Part 6 (1/2)
”I hope the waiting will not weary you,” he said. ”It is a beautiful night. You will not catch cold if you are well wrapped up, and, no matter what you may think of the real Cross when you see it, you will never have a better chance of star-gazing. Look at Sirius up there, brighter than the moon; and Orion, too, incomparably grander than any star in southern lat.i.tudes. Our dear old Bear of the north ranks far beyond the Southern Cross in magnificence; but mist and smoke and dust contrive to rob our home atmosphere of the clearness which adds such l.u.s.ter to the firmament nearer the equator.”
Under other circ.u.mstances, Iris would have reveled in just such an opportunity of acquiring knowledge easily. Astronomy, despite its limitations, is one of the exact sciences; it has the charm of wonderland; it makes to awe-stricken humanity the mysterious appeal of the infinite; but to-night, when the heart fluttered, and the soul pined for sympathy, she was in a mood to regard with indifference the instant extinction of the Milky Way.
”I am glad of the accident that brought me on deck somewhat earlier than was necessary,” she said. ”You and I have not said much to each other since you routed me out of the lazaretto, Mr. Hozier.”
”Our friends at table are somewhat--difficult. If only you knew how I regretted----”
”Oh, what of that? When I became a stowaway I fully expected to be treated as one. I suppose, though, that you have often asked yourself why I was guilty of such a mad trick?”
”Not exactly mad, Miss Yorke, but needless, since Captain c.o.ke partly expected to have your company.”
”That is absurd. He had not the remotest notion----”
”Forgive me, but there you are wrong. He says that your uncle and he discussed the matter on the Sunday before we left Liverpool. His theory is rather borne out by the present state of the s.h.i.+p's larder.
I a.s.sure you that few tramp steamers spread a table like the _Andromeda's_ mess during this voyage.”
Iris laughed, with a spontaneous merriment that was rather astonis.h.i.+ng in her own ears.
”Being the owner's niece, I am well catered for?” she cried.
”Something of the sort. It is only natural.”
”But I think I have read in the newspapers that when some unhappy creature is condemned to death by the law, he is supplied with luxuries that would certainly be denied to any ordinary criminal?”
”Such doubtful clemency can hardly apply to you, Miss Yorke.”
”It might apply to the s.h.i.+p, or to that human part of her that thinks, and remembers, and is capable of--of giving evidence.”
She paused, fearing lest, perhaps, she might have spoken too plainly.
c.o.ke's counter-stroke in alluding to her dread of the proposed marriage was hidden from her ken; Hozier, of course, was thinking of nothing else. For the moment, then, they were at cross purposes.
”Things are not so bad as that,” he said gently. ”I hope I am not trespa.s.sing on forbidden ground, but it is only fair to tell you that the skipper was quite explicit, up to a point. He said you were being forced into some matrimonial arrangement that was distasteful----”
”And to escape from an undesirable suitor I ran away?”
”Well, the story sounded all right.”
”Hid myself on my uncle's s.h.i.+p when I wished to avoid marrying the man of his choice?”
Hozier was not neglecting his work, but he did then take his eyes off the starlit sea for a few amazed seconds. There was no mistaking the scornful ring in the girl's words. He could see the deep color that flooded her cheeks; the glance that met his sparkled with an intensity of feeling that thrilled while it perplexed.
”Please pardon me if the question hurts, but if that is not your motive, and there never was any real notion of your coming with us on the this trip, why are you here?” he said.
”Because I am a foolish girl, I suppose; because I thought that my presence might interpose a serious obstacle between a criminal and the crime he had planned to commit. If one wants to avoid hateful people a change of climate is a most effectual means, and I had not the money for ordinary travel. Believe me, Mr. Hozier, I am not on board the Andromeda without good reason. I have often wished to have a talk with you. I think you are a man who would not betray a confidence. If you agree to help me, something may yet be done. At first, I was sure that Captain c.o.ke would abandon his wicked project as soon as he discovered that I knew what was in his mind. But now, I am beginning to doubt.
Each day brings us nearer South America, and--and----”
She was breathless with excitement. She drew nearer to the silent, and impa.s.sive man at her side; dropping her voice almost to a whisper, she caught his arm with an appealing hand.
”I am afraid that my presence will offer no hindrance to his scheme,”
she murmured. ”I am terrified to say such a thing, but I am certain, quite _certain_, that the s.h.i.+p will be lost within the next few days.”