He gazed with black eyes narrowed into slits at the two of us, too pleased with himself to doubt his success. The sarcastic smile curling his lips caused me to swear under my breath, but I had gone too far now to retreat.

"Just as you say, Craig," affecting an easy good nature. "That is perfectly agreeable to me. However, as it makes no difference what the late Mrs. Henley thinks, we will dismiss her from the case, and settle the affair quietly between ourselves. I 've got a proposition which will interest you." He touched a b.u.t.ton, and I heard the sharp tingle of a bell outside. Almost instantly the door in the cabin opened.

"That you, Peters? Conduct the woman back to her stateroom, lock the door, and bring me the key."

He bent forward, searching for something in a pigeonhole to his right, and I caught her eyes, touching my lips with my fingers to signal silence, while an inclination of the head told her to go without resistance. The swift change of expression on her face proved her instant comprehension, as, without uttering a word of protest, she turned, and disappeared. Henley never glanced up from his work of selecting papers from a bundle under his hands, nor did I move, until after Peters returned with the key. Henley dropped it into his pocket.

"That will be all," he said; "you can go."

"You mean I am off duty, sir?"

"Certainly; you understand English, don't you? There will be no more guard work tonight."

As the door closed again behind Peters the fellow rose to his feet, and held out his hand. "You are the kind I like, Craig," he said cordially. "At first I had my doubts about you, and no doubt have been harsh. To be perfectly honest I thought you would be all right under ordinary circ.u.mstances, but was afraid the girl had a sentimental hold on you which would make you difficult to handle. Lord, she thought so too. Did you see her face when you first sided in with me? She wilted completely. Well, that will make the rest easy. Sit down again, and I will explain what I want you for."

I accepted the chair indicated, but was not yet altogether ready to hear his proposition.

"Just a moment," I said firmly. "I may be the man you want, and all that, but I have got to be convinced first that I am not making another mistake. I came down here originally believing myself an agent of justice, only to discover I had been duped. This time I insist on the truth. I may be a soldier of fortune, but I prefer choosing the side on which I fight."

"You mean you wish to a.s.sure yourself I have the right of it," he asked smilingly, "before you enlist? There is nothing unreasonable to that.

Unfortunately, however," and he picked up the papers from the desk, "I can only furnish you corroborative proofs now. Still, I think these will be convincing. The legal papers, which absolutely establish my ident.i.ty as Philip Henley, are in the hands of lawyers, who represent me at Carrollton. The case will not come up for adjudication for several weeks yet," speaking slowly, and with careful choice of words, "but my contention as heir to the property is thoroughly established.

It had to be, for as you know the Judge's son had been away from this neighborhood for years, practically ever since boyhood. He was almost unknown to the local inhabitants, even to the servants. He was even reported as being dead. This state of affairs made identification the most important thing to be considered. Consequently all doc.u.ments bearing directly on that point are, at present, out of my reach. You understand?"

"Yes; only you must have retained something to substantiate your word."

"Precisely. I was coming to that. I have letters from my father which should be sufficient. You have seen Judge Henley's writing?" and he handed me a half dozen missives. They were without envelopes, each beginning simply, "My Dear Son," relating princ.i.p.ally to local conditions on the plantation, and occasionally expressing a desire for the wanderer to return, and a.s.sume the burden of management. Instead of names, initials were employed to designate individuals referred to, and it was evident the recipient had been addressed at various places.

That they were in the crabbed and peculiar handwriting of the old Judge was beyond all question, and the dates covered several years. I read them through carefully, puzzled by their contents.

"There are no envelopes?"

"No; I never keep them--why?"

"Only that no name is mentioned; they begin all alike, 'My Dear Son.'"

"I never thought of that," he, admitted, simulating surprise, "but can supplement by showing you this picture, taken three years ago at Mobile. Of course you will recognize myself, but may never have seen a photograph of Judge Henley."

"I never have."

"Well, that is his likeness, and there are those on board who will identify it. Does this satisfy you that I am what I claim to be?"

In truth it did not, for I would have believed nothing in opposition to the positive statement of the woman that he was not Philip Henley. Her simple a.s.sertion weighed more with me than any proofs he might submit.

Yet his coolness of demeanor, and the tone of the letters, evidently written in confidence from father to son, were unanswerable. Under other conditions--divorced from what I knew--they would be conclusive.

Now I could only wonder at them, groping blindly for some solution.

Were they really addressed to him, or had he stolen them? If the latter, then how had he succeeded in getting his picture on the same plate with Judge Henley's? And what were those other more important doc.u.ments on which he rested his claim? These considerations flashed through my mind, yet I was sufficiently aroused to answer quickly, aware that even the slightest hesitancy might awaken suspicion.

"It would seem to be unanswerable," I replied, replacing letters and photograph on the desk. "What hurts my pride is to have been made such a fool of."

"That's nothing, Craig; we have all had that experience. You merely fell into the clutches of some shrewd men, and a designing woman.

Fortunately you have discovered the truth before any great harm has been done, and I stand ready to give you a chance now on the winning side. I would rather have you with me than opposed, and there will be more money in it for us both. What do you say?"

"I should prefer to know more about your proposition."

"It has nothing whatever to do with the Henley matter," he exclaimed, leaning back in his chair, and surveying me shrewdly through his dark eyes. "That is practically settled already, so you will not be further involved with the girl."

"You would oblige me by leaving her name out of the discussion then," I interposed coldly. "Even her presence on board is distasteful under the circ.u.mstances."

He chuckled, well satisfied with his diplomacy.

"I understand that; however, we cannot obliterate her entirely. Pretty enough to be useful too, I imagine, if she can ever be brought to view this affair from the right angle. Could n't you be induced to attempt a little, missionary work? Love-making at sea is said to be especially pleasant."

I shook my head, gazing directly into his eyes, barely able to keep from throttling him.

"Drop it," I said sternly. "The girl is to be left alone if I have any part in your scheme. Now I want to know what is expected of me; may I ask questions?"

He lit another cigarette, calmly indifferent to all outward appearance.

"Certainly--fire away."

"Where are we bound?"

"Spanish Honduras," lazily, but spreading out a map, and tapping it with his finger. "Perto Cortez, if we can make that port safely; if not then somewhere along the coast between there and Trupillo. There will be signals."

I leaned forward, startled out of my self-restraint. "Honduras! Good Lord! what are you--a filibuster?"

"Hardly," with a short laugh. "That is too dangerous a job, and not money enough in it. I prefer to do my revoluting through others, and cop the swag. That is the safe end of the game. It happens to be Honduras just now; I have been equally interested in other downtrodden countries. In truth, friend, I am a patriot for revenue only."

"You mean you furnish arms?"

"For a suitable consideration--yes. In strict confidence I will state that securely packed away in the hold of the _Sea Gull_--largely in boxes labeled machinery--are twenty thousand rifles, six rapid-fire guns, and a sufficiency of ammunition for a small army. Once safely landed the profits of the voyage will total one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, gold. A rather tidy sum, hey?"

I grasped the idea swiftly enough, and it cleared up some of the shadow of mystery. But the situation was rendered no more pleasant for us.

"Then you are not sailing for New Orleans?"

"Not until my hold is empty. We cleared from there, light, three weeks ago."

"You mean to retain the lady on board?"

"Unless she prefers to jump overboard."

"And what have I to do with all this? You said you had use for me--what use?"

CHAPTER XXIV

I JOIN THE SEA GULL

I can see the fellow still, as he sat there smiling, his teeth revealed under his mustache, his eyes filled with cunning.