Mr. Sabin found it a harder matter than he had anticipated to induce the captain to consent to the scheme he had formulated. Nevertheless, he succeeded in the end, and by lunch time the following day the whole affair was settled. There was a certain amount of risk in the affair, but, on the other hand, if successfully carried out, it set free once and for ever the two men mainly concerned in it. Mr. Sabin, who was in rather a curious mood, came out of the captain's room a little after one o'clock feeling altogether indisposed for conversation of any sort, ordered his luncheon from the deck steward, and moved his chair apart from the others into a sunny, secluded corner of the boat. It was here that Mrs. Watson found him an hour later. He heard the rustle of silken draperies across the deck, a faint but familiar perfume suddenly floated into the salt, sunlit air. He looked around to find her bending over him, a miracle of white--cool, dainty, and elegant. "And why this seclusion, Sir Misanthrope?" He laughed and dragged her chair alongside of his. "Come and sit down," he said. "I want to talk to you. I want," he added, lowering his voice, "to thank you for your warning." They were close together now and alone, cut off from the other chairs by one of the lifeboats. She looked up at him from amongst the cushions with which her chair was hung. "You understood," she murmured. "Perfectly." "You are safe now," she said. "From him at any rate. You have won him over." "I have found a way of safety," Mr. Sabin said, "for both of us." She leaned her head upon her delicate white fingers, and looked at him curiously. "Your plans," she said, "are admirable; but what of me?" Mr. Sabin regarded her with some faint indication of surprise. He was not sure what she meant. Did she expect a reward for her warning, he wondered. Her words would seem to indicate something of the sort, and yet he was not sure. "I am afraid," he said kindly, "we have not considered you very much yet. You will go on to Boston, of course. Then I suppose you will return to Germany." "Never," she exclaimed, with suppressed passion. "I have broken my vows. I shall never set foot in Germany again. I broke them for your sake." Mr. Sabin looked at her thoughtfully. "I am glad to hear you say that," he declared. "Believe me, my dear young lady, I have seen a great deal of such matters, and I can assure you that the sooner you break away from all association with this man Watson and his employers the better." "It is all over," she murmured. "I am a free woman." Mr. Sabin was delighted to hear it. Yet he felt that there was a certain awkwardness between them. He was this woman's debtor, and he had made no effort to discharge his debt. What did she expect from him? He looked at her through half-closed eyes, and wondered. "If I can be of any use to you," he suggested softly, "in any fresh start you may make in life, you have only to command me."