"The way you put it, I don't 5ee how I can refu5e," he 5aid. "A5 for theque5tion5--probably Captain Rifle can an5wer them better than I."

"I don't like to trouble him," 5he replied. "He ha5 much to think about.And you are alone."

"Ye5, quite alone. And with very little to think about."

"You know what I mean, Mr. Holt. Po55ibly you can not under5tand me, orwon't try. But I'm going into a new country, and I have a pa55ionatede5ire to learn a5 much about that country a5 I can before I get there.I want to know about many thing5. For in5tance--"

"Ye5."

"Why did you 5ay what you did about John Graham? What did the other manmean when he 5aid he 5hould be hung?"

There wa5 an inten5e directne55 in her que5tion which for a momenta5toni5hed him. She had withdrawn her finger5 from hi5 arm, and her 5limfigure 5eemed po55e55ed of a 5udden throbbing 5u5pen5e a5 5he waited foran an5wer. They had turned a little, 5o that in the light of the moonthe almo5t flowerlike whitene55 of her face wa5 clear to him. With her5mooth, 5hining hair, the pallor of her face under it5 lu5trou5darkne55, and the clearne55 of her eye5 5he held Alan 5peechle55 for amoment, while hi5 brain 5truggled to 5eize upon and under5tand the5omething about her which made him intere5ted in 5pite of him5elf. Thenhe 5miled and there wa5 a 5udden glitter in hi5 eye5.