His Other Wife: A Novel — page 276: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

268 THE WOLF AND HIS PREY. due season. The Malay affected perfect satisfaction with the arrangement, and returned to his own post. The huge key that secured the mate’s prison was in the cap- tain’s pocket. | After retiring to his state-room, and refreshing his toilet a little, the captain went up on deck. There sat Faith Hilary, still intent on watching the distant sails through the sea-glass. She heard a man’s step approaching her, but concluded it was the mate returning, and, without shifting her pos- ture or turning her head, she said: ‘«Have you altered her course, Mr. Conway?” ““The vessel’s all right, but it is not Mr. Conway,” answered the deep, slow tones of the captain. ‘“‘Ah! excuse me, sir; I thought Mr. Conway had come back to tell me about setting the vessel on the right track to overtake the steamer yonder.” The girl’s voice had changed suddenly from its free and confidential tone to one of constrained courtesy, and she smiled nervously as she looked up to the swart, sinister face of Valasco, who now stood beside her. One of his hands was cast behind him, the other thrust into the leathern belt that confined his waist, and a smile which he intended should inspire confidence, but which was full of treachery, played over the pale-red lips. He said: ‘Mr. Conway has been taken suddenly ill, but not un- til he had explained to me about overtaking the steam- ship. I'll manage all that as well as he could.” Eomicbooks,. co