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work on the roads。 Have you any money？〃
〃If I had； I wouldn'tbe a vagrant；〃 the young man answered。 His
voice was low and singularly sweet。 It seemed to suit the indolence of
his attitude and the lazy； inconsequent smile。 〃I called on our consular
agent here；〃 he continued； leisurely； 〃to write a letter home for money； but
he was disgracefully drunk； so I used his official note…paper to write to the
State Department about him； instead。〃
The Governor's deepest interest was aroused。 The American consular
agent was one of the severest trials he was forced to endure。
〃You are not a British subject； then？ Ah； I seeanderyour
representative was unable to assist you？〃
〃He was drunk；〃 the young man repeated； placidly。 〃He has been
drunk ever since I have been here； particularly in the mornings。〃
He halted； as though the subject had lost interest for him； and gazed
pleasantly at the sunny bay and up at the moving palms。
〃Then；〃 said the Governor； as though he had not been interrupted； 〃as
you have no means of support； you will help support the colony until you
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can earn money to leave it。 That will do； sergeant。〃
The young man placed his hat upon his head and turned to move away；
but at the first step he swayed suddenly and caught at the negro's shoulder；
clasping his other hand across his eyes。 The sergeant held him by the
waist； and looked up at the Governor with some embarrassment。
〃The young gentleman has not been well； Sir Charles；〃 he said；
apologetically。
The stranger straightened himself up and smiled vaguely。 〃I'm all
right；〃 he murmured。 〃Sun's too hot。〃
〃Sit down；〃 said the Governor。
He observed the stranger more closely。 He noticed now that beneath
the tan his face was delicate and finely cut； and that his yellow hair clung
closely to a well…formed head。
〃He seems faint。 Has he had anything to eat？〃 asked the Governor。
The sergeant grinned guiltily。 〃Yes； Sir Charles； we've been feeding
him at the barracks。 It's fever； sir。〃
Sir Charles was not unacquainted with fallen gentlemen； 〃beach…
combers；〃 〃remittance men；〃 and vagrants who had known better days；
and there had been something winning in this vagrant's smile； and；
moreover； he had reported that thorn in his flesh； the consular agent； to the
proper authorities。
He conceived an interest in a young man who； though with naked feet；
did not hesitate to correspond with his Minister of Foreign Affairs。
〃How long have you been ill？〃 he asked。
The young man looked up from where he had sunk on the steps； and
roused himself with a shrug。 〃It doesn't matter；〃 he said。 〃I've had a
touch of Chagres ever since I was on the Isthmus。 I was at work there on
the railroad。〃
〃Did you come here from Colon？〃
〃No； I worked up the Pacific side。 I was clerking with Rossner
Brothers at Amapala for a while； because I speak a little German； and then
I footed it over to Puerto Cortez and got a job with the lottery people。
They gave me twenty dollars a month gold for rolling the tickets； and I put
it all in the drawing； and won as much as ten。〃 He laughed； and sitting
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erect； drew from his pocket a roll of thin green papers。 〃These are for the
next drawing；〃 he said。 〃Have some？〃 he added。 He held them towards
the negro sergeant； who； under the eye of the Governor； resisted； and then
spread the tickets on his knee like a hand at cards。 〃I stand to win a lot
with these；〃 he said； with a cheerful sigh。 〃You see； until the list's
published I'm prospectively worth twenty thousand dollars。 And；〃 he
added； 〃I break stones in the sun。〃 He rose unsteadily； and saluted the
Governor with a nod。 〃Good…morning； sir；〃 he said； 〃and thank you。〃
〃Wait；〃 Sir Charles commanded。 A new form of punishment had
suggested itself； in which justice was tempered with mercy。 〃Can you
work one of your American lawn…mowers？〃 he asked。
The young man laughed delightedly。 〃I never tried；〃 he said； 〃but
I've seen it done。〃
〃If you've been ill； it would be murder to put you on the shell road。〃
The Governor's dignity relaxed into a smile。 〃I don't desire international
complications；〃 he said。 〃Sergeant； take thishimto the kitchen； and
tell Corporal Mallon to give him that American lawn…mowing machine。
Possibly he may understand its mechanism。 Mallon only cuts holes in
the turf with it。〃 And he waved his hand in dismissal； and as the three
men moved away he buried himself again in the perplexities of the dog…
tax。
Ten minutes later the deliberations of the Council were disturbed by a
loud and persistent rattle； like the whir of a Maxim gun； which proved； on
investigation； to arise from the American lawn… mower。 The vagrant was
propelling it triumphantly across the lawn； and gazing down at it with the
same fond pride with which a nursemaid leans over the perambulator to
observe her lusty and gurgling charge。
The Councillors had departed； Sir Charles was thinking of breakfast；
the Maxim…like lawn…mower still irritated the silent hush of midday； when
from the waters of the inner harbor there came suddenly the sharp report
of a saluting gun and the rush of falling anchor…chains。 There was still a
week to pass before the mail…steamer should arrive； and H。 M。 S。
Partridge had departed for Nassau。 Besides these ships； no other vessel
had skirted the buoys of the bay in eight long smiling months。 Mr。
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Clarges； the secretary； with an effort to appear calm； and the orderly；
suffocated with the news； entered through separate doors at the same
instant。
The secretary filed his report first。 〃A yacht's just anchored in the
bay； Sir Charles；〃 he said。
The orderly's face fell。