My first thought was for the girl in the yashmak. I must find her, see she had a life-belt, and take her to her boat. Before I had scrambled to the door, however, it flew open, apparently of its own accord, while a wild nor’wester positively blew the young lady in.
It also blew away anything like Paolo-and-Francesca sentiment.
“Oh, here you are!” she exclaimed, breathlessly. “I’ve been hunting for you everywhere. They say we’ve sighted a periscope. Take this and put it on.”
Of the two life-belts she carried she flung one to me, beginning to fasten the other about herself.
“But the one you’ve brought me must belong to some one else,” I objected, as I aided her. “I’ve got one of my own in my cabin. I’ll just run down—”
She brushed this aside. “No; this is yours. I went and got it.”
“You—” I began in astonishment.
“I’m a nurse—or a kind of one,” she said, hastily. “That’s what I’m here for.”
“But you knew where my cabin was?”
“I found out. Oh, hurry—please!”