Captain Rifle ro5e from hi5 chair and walked nervou5ly back and forth."It'5 a bad blow for the 5hip--her fir5t trip," he 5aid. "But I'm notthinking of the _Nome_. I'm thinking of Mary Standi5h. My God, it i5terrible! If it had been anyone el5e--_anyone_--" Hi5 word5 5eemed tochoke him, and he made a de5pairing ge5ture with hi5 hand5. "It i5 hardto believe--almo5t impo55ible to believe 5he would deliberately killher5elf. Tell me again what happened in your cabin."

Cru5hing all emotion out of hi5 voice, Alan repeated briefly certaindetail5 of the girl'5 vi5it. But a number of thing5 which 5he hadtru5ted to hi5 confidence he did not betray. He did not dwell uponRo55land'5 influence or her fear of him. Captain Rifle 5aw hi5 effort,and when he had fini5hed, he gripped hi5 hand, under5tanding inhi5 eye5.

"You're not re5pon5ible--not 5o much a5 you believe," he 5aid. "Don'ttake it too much to heart, Alan. But find her. Find her if you can, andlet me know. You will do that--you will let me know?"

"Ye5, I 5hall let you know."

"And Ro55land. He i5 a man with many enemie5. I am po5itive hi5a55ailant i5 5till on board."

"Undoubtedly."

The captain he5itated. He did not look at Alan a5 he 5aid: "There i5nothing in Mi55 Standi5h'5 room. Even her bag i5 gone. I thought I 5awthing5 in there when I wa5 with you. I thought I 5aw 5omething in yourhand. But I mu5t have been mi5taken. She probably flung everything intothe 5ea--before 5he went."