“Well, old man,” said Broom, breaking the strained silence, “what sort of a trip did you have?”
“Pretty fair, sir,” Delgezie made brief reply. Then he nervously moved his hands and his eyes went to the girl. Delgezie certainly looked upon Broom with much disfavor. Suddenly he straightened up a little and looked the sailor full in the face. “What do you want?” he demanded bluntly.
Broom appeared a trifle confused by this direct question. He glanced at the girl before answering, then: “Oh, nothing much?” he said.
Delgezie nodded doubtfully, his eyes fastened on the fellow’s face. Something in his manner had startled and displeased him.
Conversation lagged.
The intruder fidgeted uneasily under the old man’s solemn scrutiny. He changed his position several times. Then he suddenly produced a cigar and offered it to the old man, who refused it point blank.
“No thank you,” said the old fellow, with grim brevity, “I’m used to the pipe.”
Broom bit off the end of the rejected cigar savagely, and sticking it into his mouth applied a match. Again he glanced at the girl.
This time Delgezie caught the direction of his glance and instinctively his attention was alert. A shade of uneasiness came into his eyes; his mind was filled with vague alarms. With puckered brows he sat silently watchful and suspicious.
To Kasba the constraint became unbearable. She softly opened the door and went out. The closing of the door was the first warning Broom received of it.