h looking in at that
window with a mightily strange expression on his face. He was not
looking at me, but at the iron despatch-box upon the table, and I sat
gazing at him for about the space of eight or ten seconds, in which time
he moved neither his glance nor his person. Suddenly he lifted his eyes
and looked directly into the glass, and his gaze met mine. I had thought
that he would have been struck with confusion, and for a moment it did
seem as though his look faltered, but he instantly recovered himself,
and tapped lightly upon the door, and I bade him come in without moving
where I sat.

He did as he was told, and sat down upon the chair which Mr. Longways
had occupied only a few moments before. I confess that I was both
frightened and angry at finding him thus, as it were, spying upon me, so
that it was a moment or two before I trusted myself to speak.

"Sir," said I at last, "sure this voyage hath been long enough for you
to know that the courtesies of shipboard require you to send a message
to the captain to find whether he be disengaged or no."

Captain Leach showed no emotion at my reproof. "Captain Mackra," said
he, quietly, "I do not know what that gabbling fool of an agent has or
has not said to you, but I tell you plain he hath chosen to betray to me
certain important matters concerning the East India Company, and that in
yonder despatch-box is a large ruby, valued at nigh three hundred and
fifty thousand pounds sterling."

I may confess that I was vastly amazed at the value of the stone, which
was far greater than I had conceived a notion of, but I strove to show
nothing of my sentiments to my interlocutor.

"Well, sir?" said I, looking him straight in the face.

He seemed somewhat struck aback at my manner, but he presently laughed
lightly. "You take the matter with most admirable coolness," said he;
"far more than I would do were I in your place. But at least you will
now perceive why I chose rather to come to you of myself than to send a
messenger to you where a matter of such delicacy was concerned."

"Well, sir?" said I.

Captain Leach looked for a moment or two as though at a loss what next
to say, but he presently spoke again. "I came to you," said he, "not
knowing, as I said before, whether or no Mr. Longways had betrayed to
you, as he has to me, the value of the trust imposed upon you; and as I
myself am now unfortunately concerned in the knowledge of this treasure,
and so share in you