“Nevertheless, I am one,” and the doctor stiffened visibly.
“What Tollemache means is that he would expect you to take the English and straightforward view of a piece of rascality, doctor.” Then Courtenay paused in his turn. “By the way,” he continued, with the frowning dubiety of one whose thoughts outstrip his words, “does any one here know a man named Ventana?”
“It is a name common enough in Chile,” said Christobal.
“If you mean Señor Pedro Ventana, who is associated with Mr. Baring in mining matters, I am acquainted with him,” said Elsie. The men seemed to have forgotten her presence. They were wrapped up in the remarkable discovery which Courtenay himself had made by diligent search among the coal ready for use in the furnaces when the explosion took place.
For no reason in particular, save the unexpectedness of it, Elsie’s statement was received with surprise. They all looked at her, and some of them wondered, perhaps, why her smiling eyes had lost their mirth. Yet there was nothing unreasonable in the mere fact that a certain Chilean named Ventana, who had business relations with Mr. Baring, should make the acquaintance of Isobel Baring’s friend. As quickly as it had arisen, the feeling of strangeness passed.
Courtenay even laughed. Elsie as the Jonah of the ship was a quaint conceit.
“I mentioned Ventana because I was told he took some part of the insurance on his own account,” he explained. “But he was a member of Baring’s copper syndicate, and, indeed, was spoken of as a mining engineer of high repute. Believe me, I was not jumping to conclusions on that account.”
“I know him to be a very bad man,” said Elsie, slowly. Her face was white and her eyes downcast. It was evident that the sudden introduction of Ventana’s personality was distressing to her, but Courtenay, preoccupied with the dastardly attempt made to sink his ship, did not observe this feature of a peculiar discussion.
“Bad! In what sense, Miss Maxwell?” he asked unguardedly.
“In the most loathsome sense. He is evil-minded, vicious, altogether detestable. If Mr. Baring knew his character as I know it, Ventana would not be allowed to enter his office.”