That note has been in my pocket since we left New York, to deliver to you in the event of a certain contingency happening." "The contingency being ?" the captain asked, tearing open the envelope and moving a little nearer the electric light which shone out from the smoking room.
"That the Lusitania did not land her passengers this evening." The captain read the note, examined the signature carefully, and whistled softly to himself.
"You know what is inside this ?" he asked, looking into his companion's face with some curiosity.
"Certainly," was the brief reply.
"Your name is Mr.Hamilton Fynes, the Mr.Hamilton Fynes mentioned in this letter ?" "That is so," the passenger admitted.
The captain nodded.
"Well," he said, "you had better get down on the lower deck, port side.
By the bye, have you any friends with you ?" "I am quite alone," he answered.
"So much the better," the captain declared.

"Don't tell any one that you are going ashore if you can help it." "I certainly will not, sir," the other answered.

"Thank you very much." "Of course, you know that you can't take your luggage with you ?" the captain remarked.
"That is of no consequence at all, sir," Mr.Hamilton Fynes answered.

"I will leave instructions for my trunk to be sent on after me.

I have all that I require, for the moment, in this suitcase." The captain blew his whistle.