his purpose; now that he had seemingly won me over to his scheme, he would turn his attention to her, feeling secure from interference.  I had permitted him to believe that she was but a chance acquaintance, in whom I felt little interest, and he would consequently anticipate no serious protest from me.  Even if I did intervene he possessed the power to render me helpless.  And he was Judge Henley’s son, or, at least, so these men believed who had been associated with him for years.  The situation grew more and more complicated; it was no longer merely her word against his, and yet I could not doubt the truth of any statement she had made to me.  There was a mystery here unexplained, involving the dead, and strangely complicating the lives of the living.

I paced the deck undisturbed, struggling vainly to evolve some solution.  Broussard stared in my direction for a moment, but made no effort to follow, and finally disappeared forward.  There was nothing on sea or land to distract my attention, and I felt that I would be nearer to her below in the cabin than on deck.  The skylight was closed, although even then it gave me a partial view, and, as I gazed through the clouded glass, I perceived a shadow pass.  The next instant the negro steward emerged from the companion.  Some swift impulse led me to crouch instantly out of sight, until the sound of his feet on the deck convinced me the fellow was going forward.  I watched him cautiously; he stopped twice to glance back, but, perceiving nothing, finally vanished into the forecastle.  While I in no way connected his actions with myself, yet the disquieting thought as instantly occurred to me that the negro’s going forward had left the Captain and Viola Henley alone below.  If the steward was acting under orders his being dispatched from the cabin at this hour was for a purpose.  Determined to learn what this purpose might be, I crept to the door of the companion, and then down the stairs.

The main cabin was vacant, but the door of number 5 stateroom stood slightly ajar.  Assured I should find it empty, my heart already beating furiously, I took a swift glance within.  It in no way differed from the room which had been assigned me opposite, and everything was in perfect order.  Evidently the girl had departed without a struggle, and with full expectation of an early return.  Her small hand-bag lay on the berth unlatched, and a handkerchief, together with a pair of gloves, were upon the chair.  That she had not gone on deck was a certainty, while the deserted cabin led me irresistibly to suspect the Captain’s quarters.  He had dismissed the steward on some excuse, opened her door, and, using some pretense, or authority, had impelled her to accompany him.  She had no means of resistance even if she had suspected his purpose, and the probability was the fellow had been plausible enough to achieve his point without violence.  This was all clear enough to my mind, but what I could do to help her, to overcome him, was not so evident.  I was alone, unarmed, surrounded by men under his command.