would be lovely to do a little tap dance up one side the ship and down the other, snapping my fingers and singing songs all the while.
But there was no time for all this. I had to find out what had happened to David at once.
Opening the door to the passage, I quickly and silently worked the lock on David's cabin across the way. Then in a little spurt of preternatural speed I entered it, unseen by those moving down the hall.
Everything was gone. Indeed, the cabin had been sanitized for a new passenger. Obviously David had been forced to leave the ship. He might now be in Barbados! And if he was, I could find him quickly enough.
But what about the other cabin-the one that had belonged to my mortal self I opened the connecting door without touching it, and I found that this cabin had also been emptied and cleaned.
How to proceed. I didn't want to remain on this ship any longer than I had to, for certainly I would be the center of attention as soon as I was discovered. The debacle had taken place in my suite.
I heard the easily identifiable tread of the steward who had been of such service to us earlier, and I opened the door just as he meant to pass by. When he saw me he was powerfully confused and excited. I beckoned for him to come inside.
Oh, sir, they are looking for you! They thought you'd left the ship in Barbados! I must contact security at once.
Ah, but tell me what happened, I said, peering directly into his eyes, and beyond his words. I could see the charm working on him as he softened and fell into a complete state of trust.
There had been a dreadful incident in my cabin at sunrise. An elderly British gentleman-who had earlier claimed to be my physician, by the way-had fired several shots at a young assailant who-he claimed-had tried to murder him, but none of these shots had struck the mark. Indeed, no one had ever been able to locate the young assailant. On the basis of the elderly gentleman's description, it was determined that the young man had occupied this very cabin in which we were now standing, and that he had boarded the ship under an assumed name.
Indeed so had the elderly British gentleman. In fact, the confusion of names was no small part of the entire affair. The steward really didn't know all that had taken place, except that the elderly British gentleman had been held in custody until he was finally escorted ashore.
The steward was puzzled. I think they were rather relieved to have him off the ship. But we must call the security officer, sir. They are very concerned about your welfare. It's a wonder they didn't stop you when you came aboard again in Barbados. They've been searching for you all day.
I wasn't at all sure that I wanted to endure any close scrutiny on the part of the security officers, but the matter was quickly decided for me when two men in white uniforms appeared before the door of the Queen Victoria Suite.
I thanked the steward and approached these two gentlemen, inviting them into the suite, and moving deeply into the shadows as was my custom during such encounters, and begging them to forgive me for not turning on the lights. Indeed, the light coming through the veranda doors was quite enough, I explained, considering the poor condition of my skin.
Both these men were deeply troubled and suspicious, and once again I did my best to work the persuasive charm on them as I spoke.
What has happened to Dr. Alexander Stoker? I asked. He is my personal physician, and I'm deeply concerned.
The younger of the two men, a very red-faced man with an Irish accent, clearly did not believe what I was saying to him, and he could sense that something was very wrong with my manner and my speech. My only hope was to sink this individual into confusion so that he remained quiet.
But the other, the tall and educated Englishman, was much easier to spellbind, and he began to pour out the whole tale without guile.
Seems Dr. Stoker was not really Dr. Stoker, but a man from England named David Talbot, though why he had used the assumed name, he refused to say.
You know, this Mr. Talbot had a gun on board this vessel, sir! said the tall officer, while the other continued to