We always bought every conceivable thing on those
semi-yearly trips. Well, when we got back on board my father rather
balked about taking me off again to dinner, but I held him to it because
he'd previously promised. I think that he had grown so sensate to
dangers that he felt one then, but couldn't locate it."

"Because we were anchored so close to you?"

"I don't really know. But it was something. It wasn't a pleasant dinner
from the outset, because I resented his devilish mood and was disgusted
with him for being afraid. That doesn't sound very nice," she added,
half apologetically, "but, you know, there had always been something
subtly antagonistic within me that--oh, I can't express it, but I'd
never felt very close to him, ever since I can remember. It was largely
my fault, I suppose. But I'd had glimpses of his frightfully cruel
nature. Then Echochee, who came to nurse me when I was little, always
hated him, and I adored her--so, of course, her influence counted. You
really think she's coming through all right?"

"Downright sure of it," I declared, in solemn earnest. After a few
moments of silence, I asked gently: "Do you mind telling me more?"

She gave a slight start as though the question had brought her from some
deep thought, but smiled, saying:

"Certainly, I don't. When your two friends left you in the cafe my
father became terribly excited. I asked him what on earth was the
trouble--but smiling, for that was a subterfuge he always demanded of me
in public places--and he whispered that he thought the shorter man was a
police agent from his lost republic."

"Lost republic?"

"Yes. You see, my father had been its President--in South America, you
know--until the revolution compelled us to fly." This was said
resignedly.

"Oh," I murmured. "When was that?"

"Years ago. I just remember being carried off one night in a great
hurry."

"Tell me the rest about Havana?" I asked, trying to appear calm.

"It's all rather awful," she sighed. "I hadn't noticed your friends more
than to get a glimpse of them as they left, but saw you alone at the
table. Pretty soon our captain, Jess,"--she may have given a slight
shudder, I wasn't sure--"came up and verified my father's suspicions,
and then I thought he surely would lose his mind. I was already becoming
frightened, especially as the creature, Jess, impertinently leered at
me, and my father didn't knock him down for it. He had never dared look
at me before,