cene. We'll temporize, since
we can do no better. I gave parole once. I'll not give it again,
but I'll go a little farther on westward, until I decide what to
do."

Impulsively he held out his hand to her, his mouth twitching with
emotion, some sort of strange impulse shining in his eyes,

"Be my enemy, even," he said, "only, do not leave me. I'll not let
you go."

CHAPTER VII

A CONFUSION IN CHATTELS

Their conversation was brought to an end by sounds of hurrying feet
upon the decks above them. The hoarse boom of the steamer's
whistle indicated an intended landing. A swift thought of possible
escape came to the mind of Josephine St. Auban. When Dunwody
turned in his troubled pacing up and down the narrow floor of the
cabin, he found himself alone.

"Jeanne!" cried she, running from the stair to the door of her
state-room. "Hurry! Quick, get your valises! We'll leave the boat
here, at once!" Escape, in some fashion, to some place, at once,
that was her sole thought in the panic which assailed her.

But when presently, as the boat drew in along the dock, she made
ready to go ashore and hurriedly sought a servant to take care of
the luggage, it was the captain of the _Mount Vernon_ himself who
came to meet her.

"I am sorry, Madam," he began, his cap in hand, "but your passage
was booked farther down the river than this point. You are
mistaken. This is not Cairo."

"What of that, sir? Is it not the privilege of a passenger to stop
at any intermediate point?"

"Not in this case, Madam."

"What do you mean?" she blazed out at him in anger on first
impulse. But even as she did so there came over her heart once
more the sick feeling of helplessness. Though innocent, she was
indeed a prisoner! As much as though this were the Middle Ages, as
though these were implacable armed enemies who stood about her, and
not commonplace, every-day individuals in a commonplace land, she
was a prisoner.

"You shall suffer for this!" she exclaimed. "There must be a law
somewhere in this country."

"That is true, Madam," said the captain, "and that is the trouble.
I'm told that my orders come from the _highest_ laws. Certainly I
have no option in the matter. I was told distinctly not to let you
off without his orders--not even to allow you to send any word
ashore."

"But the gentleman who accompanied me is no longer on the boat. He
left me word that our journey in common was ended. See, here is