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Captain Barry beckoned to Rowland, who, slightly flushed, was standing by the still figure on the couch and watching the face of Mr. Meyer, on which annoyance, jubilation, and simulated shock could be seen in turn.

“Wait,” he said, as he turned to watch the doctor leave the room. “Is this so, Mr. Meyer,” he added to the underwriter, “that Mr. Selfridge owned Titan stock, and would have been ruined, had he lived, by the loss of the insurance money?”

“Yes, he would have been a poor man. He had invested his last farthing–one hundred thousand pounds. And if he had left any more it would be assessed to make good his share of what der company must bay for der Royal Age, which I also insured.”

“Was there a collision clause in the Titan’s policy?”

“Dere was.”

“And you took the risk, knowing that she was to run the Northern Lane at full speed through fog and snow?”

“I did–so did others.”

“Then, Mr. Meyer, it remains for me to tell you that the insurance on the Titan will be paid, as well as any liabilities included in and specified by the collision clause in the policy. In short, I, the one man who can prevent it, refuse to testify.”

“Vwhat-a-t?”

Mr. Meyer grasped the back of a chair and, leaning over it, stared at Rowland.

“You will not testify? Vwhat you mean?”

“What I said; and I do not feel called upon to give you my reasons, Mr. Meyer.”

“My good friend,” said the underwriter, advancing with outstretched hands to Rowland, who backed away, and taking Myra by the hand, moved toward the door. Mr. Meyer sprang ahead, locked it and removed the key, and faced them.

“Oh, mine goot Gott,” he shouted, relapsing in his excitement into the more pronounced dialect of his race; “vwhat I do to you, hey? Vwhy you go pack on me, hey? Haf I not bay der doctor’s bill? Haf I not bay for der carriage? Haf I not treat you like one shentleman? Haf I not, hey? I sit you down in mine office and call you Mr. Rowland. Haf I not been one shentleman?”

“Open that door,” said Rowland, quietly.

“Yes, open it,” repeated Captain Barry, his puzzled face clearing at the prospect of action on his part. “Open it or I’ll kick it down.”

“But you, mine friend–heard der admission of der captain–of der drugging. One goot witness will do: two is petter. But you will swear, mine friend, you will not ruin me.”

“I stand by Rowland,” said the captain, grimly. “I don’t remember what was said, anyhow; got a blamed bad memory. Get away from that door.”

Grievous lamentation–weepings and wailings, and the most genuine gnashing of teeth–interspersed with the feebler cries of the frightened Myra and punctuated by terse commands in regard to the door, filled that private office, to the wonder of the clerks without, and ended, at last, with the crashing of the door from its hinges.

Captain Barry, Rowland, and Myra, followed by a parting, heart-borne malediction from the agitated underwriter, left the office and reached the street. The carriage that had brought them was still waiting.

“Settle inside,” called the captain to the driver. “We’ll take another, Rowland.”

Around the first corner they found a cab, which they entered, Captain Barry giving the driver the direction–“Bark Peerless, East India Dock.”

“I think I understand the game, Rowland,” he said, as they started; “you don’t want to break this child.”

“That’s it,” answered Rowland, weakly, as he leaned back on the cushion, faint from the excitement of the last few moments. “And as for the right or wrong of the position I am in–why, we must go farther back for it than the question of lookouts. The cause of the wreck was full speed in a fog. All hands on lookout could not have seen that berg. The underwriters knew the speed and took the risk. Let them pay.”

“Right–and I’m with you on it. But you must get out of the country. I don’t know the law on the matter, but they may compel you to testify. You can’t ship ‘fore the mast again–that’s settled. But you can have a berth mate with me as long as I sail a ship–if you’ll take it; and you’re to make my cabin your home as long as you like; remember that. Still, I know you want to get across with the kid, and if you stay around until I sail it may be months before you get to New York, with the chance of losing her by getting foul of English law. But just leave it to me. There are powerful interests at stake in regard to this matter.”