" In my earnestness I laid a hand upon his arm. He
regarded me bewilderedly.
"You must--you must!" I urged. "You'll spoil everything if you
refuse!"
The surprise in his face yielded to a look composed of many
elements, but which was mainly hard and bitter.
"And still I shall refuse," he said sardonically.
"Oh, no, no," I implored, "you don't understand! I--oh, if you
would only believe that I am your friend!"
His face changed subtly. It was still questioning and guarded, but
with a softening in it, too.
"Why don't you believe it?" I whispered unsteadily. "Do you forget
that I owe you my life?"
And at the recollection of that day in the sea-cave the scarlet
burned in my cheeks and my head drooped. But I saw how the lines
about his mouth relaxed. "Surely you must know that I would repay
you if I could!" I hurried on. "And not by--treachery."
He laughed suddenly. "Treachery? No! I think you would always be
an open foe."
"Indeed I would!" I answered with a flash of wrath. Then, as I
remembered the need of haste, I spoke in an intense quick whisper.
"Listen--I can't explain, there isn't time. I can only ask you to
trust me--to agree to what Miss Browne wishes. Everything--you
don't dream how much--depends on it!" For I felt that I would let
the treasure lie hidden in the _Island Queen_ forever rather than
that Mr.
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