but he did not love her
then. Not that he meant to give over the pursuit; on the contrary he
swore that she should pay.

Five minutes later the hatch cover was lifted, a short ladder was let
down, and Evan was bidden to come up. He mounted smiling. What that
smile cost him none but he knew. But he also knew that with six or
more against him to show truculence would only have been to make
himself ridiculous. He paused on the deck, and coolly looking around
him, tapped a cigarette on the back of his hand.

Dordess was now with the others. He had the grace to look away, as
Evan's glance swept around. The younger men betrayed in their faces
their hope that Evan would show fight, and thus give them a chance to
justify themselves. Evan saw it, and had no idea of gratifying them.

Tenterden, he of the hot black eyes, who seemed to be leader in this
part of the affair demanded aggressively: "Well, what are you going to
do about it?"

"Much obliged for the mattress," said Evan, coolly meeting his gaze.
"Very thoughtful of you." He counted them ostentatiously. "Six of
you--and a couple of deckhands in reserve. You flatter me, gentlemen!"

He strolled over the gangway. How they took it he did not know, for he
would not look back. At least none of them found a rejoinder. He had
the last word.

"They think they have me scared off," he said to himself. "Just let
them wait till the _Ernestina_ sails again, that's all!"

CHAPTER XIII

A LITTLE DETECTIVE WORK

At first Evan had some doubts as to what ought to be his course of
action in respect to Mrs. George Deaves. While it was true that her
husband had definitely given him to understand that he was hired for
the purpose of running down the blackmailers, he did not suppose that
George Deaves would thank him for proof that his own wife was
implicated. But that didn't alter his duty.

"I'm being paid to deliver them from the gang," he said to himself.
"As long as I take their money I've got to do what I can to earn it.
It's none of my affair where the trail leads. If they want to kick me
out for my pains, why that's up to them."

It promised to be no easy matter to watch Mrs. Deaves. Evan rarely saw
her. During the few hours that he spent in the house she was
presumably either in her own rooms, or out in the motor. One
suspicious circumstance he did not have to look for, because everybody
in the house was aware of it. Maud Deaves was continually i