That lady, seeing Sabine turn pale and tremble like a leaf, had not waited to hear this injunction repeated before trying to lead Sabine to the house, but the young girl, in spite of her terror and the housekeeper's entreaties, could not be induced to leave the spot, deeming it cowardly to desert her father's friend under such circumstances; so, releasing herself from Suzanne's grasp, she approached the two men and cried, indignantly: "Segoffin, your conduct is outrageous. In my father's name I command you to stop such scandalous behaviour at once." "Help, help, he is strangling me!" murmured M. Verduron, feebly. "Ah, when the captain--" The word captain sealed the ship owner's fate. In the twinkling of an eye Segoffin had seized M. Verduron around the waist, and had sprung with him over the low parapet on to the grassy slope below, where, still locked in each other's arms, they rolled unharmed to the bottom of the cliff, while Sabine, unable to control the terror which this last incident had excited, swooned in Suzanne's arms. "Help, Thérèse, help! Mademoiselle has fainted; help!" cried the housekeeper. The servant came running in answer to the summons, and with her assistance Sabine was carried to the house. This call was heard by Segoffin, who at once said to himself: "There is no farther cause for fear; our secret is safe!" So he released his hold upon M. Floridor Verduron, who staggered to his feet, panting and dishevelled, and so angry that he was unable to utter a word, though his eyes spoke volumes. Segoffin, profiting by this silence, said to the ship owner, with the most good-humoured air imaginable, quite as if they were continuing a friendly conversation, in fact: "Now, my dear M. Verduron, I will explain why I was obliged to force you to follow me to this rather lonely retreat." "Wretch, how dare you insult me in this fashion?" yelled the ship owner, exasperated beyond endurance by the head gunner's coolness. "It was all your fault, M. Verduron." "My fault? How outrageous!" "I asked you to give me a moment's conversation in private, but you wouldn't do it, so I was obliged to resort to this little manoeuvre to secure it." "Very well, very well, we will see what the captain says about all this. To place me in such a position, and in the presence of ladies!" "I really ask your pardon for the liberty I took, M. Verduron," said Segoffin, seriously enough this time, "but upon my honour I was absolutely compelled to do it." "What! you dare--" "Listen to me. For several very important reasons M. Cloarek has carefully concealed from his daughter the fact that he has been engaged in privateering." "Is that really so?" exclaimed the ship owner, his wrath giving place to profound astonishment. "Possibly that is the reason he took such pains to conceal his real name and address from me, then."