This sunburned, retired captain _was_ the New York financier's elder brother.

And this certainty made Mr.Graves's errand more difficult, and the cause of it more inexplicable.
Captain Elisha cleared his throat.
"Well, well!" he sighed.

"So 'Bije has gone.

I s'pose you think it's odd, maybe," he went on, "that I ain't more struck down by the news.

In a way, I am, and, in a way, I'm mighty sorry, too.