"
Fletcher turned purple. He looked as if he were going to strike the
speaker on the mouth. But before he could raise his hand Hilary suddenly
forced herself between them.
"Mr. Fletcher," she said, her voice quivering with anger, "go instantly!
There is your boat. And never come near us again!"
Fletcher fell back a step, but he was too furious to obey such a command.
"Do you think I am going to leave that confounded humbug to have it all
his own way?" he snarled. "I tell you--"
But here Culver intervened.
"You shut up!" he ordered sternly. "We've had too much of you already.
You had better go."
He took Fletcher imperatively by the arm, but Jacques intervened.
"Pray let the gentleman speak, Dick!" he said. "It will ease his feelings
perhaps."
"No!" broke in Hilary breathlessly. "No, no! I won't listen! I tell you
I won't!" facing the big man almost fiercely. "Tell me yourself if you
like!"
He looked at her closely, still with that odd half-smile upon his face.
Then, before them all, he took her hand, and, bending, held it to his
lips.
"Thank you, Hilary!" he said very softly.
In the privacy of her own cabin Hilary removed her tatters and cooled her
tingling cheeks. She and her brother were engaged to dine at Dick's
bungalow that night, but an overwhelming shyness possessed her, and at
the last moment she persuaded Bertie to go alone.
Pages:
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255