Hurricane Island

ing Pro

. But, having made the discovery, I promised myself some interest in watching the course of the rumour. It would spread about the ship like fire and would be whispered over taffrails, in galleys, and in stokehole. But, to my surprise, I could observe no signs of this flight of gossip. No one certainly offered me any communica

onable demands and petulance than through hysteric exhibitions. She did not repeat her request to be

told her; at which she considered. "Well, perhaps it

ding or writing, and smoking without cessation. And he walked regularly on the hurrica

easant way, and exhibited a tenderness in his words and manne

of my attendance on her, and spoke of things with a terrifying frankness, sometimes in bad English, but oftener in her own tongue. She rehearsed

is noble. Oh, comme il est gentil, comme il est beau!" and as q

overed Miss Morland's identity I did not judge her coldness and aloofness so hardly. I am disposed to think it was merely a reasonable attitude on my part produced by the knowledge of her circumsta

essing. We are sailing into the land of rom

at Miss Morland and I left the cabin together. Outside she sp

wered. "But Mlle. Trebizo

nly realise my indiscretion. A light flashed i

to dispense with a doctor's services

he judge of that," I repli

e said at last,

t attribute her coolness and her reticence to some scruple. She walked daily with her brother, and it was evident that she was fon

thing I knew that Holgate had been silent-why, I could not conceive, unless Pye had gagged him. But in any case it appeared that Holgate also could

hat the Sea Queen heeled over and dipped her snout as she ran. I had misgivings for my late patient, whom I ha

y, saying that he wanted a few words with me. Once the d

elf, doctor

I was anxious to get away. He looked

re we're going,

"but I shoul

ered," he replied

d to hear it, as we shoul

we're shaping." He puffed for a moment or two and then resumed: "I've been thinking over things a bit, and, if your theory is correct, Mr. Morland is to marr

it was qui

that there's to be cruising off and on, may be up the west coast of America, ma

e tolerable for

ly tolerable-not eighteen

for higher wage

ic has cut himself adrift from his past-there's no getting behind that. The Emperor has thrown him up, and there's no one outside a penny-a-lin

as not in the mood for

ned up?" said Holgate, and

"I don't suppose he will turn

founder," said Holgate, st

d, and seeing

a discarded prince whom no one wants, sailing for no one knows where, wit

indeed I had no thought of what the man was d

nds. We can do what we will. W

he uncertain light before us. It was dark; it was inscrutable; a heavy resolution was

ith a little laugh. "You have not

ngs to those who can find it. Now, we don't want any truck with dismounted princes. We're playing for our own hand. I know you take sensible views on these matters.

said angrily, "or--

o the notion, and you'll come round to it. It's a bit steep a

," said I, "are yo

. It don't do to take more risks than you want. A ship can be cast away, an

're an infernal ruff

said, and I could have laughed in his face at the pr

le robbery at the least?" I said, sti

y plans? Why, more than half the men are mine. I saw to that. It was I got 'em." He placed a large hand on my shoulder and his eyes gleamed diabolically

ght on deck to the captain to retail this conversation. You have, therefore, probabl

e threw open the large port, through w

I perceived in his hand. "Outside yonder is a grave that tells no tales. The dead rise up never from the sea, by thunder! And the port's open. I'm half in the mind--" He threw the weapon carelessly upon the bunk and laughed. "Look you, that's how I value you. You are mighty conscientious, doctor, but you have no value. You're just the ordinary, respectable, out-of-elbows crock t

ngry, but even something contemptuous, and without a word I left him. I went, as I had

ng down the book, "anything a

aited. "I suppose you're aware, sir, that you have on bo

sort," said he sharply. "Wha

mation to lay before him I might have

known it some days, and would have held my tongue but for

," he began, and paced n

t shameless and barefaced proposal, which amounts to a plot to wreck the ship and

Dr. Phillimore," he said, "I shall begin to a

tes ago," I replied. "And I've been able to answer it only on t

s, during which he studied my face

it one way, I suppose." And when the steward ap

lexed fashion, as if he distrusted his eyesight; and so we remained without a word until a knock annou

t heard the most remarkable statement by Dr. Phillimore. Perhaps you will

within the last ten minutes that I should join a plot to c

r. "You hear, Mr. Holgate?" he

s, sir," he said coolly, "it is just as Dr. Phill

if you would expla

and he had the vast impudence to smile at me. "For what I proposed wa

ion escape softly through his lips,

dies I don't know whom, and so I suggested that, that being so, we should take care of the prince's millions for him, and get a tidy sum all round. I

proposal was serious enough, and he knows it. Mr. Morland

strange conclave. Day took up his book again. "Pray sit down, Mr. Holgate," he said p

glasses on his nose more firmly with two

e, "I am informed that Mr. Morland is not Mr. Morland, but

the name of the gentleman for whom

y one else?

o my knowledge,"

out indignantly. "He knows the facts, I'm certain.

her Mr. Holgate is guilty of the extr

the identity of Mr. Morland in Mr. Pye's presence," I

Phillimore stated in my presence that he had discovered that

are's nest," said he presently, "and I really do

d his idea (as I conceive

to go, when the door of the cabin opened and there ente

"that not only have I the honour of a distinguished b

e love between the captain and his

he said. "I wonder how. But it

e astonished than Day

only one who doesn't know what's going

n showed surprise, but

e," he cried, opening his mouth so tha

mum. "I suppose this gentleman is

e said nothing,

n stormily, "but I'm inclined to think I might have been taken into the c

hat question," suggested Barraclough with a little s

y. "Good evening, gentlemen. I've n

-" sa

ried angrily, "or at least I'm supposed to. You can

deliberately and from a little distance, I could not deny that Day had some excuse. Holgate's story was remarkably natural. The captain would judge of the third offic

infuriated by my treatment. And it did me no good to see

h I would have turned on him savagely, but held myself in and pa