John Galsworthy

“ My wife always wants to see everything, confound her!'
Mr Denver apparently paid no heed to this remark; he was sitting tilted back in his chair, his hat slouched over his brows, and only the slight twitching of the hand holding the pocket-book, and a curious smouldering fire in his half-closed eyes, showed that a struggle was going on in his mind. Presently, with a sudden jerk, he returned to a right-angled position, and stared straight at Massinger. The man looked particularly like a codfish at that moment, and breathed heavily. Dick shivered slightly and disgustedly. ”

“ Mr Denver's look was that of one who measures the distance for a spring.
'Malūa! Malūa!' (which is by interpretation 'Go easy') . 'I guess it can be done,' he drawled softly to himself. 'Anything to see? No—o. Stop, though,'—to the intelligent eye, as he drew himself together in his chair, the spring was very near now—'I guess I'm wrong all the time, there is something almighty curious to see, for those who have the sand.'
'What's that?'
'We—ell, it mightn't interest you, but it's a place they call "La boite du diable"—kind of a cavern in the side of a hill. ”

“ The moon had burst through the clouds and was flooding the deck with silver light, and Dick improved the shining hour. The ship was bound for the West Indies; he discoursed of the islands and his own experiences there, and she listened, with an evident interest in spite of her fears. Never yet was woman (or man either, for the matter of that) uninterested when Dick Denver talked, which he did but seldom ”

“ Dick Denver, vagabond, adventurer, gambler—what you will—was a man with a soft heart, and a curious hardened inability to witness distress without a desire to offer his help, which, owing to his manner of life, was generally found to be worse than useless. ”

“ The long, low, white-verandahed hotel surrounded by a group of palms that wavered unsteadily in the half-light, like a group of ghostly sentinels, was still undisturbed by the coming day. A man standing back in the shadow muttered to himself, as, glancing over his shoulder, he caught the first glow of light on the horizon. ”

“ Dick Denver was always solitary in his habits, and made a point of a cabin to himself, otherwise his conduct that night with a small lace pocket-handkerchief might have been considered somewhat out of keeping with the character of a professional black sheep. It is impossible to disguise the fact that Mr Denver, in spite of his notorious insouciance, was an impressionable man.
SCENE II
The ship's saloon, fitfully lighted by the swinging lamp with a green shade, furnished a picturesque framing for the two figures it contained. ”

“ I shall shoot you if I can, because'—he paused, then very slowly, 'I guess Mrs Massinger has no kind of use for you. It's a fair and square business. Major, and you bet'—he pointed with his pistol to the bubbling, hissing chasm—'the devil'll take the hindmost'
Dick Denver smiled grimly as he finished his exordium—his composure was devilish; he rose, looked once up at the opening above, through which the moon was now visible directly overhead, and then stood immovable, watching his companion. The full horror of his position had at last dawned on Massinger ”

“ He held the other with his look, and went on rapidly.
'I know you. Major; you're a mean, sullen, sordid cur, not fit to live with any woman, much less with her. We—ell! so—o I guess I've fixed up a little idea which I'm going to explain to you right along.' Another low, soft hiss from the bottomless pit. The rays from the moon were now striking almost vertically into the cavern, on Massinger sitting motionless in an angry but half-cowed amazement, on Mr Denver again consulting his watch. ”

“ Dick, a covert sneer on his face, was far too considerate to disappoint him, and once again the cards were shuffled and dealt; the Major more boisterous, Dick more impassive than ever. With the end of the partie came the transference of £200 in notes from Massinger's pocket-book to Mr Denver's. ”

“ He returned it to his pocket and said:
'In ten minutes from that first jet, there'll be a geyser, and if we're here I calculate we'll be boiled and carried down that hole,—I know its little ways. There's just upon six minutes left, but in three the moon'll be right above, and there'll be considerable light in the shooting gallery.'
Massinger opened his mouth, but Mr Denver went on sharply and distinctly:
'You see. Major, my idea's just this, one of us has got to stay right here. Now its likely you'll prefer being shot to being boiled ”