g about in search of some plan. She could think of nothing but a
bribe--an enormous bribe.

'I admit you've won,' she said, 'but I've not finished yet. Just
listen.'

Miss Spencer folded her arms, and glanced at the door, smiling bitterly.

'You know my father is a millionaire; perhaps you know that he is one
of the richest men in the world. If I give you my word of honour not
to reveal anything that you've told me, what will you take to let me go
free?'

'What sum do you suggest?' asked Miss Spencer carelessly.

'Twenty thousand pounds,' said Nella promptly. She had begun to regard
the affair as a business operation.

Miss Spencer's lip curled.

'A hundred thousand.'

Again Miss Spencer's lip curled.

'Well, say a million. I can rely on my father, and so may you.'

'You think you are worth a million to him?'

'I do,' said Nella.

'And you think we could trust you to see that it was paid?'

'Of course you could.'

'And we should not suffer afterwards in any way?'

'I would give you my word, and my father's word.'

'Bah!' exclaimed Miss Spencer: 'how do you know I wouldn't let you go
free for nothing? You are only a rash, silly girl.'

'I know you wouldn't. I can read your face too well.'

'You are right,' Miss Spencer replied slowly. 'I wouldn't. I wouldn't
let you go for all the dollars in America.'

Nella felt cold down the spine, and sat down again in her chair. A
draught of air from the broken window blew on her cheek. Steps sounded
in the passage; the door opened, but Nella did not turn round. She could
not move her eyes from Miss Spencer's. There was a noise of rushing
water in her ears. She lost consciousness, and slipped limply to the
ground.

Chapter Ten AT SEA

IT seemed to Nella that she was being rocked gently in a vast cradle,
which swayed to and fro with a motion at once slow and incredibly
gentle. This sensation continued for some time, and there was added to
it the sound of a quick, quiet, muffled beat. Soft, exhilarating breezes
wafted her forward in spite of herself, and yet she remained in a
delicious calm. She wondered if her mother was kneeling by her side,
whispering some lullaby in her childish ears. Then strange colours swam
before her eyes, her eyelids wavered, and at last she awoke. For a few
moments her gaze travelled to and fro in a vain search for some clue
to her surroundings, was aware of nothing except sense of repose and
a feeling of relief that some mig