ite teeth.

"I think we'd better sit down," she said.

"Your knees seem to be still somewhat shaky. Mother and Mr. Royce have
deserted us."

So we sought a seat near the stern, where we could watch the city sink
gradually away in the distance, as the great boat glided smoothly out
into the bay, her engines starting on the rhythm which was to continue
ceaselessly until the voyage ended. I confess frankly I was worried. I
had not thought for a moment that Martigny would have the temerity to
board the same boat with us--yet it was not so wonderful after all,
since he could not guess that I suspected him, that I knew him and
Bethune to be the same person. That was my great advantage. In any
event, we were in no danger from him; he was probably following us
only that he might warn his confederates, should we seem likely to
discover them. Certainly they were in no present danger of discovery,
and perhaps might never be. But his following us, his disregard of the
grave danger to himself, gave me a new measure of his savage
determination to baffle us; I found myself more and more beginning to
fear him. My fancy cast about him a sinister cloud, from the depths of
which he peered out at us, grim, livid, threatening.

Should I inform Mr. Royce of this new development? I asked myself;
then I remembered the doctor's words. He must have rest and quiet
during the coming week; he must be free from worry.

"I trust that I'm not in the way, Mr. Lester?" inquired a low,
provoking voice at my side, and I awoke to the fact that I had again
been guilty of forgetting my companion.

"Miss Kemball," I began desperately, "let me confess that I'm in an
exceedingly vexatious situation. The fact that I can't ask advice
makes it worse."

"You can't ask even Mr. Royce?" she queried, with raised brows.

"He least of all. You see, he's just recovering from a severe nervous
breakdown--he must have quiet--that's one reason he's taking this
voyage."

"I see," she nodded.

I glanced at her again--at the open, candid eyes, the forceful mouth
and chin--and I took a sudden resolution.

"Miss Kemball," I said, "I'm going to ask your help--that is, if I
may."

"Of course you may."

"Well, then, that man who came on board last is the inveterate enemy
of both Mr. Royce and myself. We're trying to unearth a particularly
atrocious piece of villainy in which he's concerned. I have reason to
believe him capable of anything, and a very fiend of cleve