" ...]needs a defender?" "I admit nothing of the sort," Sutton replied quickly. But he felt he had not conducted the affair with his usual skill. "There's been a lot of hot air talked about crimes on board ship and I'm not going to have my friend's name linked with that sort of thing." "Of course not," the purser agreed. "I can understand why you come to the rescue; still there is bound to be some misunderstanding about a man who leaves all his baggage behind and takes a desperate jump as he did." "He saw someone on this ship he was afraid of," Colliver insisted. "It might have been you for all I know." "What do you mean by that?" Sutton demanded and flushed dusky red. Colliver was amazed at the sudden heat. The purser was more interested ...]."