E. Phillips Oppenheim

“ One by one her attendants deserted her. Soon she was alone with the man.
They did not begin to talk at once. They both seemed interested in the tumbled grey waste of waters through which the steamer was ploughing her way. But presently her rug slipped, and she felt it replaced with firm, skilful fingers. She thanked him—almost shyly for her—and they began to talk.
Their conversation took its tedious but necessary course through the desert of the commonplace, but long before the dinner-bell rang the probationary period was past. ”

“ She shivered.
"Let me fetch you a cloak," he begged. "The breeze is too strong here."
"I am not cold," she answered calmly. "It was a memory. But to go on with my story. Naturally I asked the man what he was doing in my room, and as naturally he pointed to what were left of my jewels. For a burglar he was a terrible bungler. The hand which held his revolver shook so that I could have knocked it out of his hand." ”

“ I shall be hunted from corner to corner of the earth all my life. I shall bring disrepute and scandal upon my friends. Nothing worth having in life will be possible for me. I think that I will not struggle any more against fate. ”

“ We're too much in earnest over our pleasure. We make a business of it, as we do of everything else,"
He looked at her with a faint smile.
"I'm glad to see," he said gravely, "that you have emerged from the holocaust without any ineffaceable signs of the struggle."
She laughed good-humouredly.
"Oh! I know what you're thinking," she exclaimed; "but it isn't in the face alone one carries the marks of deterioration."
"I suppose not," he answered thoughtfully. "Yet the face is a wonderful index." ”

“ Old man Paish left him all his pile. I forgot that."
"Guess he'll try and square this thing. He's been clever enough at keeping out of the way. He won't fancy being dropped on just as he's off."
"Won't do," was the terse answer. "Besides, it wouldn't pay us. This is a big thing!"
The men moved on, the girl lingered there. Her eyes were fixed upon vacancy. This was to be the end of it, then. A prison cell, perhaps worse. A sudden shriek of the foghorn broke in upon her thoughts. They had steamed right into the midst of a dense bank of white sea mist. ”

“ He had just finished a frugal dinner which had been brought out to him by his servant.
"Will you come for a little walk?" she said. "I should like to go out to the bows."
He rose at once and led the way. The journey to the fore-part of the ship was a little devious, and once, after a moment's hesitation, he offered her his hand. She took it frankly, and a sudden rush of colour came into his cheeks. The willing touch of her fingers possessed a certain significance for him. ”

“ I was absolutely certain that the man would never harm me. Perhaps I took advantage of my conviction. I began to laugh at him for his clumsiness. The man got mad. The first part of the whole thing ended very much as I had imagined it would. He threw down my jewels and made for the window. He was clumsy with the fastening, and I got up and helped him. It was then that his mask slipped. It was then also, for the first time, that the burglar misbehaved himself."
Again that queer little smile. The man looked up from the tumbling mass of cloven waters into the face of his companion. ”

“ Paish."
"Delighted to hear it," Hoyle answered heartily. "You mustn't let him get down-hearted. Most of the men in the world would enjoy a little affair like this" (he tapped the cablegrams) . "I guess it won't do him any harm in the long run. You'll excuse me now, Miss Bateman."
He was busy with another cable. She made her way on deck again. Only once during the rest of the way to Liverpool did she address the detective again.
"I want you to tell me," she said, stopping suddenly in front of his chair, "is—will—have you send word to Liverpool?" ”

“ The girl caught him up sharply.
"There are queer stories about everyone," she said, "if people care to listen to them. Let us talk about something else."
*⁠*⁠*⁠*⁠*
She was a little later than the others when she came up on deck after dinner. As usual, she wore no hat or wrap of any sort. The wind blew her fair hair about her face, and she was obliged to gather up and hold the skirts of her black dinner-gown. Several young men came hurrying towards her, but she waved them away. She crossed the deck to where the man was sitting. ”