I saw then that it was a key.
"Let me get it for you" I said. To my amazement, she put her foot
over it.
"Please see what Mr. Turner is doing," she said. "It is the key
to my jewel-case."
"Will you let me see it?"
"No."
"It is not the key to a jewel-case."
"It does not concern you what it is."
"It is the key to the storeroom door"
"You are stronger than I am. You look the brute. You can knock me
away and get it."
I knew then, of course, that it was the storeroom key. But I could
not take it by force. And so defiantly she faced me, so valiant was
every line of her slight figure, that I was ashamed of my impulse to
push her aside and take it. I loved her with every inch of my
overgrown body, and I did the thing she knew I would do. I bowed
and left the cabin. But I had no intention of losing the key. I
could not take it by force, but she knew as well as I did what
finding it there in Turner's room meant. Turner had locked me in.
But I must be able to prove it--my wits against hers, and the
advantage mine. I had the women under guard.
I went up on deck.
A curious spectacle revealed itself. Turner, purple with anger,
was haranguing the men, who stood amidships, huddled together, but
grim and determined withal. Burns, a little apart from the rest,
was standing, sullen, his arms folded.
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