had treacherously slain a comrade for the
sake of robbery; and a very paltry robbery at that. That she should
believe him guilty of the homicide was nothing; but of theft! No, that
he could never forgive.

Yet as they sat at table three times a day--sat facing each other--her
demeanour was hardly that of one who believed him capable of anything so
despicable; and soon, all unconsciously, the cynical ring faded from his
tone; the drift of his remarks became no more than normally biting. And
often, as though, by some strange, sweet magnetism, it would seem to
those two that they were making conversation for themselves alone,
talking to each other with a kind of subtle understanding imperceptible
to the rest, even when the talk was general.

The captain was right in congratulating himself upon having a snug
corner for the voyage. This is just what it was, notwithstanding the
vicinity of a bore or so, providentially not quite near enough to put
idiotic questions very often. And to two, at any rate, the sound of the
bell was a welcome one, though for a widely different reason to that
which caused the residue to hail its distracting clamour. For it
brought them together for a space.

Only for a space! They might have been together all day and every day
had they so wished it. Yet they were never seen together alone. Other
couples in plenty, philandering in cane chairs during the torrid heat of
the day, pacing the deck by starlight, or leaning against the taffrail
rather close together when the moon rose over the sheeny, liquid plain;
but these two, never. They would converse, but always in the presence
of that third person which in such instances is jocularly supposed to
constitute "a crowd." Sometimes, indeed, the good-natured third person,
actuated by the best intentions, would drop out of it, not
ostentatiously either. But then it was not long before Roden found some
excuse for transferring his presence elsewhere.

Now as the days went by Mona began to grow bitter and reckless. To her,
too, the appearance of this man on board the _Scythian_ had come with
the shock of a mighty surprise. Her voyage to England was being
undertaken indirectly through his agency, for such a depression and
lowness of spirits had been the result of her high-strung efforts at
unconcern as seriously to undermine her health; and, as a last resource,
she had resolved upon that change which to the Colonial-born woman is
the most welco