It was a very frightened young woman and an excited steward who
presented themselves before the captain a few moments later. He
listened to their stories in silence--a look of concern marking
his expression as the steward assured him that he had sought for
the missing passenger in every part of the ship that a passenger
might be expected to frequent.

"And are you sure, Miss Strong, that you saw a body fall overboard
last night?" he asked.

"There is not the slightest doubt about that," she answered. "I
cannot say that it was a human body--there was no outcry. It might
have been only what I thought it was--a bundle of refuse. But if
Mr. Caldwell is not found on board I shall always be positive that
it was he whom I saw fall past my port."

The captain ordered an immediate and thorough search of the entire
ship from stem to stern--no nook or cranny was to be overlooked.
Miss Strong remained in his cabin, waiting the outcome of the
quest. The captain asked her many questions, but she could tell
him nothing about the missing man other than what she had herself
seen during their brief acquaintance on shipboard. For the first
time she suddenly realized how very little indeed Mr. Caldwell had
told her about himself or his past life. That he had been born
in Africa and educated in Paris was about all she knew, and this
meager information had been the result of her surprise that an
Englishman should speak English with such a marked French accent.

"Did he ever speak of any enemies?" asked the captain.