ought to be.

For two days they travelled, the friendship between them growing hourly
closer. It was the swift amalgamation of two kindred natures in the
flame of a perfect sincerity, for even with the dramatic element so
strongly developed in him, the Englishman was downright and true.
His friendship was as tenacious as his head was cool.

On the evening of the third day Shorland noticed that the strap of his
spur was frayed. He told his native servant to attend to it. Next
morning as they were starting he saw that the strap had not been mended
or replaced. His language on the occasion was pointed and confident.
The fact is, he was angry with himself for trusting anything to a
servant. He was not used to such a luxury, and he made up his mind to
live for the rest of the campaign without a servant, as he had done all
his life long.

The two friends rode side by side for miles through the jungle of fern
and palm, and then began to enter a more open but scrubby country. The