repeated it in a somewhat louder tone.

He turned suddenly with an impatient exclamation. There was a flash of
anger in his eyes as he faced me. I had never seen him in such a mood
before.

"Forgive me," said he. "I am only angry with myself. Come, Hester will
be looking for us."

I did not venture again to refer to our bristly fellow-passenger in
Rayel's presence. Never inclined to talk much, even with me, he was
becoming more silent than ever as the voyage continued. Day by day his
interest in that strange man seemed to increase. He spent as little time
as possible in my company. When not with me he was hounding him about
the ship, keeping him in sight from some favorable point of observation.
What was the meaning of it? The question forced itself upon my mind
persistently by day and night, and begat in me a gloomy reticence which
Hester was quick to observe. Every day I expected some revelation from
Rayel, but he said nothing about the man in whom he had taken such
extraordinary interest.

We had been over a week at sea, and I was sitting alone one afternoon,
when Mr. Murmurtot came along and asked if he might introduce an
acquaintance of his whom I ought to know. Then he went to find the
gentleman, saying that he would return in a few moments. He had no
sooner left me than my mind reverted to the man who had been the bugbear
of my thoughts since we left New York. Presently Mr. Murmurtot touched
my arm. Looking up suddenly, I saw standing before me the very man of
whom I had been thinking.

"Mr. Lane, let me introduce you to Mr. Fenlon," said the detective.
I shook the hand that was extended to me mechanically, and made some
incoherent response--I do not remember what. I had been taken by
surprise. My voice was unnatural and my strength seemed to have left me
suddenly.

"Are you not well, sir?" he asked.

"No, sir, he is not well yet."

It was the voice of Rayel that answered for me. He was standing by my
side, his lips tightly drawn, and his eyes fixed upon the man Fenlon.
There was a terrible look on his face as he stood there towering above
us. The man turned pale and moved quickly backward two or three steps,
staring at my cousin as if in fear of receiving a death-blow. For an
instant, only, he stood like some fierce animal at bay, then turned
and walked hurriedly down the deck. The situation was made all the more
impressive by the interval of silence that followed Rayel's words.

"Forgive me," said