Page:C Q, or, In the Wireless House (Train, 1912).djvu/193

 “Yes,” she answered. “I ’m glad to see you again. I forget your name.”

The man opened his mouth as if to reply but no sound came from his lips.

“Bennett,” interjected the girl at his side hurriedly. “You must excuse us,—my brother is n’t feeling well.”

Lily and the Captain passed on, the officer deep in his plans for the immediate arrest of Cloud. He was naturally exhilarated over his good fortune at so quickly identifying a celebrated criminal among his passengers, while Lily was furious at herself, the Captain, and especially at Micky for having everything go wrong. And as she believed that the main thing was to conceal the identity of the real Cosmo, however temporary the expedient might prove to be, and thus give the latter a few days or at least hours more of freedom, she resolved to take a desperate chance—for more desperate chances had occasionally served her ends—and to make a last and Herculean effort to put Ponsonby upon the wrong scent. So she turned to him with a face full of childlike simplicity and candor and said quietly:

“Captain Ponsonby, you noticed that person