He spoke then, as if an illuminating thought had occurred to him.
"You know Harrigan's record ?" "No," she admitted grudgingly.
McTee sighed as if with deep relief and leaned back in his chair.

His smile was sympathetic and it altered his face so marvelously that she caught her breath.
"Of course that explains it, Miss Malone.

I don't doubt that he was clever enough to make you think him abused." "He didn't say a word of accusation against anyone." "Naturally not.

When a man is bad enough to seem honest--" He drew a long, slow puff on his cigar by way of finishing his sentence and his eyes smiled kindly upon her.
"I knew that he would do his worst to start mutiny among the crew; I didn't think he could get as far as the passengers." Her confidence was shaken to the ground.

Then a new suspicion came to her.
"If he is such a terrible character, why did you let him come aboard your ship ?" Instead of answering, he pulled a cord.