m. Exquisite, however,
as the pleasure it afforded him seemed to be, I can not say that it
pleased me as much. It revived unpleasant memories, and just at the time
when I was beginning to forget my first distrust of him.

After a few moments' further conversation he expressed a desire to show
me the vessel, an invitation which, needless to say, I accepted with
alacrity. We first visited the smoking-room on deck, then the bridge,
after that the engine-room, and later on the men's quarters forward.
Retracing our steps aft we descended to the saloon, upon the beauty of
which I warmly congratulated him.

"I am rejoiced that it meets with your approval," he said gravely. "It
is usually admired. And now, having seen all this, perhaps it would
interest you to inspect the quarters of the owner."

This was exactly what I desired to do, for from a man's sleeping
quarters it is often possible to obtain some clue as to his real
character.

Bidding me follow him, he led me along the saloon to a cabin at the
farther end. With the remembrance of all I had seen in the other parts
of the vessel still fresh in my mind, I was prepared to find the owner's
berth replete with every luxury. My surprise may therefore be imagined
when I discovered a tiny cabin, scarcely half the size of that occupied
by myself, not only devoid of luxury, but lacking much of what is
usually considered absolutely necessary. On the starboard side was the
bunk, a plain wooden affair, in which were neatly folded several pairs
of coarse woollen blankets. Against the bulwark was the wash-hand-stand,
and under the port a settee, covered with a fur rug, on which was curled
up the monkey Pehtes. That was all. Nay, I am wrong--it was not all. For
in a corner, carefully secured so that the movement of the vessel should
not cause it to fall, was no less a thing than the mummy Pharos had
stolen from me, and which was the first and foremost cause of my being
where I was. From what he had told me of his errand I had surmised it
might be on board; but I confess I scarcely expected to find it in the
owner's cabin. With the sight of it the recollection of my studio rose
before my eyes, and not only of the studio, but of that terrible night
when the old man now standing beside me had called upon me and had used
such diabolical means to obtain possession of the thing he wanted. In
reality it was scarcely a week since Lady Medenham's "at home"; but the
gulf that separated the ma