Chapter 7

Please keep these annotations SPOILER-FREE by not revealing information from later pages in the novel.

Page numbers refer to editions with 369 pages, where the story begins on page 1. Not sure if there are other editions with variant pagination. Please let us know otherwise.

Page 90

Charlotte Amalie
The largest city and capital of the US Virgina Islands.

Page 91

Thomas Arnould
A spelling error. Should be "Arnold." He was, as the narrator explains, a nineteenth century educator and writer. Although I'm not sure what that has to do with ship insurance.

Theophilus Parsons
There were two men (father and son) named Theopilus Parsons in the nineteenth century.

Page 92

Burke Stodger
This name is likely derived from a 1910 noir-ish murder-mystery novel Paternoster Ruby by Charles Edmonds Walk. Alexander Stilwell Burke and Stodger, a plain-clothes cop are two main characters. Google Books A excerpt:

"Nasty case," Stodger was imparting, in queer staccato sentences. "Shouldn't have much difficulty, though; responsibility lies between two men. Here all last night. Nobody else. Callahan and O'Brien holdin' 'em. One 's Page's private secretary; fellow named Burke — Alexander Stilwell Burke. Peach of a monicker, ain't it? Has all three sections on his cards.

[...]

Suddenly she snuggled closer and clasped her hands tightly upon my shoulder. Her hair teased my cheek, and the delicate perfume of it made me light-headed. Twisting her pretty head sideways, she flashed an arch look at me from under her lashes, then glanced quickly away again. Blue eyes and long dark lashes are a potently disturbing combination.

"Well," she sighed, "the Page case may have cost you a fortune, but — it gave you me. And I — for one — am very content and happy, Mr. Swift."