sin in body is to scorch the soul; but to sin in spirit is to consume
the soul. Mine is but ashes. Yours is still a burning flame. And--but
there is somebody at the door, I think, who wishes to speak to you."

It was a man in a steward's uniform. As Cadogan reached the door, the
man retreated to the shadows of the deck. Cadogan followed. It was
Hames, with a square envelope in his hand. "Miss Huttle, Mr. Cadogan,"
he whispered, "said I was to give you this. When there was nobody
about, she said, sir. I've been trying ever since, sir, to find you
alone."

Cadogan stepped to the light of a smoking-room air-port, held the sheet
close up to the glass, and read:

It was all a mistake after dinner to-night. I will explain when
next we meet--if ever we do meet. But you must see that we do meet.
You must. The passengers do not know, even you may not know, but it
is true--the ship is going to sink. I am frightened--dreadful
thoughts--if you were only near!

You must save yourself. You can, if you will. You can do the
impossible. You have done it before in play. Do it to-night for the
woman who loves you.

I know you will never go into the boats, but after they are gone,
when you can no longer help another, I ask you to save
yourself--save yourself not for yourself, but for me.

A woman who loves--remember you said it yourself--hers is the call
that no man has the choice of refusing. A woman who loves you and
whose love is all for you, will be calling calling, calling, as you
read this, from out on the dark sea.

Come, come, come, O Beloved, to me at the last. If you do not come,
I shall believe always that you did not care. But I know you will
come to me. HELEN.

Cadogan stared at the sea about him, at the sky above him. He rubbed his
forehead. "'Come, come, oh, come!'" he murmured. He drove his clinched
fist against the air-port. "I'll come! I'll come!"

"Mr. Cadogan?" It was the steward.

"What is it?"

"There's queer talk going about between decks, sir. There will be
desp'rate work doing to-night, if what they say is true, sir. I've a
family in Southampton, sir, and I always tried to do my duty, sir."

"I never knew a better steward, Hames. Listen."

"'K you, sir. Yes, sir?"

"On the boat deck for'ard, port side--get that right now."

"Port side for'ard, sir. Yes, sir. Believe me, sir, I won't forget such
dire