He waved a hand towards the men laid on mattresses on the
deck. Most were quite motionless; others writhed in agony. "She
cannot come--it is impossible."
"It is her wish."
"Quite impossible. Where is she?"
"Standing in the companion."
Courtenay saw that the girl could do no good now in that chamber of
death; the mere memory of it would be an abiding horror. He wanted
Christobal himself to send her away, but the doctor had taken off his
coat and bared his arms. His appearance was grimly business-like.
"Will you tell her how much I am obliged to her for her kind thought.
But you see--it cannot be permitted. Please say that I hope to join
her in the saloon in a quarter of an hour. My work is nearly ended. I
am sure you will make her understand that this is not a place for a
woman."
Again he swept the row of silent bodies with a comprehensive hand. Yet
the trivial thought intruded itself on the sailor that this elegant old
Spaniard delegated the task of explanation to him solely because he did
not wish to appear before Miss Maxwell in a somewhat disheveled state.
He dismissed the notion at once.
Pages:
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84