48 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



' Bless me ! ' cried Arnold, ' is he here ? ' 



The agent stared. ' Why, as I understood, he travelled 

 in the same ship with you.' 



Arnold seized him by the wrist, while in his mind's eye 

 he reviewed all the passengers ; they were not many. The 

 only one who could possibly be Mr. Blank was — Mr. 

 Thompson ! 



' Get me a horse, sir ! ' he sputtered. ' Which way has 

 the villain gone ^ And a guide — with another horse ! I'll 

 pay anything ! I'll go with you to hire them ! Come 

 along ! ' Ten minutes afterwards he was on the track, full 

 gallop, stopping only at the hotel to get his pistol. 



At a roadside posada, fifteen miles beyond, Mr. Blank 

 was supping in peace. The door opened. Arnold stalked 

 in. He was in that mood of intensest passion when a man's 

 actions are stiff though he trembles — all his muscles rigid 

 with the effort of self-restraint. 



Quietly he barred the door and quietly he sat down 

 opposite to Mr. Blank, putting his revolver on the board. 



' Get your pistol, sir,' said he, scarcely above a whisper, 

 ' we're going to settle this business.' But Mr. Blank, after 

 a frenzied stare, had withdrawn beneath the table. Arnold 

 hauled him out by the legs, demanding instant combat. 



But this was not the man to fight. He preferred to 

 sign a confession and a promise, guaranteed by most im- 

 pressive oaths, not to revisit those parts for six months. 

 Then Arnold started him back, supperless, in the dark. 



It may be added that the gentleman whom I have named 

 Mr. Blank lost his life in 1892, when seeking the habitat of 

 Dendrobium Schroderianum, under circumstances not wholly 

 dissimilar. As in this case he sought to reap where he had 

 not sown. But peace be with him ! 



Without more adventures Arnold found Masdevallia 

 Tovarensis. Of the first consignment he despatched, forty 



