“Hum! What did that mean?”
“It meant that I thought I understood. I thought that you had discovered the—the Other Lady, in the farmhouse where she was hiding from me. I believed she’d told you to tell me she was ready—at last. I’d had the Wisp stored for that very reason, you know, and then shifted to the West Wind because it was larger and more seaworthy, in case she wanted to go right across to Gibraltar.”
“Was it as near a thing as that?”
“No matter now. The result of the telegram was that I was at Polocoke landing and aboard the West Wind by eight o’clock Sunday night. I give you my word I never dreamed of a trick—who would?”
“I don’t see——”
“You will in a moment. My skipper, Williams, met me as I came aboard. ‘She’s below, sir,’ he said, ‘and gave orders we were to put to sea just as soon as you turned up.’ Faithful soul! He didn’t know he’d been tricked either—doesn’t know it yet, for that matter. He’d run away with the Queen of India if he thought I wanted it done. ‘Right,’ I told him. ‘Shove off, and go full speed as soon as you’re clear.’ With that, I dived down into the main cabin. She wasn’t there, and I looked into my stateroom. I couldn’t see her there either, so I stepped to the inner stateroom—the two connect, you understand—where I thought she must be.”
He smiled soberly at Fessenden’s interested face. “Tom,” he said, “every word I’m telling you is for your soul’s good. It’s all the truth, but it’s a parable, too—for you. Well, as I reached the doorway between the two rooms, somebody seized both my elbows from behind. By George! She’s as strong as a man.”
“What! Not——”
“Yes, Madge.”
“Great Scott! I begin to have a glimmer.”