At last she saw the men take their
places in the longboat. She hurriedly counted the words in the new
despatch she had written, and quickly from her purse piled the gold that
was necessary to pay for their transmission. Then she sealed the two
despatches in an envelope, put the two piles of gold into one after
rapidly counting them again, cast a quick look up at the still motionless
boat, grasped the gold in one hand, the envelope in the other, and sprang
to her feet; but, as she did so, she gave a shriek and took a step
backwards.
Standing with her back to the door was Edith Longworth. When she had
entered the state-room, Miss Brewster did not know, but her heart beat
wildly as she saw the girl standing silently there, as if she had risen
up through the floor.
'What are you doing here?' she demanded.
'I am here,' said Miss Longworth, 'because I wish to talk with you.'
'Stand aside; I have no time to talk to you just now. I told you I didn't
want to see you again. Stand aside, I tell you.'
'I shall not stand aside.'
'What do you mean?'
'I mean that I shall not stand aside.'
'Then I will ring the bell and have you thrust out of here for your
impudence.'
'You shall not ring the bell,' said Edith calmly, putting her hand over
the white china plaque that held in its centre the black electric button.
'Do you mean to tell me that you intend to keep me from leaving my own
state-room?'
'I mean to tell you exactly that.
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