Page:Waylaid by Wireless - Balmer - 1909.djvu/361

Rh The girl looked at the rings closely and then concealed them hastily, coloring strangely as she did so.

"All!" she murmured quickly.

"Oh, by the way, Purser," Preston asked, "did he return your studs and sleeve buttons this way, too?"

The purser looked sheepish. "No, sir. He—handed them back to me just before landing. But there is a note addressed to you in the bottom of the box, Mr. Preston, which you did not see."

Preston caught up the papers and glanced over them quickly.

"Of course!" he cried. "Mr. Manling not only returns the things he doesn't need, but he also considerately gives away the plans he no longer has use for. I am afraid that most of this is pretty personal, Captain, and a good deal of it won't mean much to you," he said, "but as it explains everything, apparently, including the little matters which you touched on rather publicly yesterday, sir, I think I may as well 331