ever seen her so white, and never
had she appeared quite so slim and childish-looking as while she stood
there in these astounding moments with her back against the door.

The pallor of her face accentuated the rich darkness of her hair. Even
her lips were pale. But she was not embarrassed. Her eyes were clear and
unafraid now, and in the poise of her head and body was a sureness of
purpose that staggered him. A feeling of anger, almost of personal
resentment, began to possess him as he waited for her to speak. This, at
last, was the cost of his courtesies to her, The advantage she was
taking of him was an indignity and an outrage, and his mind flashed to
the suspicion that Rossland was standing just outside the door.

In another moment he would have brushed her aside and opened it, but her
quiet face held him. The tenseness was fading out of it. He saw her lips
tremble, and then a miracle happened. In her wide-open, beautiful eyes
tears were gathering. Even then she did not lower her glance or bury her
face in her hands, but looked at him bravely while the tear-drops
glistened like diamonds on her cheeks. He felt his heart give way. She
read his thoughts, had guessed his suspicion, and he was wrong.

"You--you will have a seat, Miss Standish?" he asked lamely, inclining
his head toward the cabin chair.

"No. Please let me stand." She drew in a deep breath. "It is late, Mr.
Holt?"

"Rather an irregular hour for a visit such as this," he assured her.
"Half an hour after midnight, to be exact. It must be very important
business that has urged you to make such a hazard aboard ship, Miss
Standish."

For a moment she did not answer him, and he saw the little heart-throb
in her white throat.

"Would Belinda Mulrooney have considered this a very great hazard, Mr.
Holt? In a matter of life and death, do you not think she would have
come to your cabin at midnight--even aboard ship? And it is that with
me--a matter of life and death. Less than an hour ago I came to that
decision. I could not wait until morning. I had to see you tonight."

"And why me?" he asked. "Why not Rossland, or Captain Rifle, or some
other? Is it because--"

He did not finish. He saw the shadow of something gather in her eyes, as
if for an instant she had felt a stab of humiliation or of pain, but it
was gone as quickly as it came. And very quietly, almost without
emotion, she answered him.

"I know how you feel. I have tried to place myself in