“You have trapped me here—­you—­you brute,” she burst forth.  “What you said out yonder was all a lie to—­to get me to come with you!”

“Well, what of it?” insinuatingly.  “All is fair in love and war, I have heard, and this is either the one or the other.  Why should n’t it be me, my dear, as well as the other?”

“What do you mean?  Do you connect me with Gordon Craig?”

“Of course,” and he laughed.  “Why shouldn’t I, please?  You came with him from the North, did you not—­traveling as his wife?  Picked the fellow up on the street, did n’t you?  My dear, this assumption of outraged virtue is all thrown away on me—­I happen to know your history.”

She took a deep breath, standing straight before him, her cheeks burning.

“Perhaps you think you do,” she said, now in full control of herself.  “But you are going to learn your mistake.  I am here under unpleasant circumstances, yet, I am not subject to your insult.  I refuse to answer you, or remain in your presence,” she stepped aside, leaving free passage.  “You will unlock that door.”

“Hardly that,” and I could see his fingers shut down on the top of the desk.  “It takes more than a few words to change me.  Really, I like you better than I did.  You are decidedly pretty now you are angry.  Besides, what have I to be afraid of?  There is no one but us in this part of the ship; I fixed that up before I went after you; even your friend Craig is mooning around somewhere on deck, dreaming about a fortune.  If you cry out, no one will hear you, and if they did, God pity the man who attempted to come in here.  I ’m Captain of the Sea Gull, and there ’s not a rapscallion on board who would risk his skull to help you.  Even Craig would n’t; Lord, he even told me himself you were nothing to him.”

“He—­he told you that!”

“He certainly did, in this room.  Come, now, what is the use of being such a cat?  I ’m not a bad fellow if I am treated half-way decent.  I ’ve got money to spend, and know how to spend it.”  He took a step forward, but she never moved.

“Don’t touch me,” she said in a tone that stopped him.  “I am a woman, but I can defend myself.”

CHAPTER XXVII

THE TABLES TURNED

There was that about her attitude, and the expression of her face, which restrained the fellow.  No doubt he suspected for a moment that she might be armed, for his quick glance swept her from head to foot.  Then his eyes hardened.

“That is the worst thing you can do—­threaten me,” he said sharply.  “I never take that from man or woman.  See here, do you realize where you are? how completely you are in my power?  Do you?”

She did not quail, or look aside; nor did she answer, standing straight, her eyes on his face, her bosom rising and falling from swift breathing.