“With everything that stands in my way!”
Despite Hal’s furious rage the steadfast old sailor-man still resolutely faced him. Captain Briggs, now again hearing almost the identical words he himself had poured out in the cabin of the Silver Fleece, sank back into his chair with a strange, throaty gasp.
“Doctor!” he gulped. “Do you hear that?”
“Wait!” the doctor cautioned, leaning forward. “This is very strange. It is, by Jove, sir! Some amazing coincidence, or—”
“Next thing you know he’ll knock Ezra down!” whispered the captain, staring. He seemed paralyzed, as though tranced by the scene. “That’s what I did to the cabin-boy, when my rum was wrong. Remember? It’s all coming round again, doctor. It’s a nightmare in a circle—a fifty-year circle! Remember Kuala Pahang? She—she died! I wonder what woman’s got to die this time?”
“That’s all pure poppycock!” the doctor ejaculated. He was trembling violently. With a great effort, leaning heavily on his stick, he arose. Captain Briggs, too, shook off the spell that seemed to grip him and stood up.
“Hal!” he tried to articulate; but his voice failed him. Turning, he lurched toward the front door.
From within sounded a cry, a trampling noise. Something clattered to the floor.
“Hal! My God, Hal!” the captain shouted hoarsely.
As he reached the door Ezra came staggering out into the hall, a hand pressed to his face.