, stupidly, madly bent on carrying out my
purpose. "I have only to behave quietly," I thought to myself, "and I
shall persuade her to go on deck again."

My lamp was burning as I had left it; my traveling-bag was on the table.
Still holding the child, she stood, pale as death, waiting for me.
Elfie's wondering eyes rested inquiringly on my face as I approached
them. She looked half inclined to cry; the suddenness of the mother's
action had frightened the child. I did my best to compose Elfie before
I spoke to her mother. I pointed out the different objects which were
likely to interest her in the cabin. "Go and look at them," I said, "go
and amuse yourself."

The child still hesitated. "Are you angry with me?" she asked.

"No, no!"

"Are you angry with mamma?"

"Certainly not." I turned to Mrs. Van Brandt. "Tell Elfie if I am angry
with you," I said.

She was perfectly aware, in her critical position, of the necessity of
humoring me. Between us, we succeeded in composing the child. She turned
away to examine, in high delight, the new and strange objects which
surrounded her. Meanwhile her mother and I stood together, looking at
each other by the light of the lamp, with an assumed composure which hid
our true faces like a mask. In that horrible situation, the grotesque
and the terrible, always together in this strange life of ours, came
together now. On either side of us, the one sound that broke the
sinister and threatening silence was the lumpish snoring of the sleeping
captain and crew.

She was the first to speak.

"If you wish to give me the money," she said, trying to propitiate me in
that way, "I am ready to take it now."

I unlocked my traveling-bag. As I looked into it for the leather case
which held my money, my overpowering desire to get her on deck again,
my mad impatience to commit the fatal act, became too strong to be
controlled.

"We shall be cooler on deck," I said. "Let us take the bag up there."

She showed wonderful courage. I could almost see the cry for help rising
to her lips. She repressed it; she had still presence of mind enough to
foresee what might happen before she could rouse the sleeping men.

"We have a light here to count the money by," she answered. "I don't
feel at all too warm in the cabin. Let us stay here a little longer. See
how Elfie is amusing herself!"

Her eyes rested on me as she spoke. Something in the expression of them
quieted me for the time. I was able to