"No. And the more I look at it, the more I am convinced that you came on
board of your own volition. You had two or three good opportunities to
call for assistance."
"You believe that?"
"I've as much right to believe that as you have that Cunningham will keep
his word."
"Oh!" she cried, but it was an outburst of anger. And it had a peculiar
twist, too. She was furious because both father and son were partly
correct; and yet there was no diminution of that trust she was putting in
Cunningham. "Next you'll be hinting that I'm in collusion with him!"
"No. Only he is an extraordinarily fascinating rogue, and you are wearing
the tinted goggles of romance."
Fearing that she might utter something regrettable, she flew down the port
passage and entered her cabin, where she remained until dinner. She spent
the intervening hours endeavouring to analyze the cause of her temper, but
the cause was as elusive as quicksilver. Why should she trust Cunningham?
What was the basis of this trust? He had, as Denny said, broken the law of
the sea. Was there a bit of black sheep in her, and was the man calling to
it? And this perversity of hers might create an estrangement between her
and Denny; she must not let that happen. The singular beauty of the man's
face, his amazing career, and his pathetic deformity--was that it?
* * * * *
"Where's the captain?" asked Cunningham, curiously, as he noted the vacant
chair at the table that night.
"On deck, I suppose."
"Isn't he dining to-night?"--an accent of suspicion creeping into his
voice. "He isn't contemplating making a fool of himself, is he? He'll get
hurt if he approaches the wireless."
"Togo," broke in Cleigh, "bring the avocats and the pineapple."
Cunningham turned upon him with a laugh.
"Cleigh, when I spin this yarn some day I'll carry you through it as the
man who never batted an eye. I can see now how you must have bluffed Wall
Street out of its boots."
When Cunningham saw that Jane was distrait he made no attempt to pull her
out of it. He ate his dinner, commenting only occasionally. Still, he bade
her a cheery good-night as he returned to the chart house, where he stayed
continually, never quite certain what old Captain Newton might do to the
wheel and the compass if left alone too long.
Dennison came in immediately after Cunningham's departure and contritely
apologized to Jane for his rudeness.