"It's my belief that Mason got his inspiration from watching me. I am
devilish sorry."
"Then you believe that he is up to his old tricks again?"
"Yes,"--reluctantly. "The man who took my wife's ruby, took your
daughter's sapphires. It needed a clever mind to conceive such a
coup. Three other carriages were entered, with more or less success.
In a dense fog; a needle in a haystack. And they'll never find him."
"It's up to you to put the detectives on the right track."
"I suppose I'll have to do it."
"If he returns to America he'll be caught. I'll give Haggerty the tip."
"I have my doubts of Mason committing any such folly. He picked up a
small fortune that night. Strange mix-up."
"Here, try one of these," urged Killigrew, as the butt of Crawford's
cigar went overboard.
"Thanks."
Thomas moved away from the ventilator. Mix-up, indeed! He stole down
to the promenade deck, where the stewardess informed him that Miss
Killigrew had just ordered her chocolate. He flew to the kitchens. It
was a narrow escape. To have been found wanting the first night out!
"Come in," said a voice in answer to his knock.
He set the tray down on the stool, his heart insurgent and his fingers
all thumbs. He might live to be a steward eighty years old, but he
never would get over the awe, the embarrassment of these invasions by
night. Each time he saw a woman in her peignoir or kimono he felt as
though he had committed a sacrilege. True, he understood their
attitude; he was merely a serving machine and for the time wiped off
the roster of mankind.
A long blue coat of silk brocade enveloped Kitty from her throat to her
sandals; sleeves which fell over her hands; buttoned by loops over
corded knots. An experienced traveler could have told him that it was
the peculiar garment which any self-respecting Chinaman would wear who
was in mourning for his grandfather. Kitty wore it because of its
beauty alone.
"Thank you," she said, as Thomas went out backward, court style. Kitty
smiled across at her maid who was arranging the combs and brushes
preparatory to taking down her mistress' hair. "He looked as if he
were afraid of something, Celeste."
Celeste smiled enigmatically. "Ma'm'selle shoult haff been born in
Pariss."
This was translatable, or not, as you pleased. Kitty sipped the
chocolate and found it excellent. At length she dismissed the maid,
switched off the lights, and then remembered that there was no water in
the carafe. She rang.