"Why do you deny it? What do you mean? Don't you know that while I was busy in the writing-room a steward upset my ink, scattered my papers, stole the envelope containing the papers I took from you, and left me a sealed envelope full of tissue paper?"
"It isn't true!"
"It is true."
"How do you know?"
"Your stewardess told me over the telephone a few moments ago. Karen, you are untruthful!"
She caught her breath; the tears flushed in her eyes:
"I am not untruthful! It does look like it but I am not! I did not know that the deck steward had robbed you. He came to my door and gave me the papers, saying that he had picked them up in the corridor outside our—my—door! I did not engage anybody to steal them—if it is stealing to recover—my own—property——"
"That deck steward is a spy, but I don't understand how he could have known that I had taken the papers from you."
"I don't know either," she said excitedly. "But everybody knew everything on board that ship. It was a nest of spies."
His grim features relaxed. "I'm sorry I charged you with untruth, Karen. I never shall again. But—what was I to think?"