"Really?" ejaculated his lordship. "Have you relatives near Wychwood? You are English, are you not?" "I am English, and a distant connection with the family of Trevelyan, near Wychwood, none of whom, however, I have yet met, unless you happen to belong to that branch." "I do," said Stranleigh. "And now tell me, if you please, what is your difficulty?" "I wish to ask you if the steerage ticket you gave the purser was taken in part payment for the cabin ticket, or did you forfeit it altogether?" "That I can't tell you," said Stranleigh, with a laugh. "I am not accustomed to the transaction of business, and this little arrangement had to be made quickly." Although his lordship spoke lightly and pleasantly the girl appeared to have some difficulty in proceeding with her story. The large eyes were quite evidently filling with tears, and of all things in the world Stranleigh loathed an emotional scene. The girl was obviously deeply depressed, whatever the cause. "Well," he said jauntily and indeed encouragingly, "we were talking of first and third-class tickets. What have you to say about them?" "I speak of the steerage ticket only. If you haven't forfeited it, you have the right to demand its return." "I suppose so. Still, it is of no particular use to me." "No, but it would be vital to me. Coming down in the train from London, my purse was stolen, or perhaps I lost it when giving up my railway ticket. So I am now without either money or transportation voucher." "Was it for cabin passage?" "Yes." "In that case you will have no difficulty; your name will be on the purser's list. Do you know the number of your state-room?" "No, I do not, and, so far as my name goes, I can expect no help from that quarter, because the name I travel under is not Miss Trevelyan." "Good gracious," cried Stranleigh, "there are three of us! This ship should be called _Incognita_. Was your money also in that purse?" "Yes, all my gold and bank-notes, and I am left with merely some silver and coppers." "Then the third-class ticket would not be of the slightest use to you. As I had to point out to another person on a similar occasion, you would not be allowed to land, so we will let that third-class ticket drop into oblivion. If you are even distantly related to the Trevelyan family, I could not think of allowing you to travel steerage. Are you alone?" "Yes," she murmured almost inaudibly. "Well, then, it is better that you should make all arrangements with the purser yourself. As I told you, I am not particularly good at business affairs. You give to him the name under which you purchased your ticket. You bought it in London, I suppose?" "Yes," she murmured again.