His face flushed; he
hurried forward and gripped her by the arm, as her feet touched the upper
deck. "Kate-ay, 'tis Kate!" he cried. Then he let go her arm and caught a
hand in both of his and fondled it. "Ay, ay, 'tis Kate!" "What is it
brings you, Soolsby?" Kate asked anxiously.
"'Tis not Jasper, and 'tis not the drink-ay, I've been sober since, ever
since, Kate, lass," he answered stoutly. "Quick, quick, tell me what it
is!" she said, frowning. "You've not come here for naught, Soolsby."
Still holding her hand, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. For an
instant she stood as though transfixed, and then, with a curious muffled
cry, broke away from him and turned to go below.
"Keep your mouth shut, lass, till proper time," he called after her, as
she descended the steps hastily again. Then he came slowly back to the
Duchess.
He looked her in the face--he was so little like a peasant, so much more
like a sailor here with his feet on the deck of a floating thing. "Your
grace is a good friend to her ladyship," he said at last deliberately,
"and 'tis well that you tell her ladyship.
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