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Again Lord Ronsdale seemed almost to forget caution; almost, but not quite; perhaps he was deterred by the look on John Steele's face, scornful, mocking, as half-inviting him to cast all prudence to the winds. This bit of evidence that he had not calculated upon, it was hard to give it up; but no other course remained.
Involve a new and bewildering possibility that I must impart to you personally. Have discovered the purpose of S.'s visit to the continent. It was " Lord Ronsdale perused the words more rapidly; paused, on his face an expression of eagerness, expectancy. "So that was it," he said to himself slowly. "I might have known " Voices without caught his attention; he glanced quickly through the window.
The bitter knowledge that it had really once existed would not serve John Steele long. But with seeming resolution he went on: "I had the story from his own lips," deliberately, "put in the form of an affidavit, duly signed and witnessed." "You did?" Lord Ronsdale stared at him a long time. "This is a subterfuge." "It is true." "Where is the paper?" "Not in my pocket." The other considered.
The words fell in a whisper. "Fortunate fellow, I should say, to be so remembered by you, Miss Jocelyn!" interposed Captain Forsythe. "Eh, Ronsdale?" "Fortunate, indeed!" the thin lips replied stiffly. "Pity he should have been drowned though!" Captain Forsythe went on. "He would, I am sure, have made a most interesting study in contrasts!"
In the darkness and confusion no one saw the act. The convict disappeared, but his half-articulate curses followed. "The fellow's let go," muttered Lord Ronsdale with a shiver. At the steering oar the chief mate, hearing the cries of the man, cast a swift glance over his shoulder and hesitated.
Lord Ronsdale breathed quickly. "Recent wound, I should say." "Not very old," said John Steele. "If there's a good story back of it, we'll have it later," Captain Forsythe remarked. "Perhaps Mr. Steele is too modest to tell it," Ronsdale again interposed. "Your good opinion flatters me." Steele's eyes met the other's squarely; then he made a brusk movement. "But if you are ready?"
"Only your lordship should have said: 'Who the devil are you?" Lord Ronsdale looked before him to where, in the distance, near a street lamp, the figure of a policeman might be dimly discerned; then, with obvious intention, he started toward the officer; but the man stepped in front of him. "No, you don't," he said.
But the one point had first to be made, emphasized; to be accepted by the other violently, quietly, resignedly, John Steele did not care what his attitude might be; what he chiefly felt was that he did not wish to waste much time on him. "And if I refuse to let you dictate in a purely private concern?" Lord Ronsdale, white with passion, had answered. "The end will be the same for you.
"You were three days in an open boat before being sighted and picked up, I believe, Lady Wray?" observed Captain Forsythe. "Three days? Years!" returned the governor's wife. "At least, they seemed so to me! I thought every moment would be our last and goodness knows why it wasn't! How we managed to survive it " "Narrow squeak, certainly!" said Lord Ronsdale, his lids lowering slightly.
What he said was for Lord Ronsdale alone; after Gillett had gone, he laid down a condition. In certain respects it was a moment of triumph; but he experienced no exultation, only a supreme weariness, an anxiety to be done with the affair, to go.
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