back seat to Bobby."
"But did Miss Avondale know you were legally married, and that your son
was the heir?" asked Randolph bluntly.
"She had no reason to suspect otherwise, although we were married
secretly. She was an old friend of my wife, not particularly of mine."
Randolph sat back amazed and horrified. Those were HER own words. Or was
this man deceiving him as the others had?
But the captain, eying him curiously, but still amusedly, added: "I even
thought of bringing her as one of my witnesses, until"--
"Until what?" asked Randolph quickly, as he saw the captain had
hesitated.
"Until I found she wasn't to be trusted; until I found she was too thick
with Bill," said the captain bluntly. "And now she's gone to England
with him and the boy, I suppose she'll make him come to terms."
"Come to terms?" echoed Randolph. "I don't understand." Yet he had an
instinctive fear that he did.
"Well," said the captain slowly, "suppose she might prefer the chance of
being the wife of a grown-up baronet to being the governess of one who
was only a minor? She's a cute girl," he added dryly.
"But," said Randolph indignantly, "you have other witnesses, I hope."
"Of course I have. I've got the Spanish records now from the Callao
priest, and they're put in a safe place should anything happen to me--if
anything could happen to a dead man!" he added grimly. "These proofs
were all I was waiting for before I made up my mind whether I should
blow the whole thing, or let it slide."
Randolph looked again with amazement at this strange man who seemed so
indifferent to the claims of wealth, position, and even to revenge. It
seemed inconceivable, and yet he could not help being impressed with his
perfect sincerity. He was relieved, however, when Captain Dornton rose
with apparent reluctance and put away his pipe.
"Now look here, my lad, I'm right glad to have overhauled you again,
whatever happened or is going to happen, and there's my hand upon it!
Now, to come to business. I'm going over to England on this job, and I
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