From the deck of the Halfmoon Skipper Simms witnessed
the transaction, smiling inwardly. Billy Byrne also saw it, but
it meant nothing to him. He had been lolling upon the deck
of the brigantine glaring at the yacht Lotus, hating her and
the gay, well-dressed men and women he could see laughing
and chatting upon her deck. They represented to him the
concentrated essence of all that was pusillanimous, disgusting,
loathsome in that other world that was as far separated from
him as though he had been a grubworm in the manure pile
back of Brady's livery stable.
He saw the note handed by the sailor to a gray-haired,
smooth-faced man--a large, sleek, well-groomed man. Billy
could imagine the white hands and polished nails of him. The
thought was nauseating.
The man who took and opened the note was Anthony
Harding, Esq. He read it, and then passed it to a young
woman who stood near-by talking with other young people.
"Here, Barbara," he said, "is something of more interest to
you than to me. If you wish I'll call upon him and invite him
to dinner tonight."
The girl was reading the note.
Anthony Harding, Esq.
On Board Yacht Lotus,
Honolulu
My dear Mr. Harding:
This will introduce a very dear friend of mine, Count de
Cadenet, who expects to be in Honolulu about the time that
you are there.
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