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"They eneral direction of Skipper Si The 'Count de Cadenet' is a fellow named Theriere, second mate of this ship They sent hi from Honolulu and your course They are all crooks and villains If I hadn't done as they bid they would have killed irl made no comment, but Divine saw the conte to do this If I had I'd have died before I'd have written that note," he added rather la very sad She was thinking of Billy Mallory who had died in an effort to save her Thebetween hientleman
"They killed poor Billy," she said at last "He tried to protect hts He tried to find some excuse for his cowardly act; but with the realization of the true cowardliness and treachery of it that the girl didn't even guess he understood the futility of seeking to extenuate it He saw that the chances were excellent that after all he would be compelled to resort to force or threats to win her hand at the last
"Billy would have done better to have bowed to the inevitable as I did," he said "Living I am able to help you now Dead I could not have prevented the out their intentions any more than Billy has, nor could I have been here to aid you now any more than he is I cannot see that his action helped you to any great extent, brave as it was"
"The memory of it and him will always help me," she answered quietly "They will help me to bear whatever is before me bravely, and, when the time comes, to die bravely; for I shall always feel that upon the other side a true, brave heart is awaiting ain "I think I would rather be alone, Larry," she said "I am very unhappy and nervous Possibly I could sleep now"
With a bow he turned and left the cabin
For weeks the Halfmoon kept steadily on her course, a little south of west There was no e in the relations of those aboard her Barbara Harding, finding herself unmolested, finally acceded to the repeated pleas of Mr Divine, to whose society she had been driven by loneliness and fear, and appeared on deck frequently during the daylight watches Here, one afternoon, she came face to face with Theriere for the first time since her abduction The officer lifted his cap deferentially; but the girl nition with a cold, blank stare that passed through and beyond hih he had been empty air