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.
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