ladder, it was
supplemented by the clear tones of a woman's voice--the well-loved
tones which he had never thought to hear again, and which rather than
hear in that place he would gladly have died a hundred deaths.

For it was the voice of Violet Maynard, self-possessed and confident,
assuring the crew of the launch that she was quite accustomed to
climbing up the side of a yacht in the dark, and that she would need no
help but that of her own hands to scale the dangling rope-ladder.

The truth in all its naked horror burst upon Leslie at last. The
original object of the plot had been gained in spite of his own
defection. Travers Nugent had been playing a deep and subtle part, and
by some trick had prevailed on the girl to place herself in the power of
her enemies. In another minute she would be hopelessly in the toils, and
the _Cobra_, having gorged her prey, would be steaming at the full speed
of her powerful engines on her long voyage to distant Sindkhote.

His memory flew back to the tinselled splendour of the Maharajah's
palace, then to the satanic countenance of its owner, and to all the
terrors that these implied for the girl in whose foul betrayal he was at
any rate a link in the chain. He turned in despair to the odd young
woman whose narrative was now quite intelligible.

"I don't know your name, but you sound honest and true, and I'm going to
appeal to you," he whispered hoarsely. "They have lured that lady to the
ship in ignorance that she is to be kidnapped abroad. I am going to try
to prevent it, but I shall probably fail and be killed in the next few
minutes. If so, I beseech you to be this poor girl's friend to the best
of your power. The vessel is manned by reckless outlaws."

Without waiting for a reply, he sprang forward to the head of the
accommodation ladder and shinned down it into the launch. There was not
much sense in the forlorn hope--only a wild longing to do something, and
to stake all, life itself, on the chance that he might prevail by
surprise. If he could disable the crew of the launch before they
realized that they were being attacked he might sheer off and get away
in the darkness.

Violet was reaching for the rope rungs of the ladder as he half fell
into the little craft, nearly knocking her down in his staggering
onrush. Then, steadying himself, he sent his fists crashing right and
left into the faces of two men who clutched at him, ducked to avoid a
third, and in doing so trip