te conversations at the top of your voices in the
hall, you must be expected to be listened to," said Archie coolly. "I
plead guilty, and I am not sorry."

"When did you come?"

"In time to hear all that Captain Hervey has explained. I was chatting
with Lucy, and had just left her, when I heard your loud voices."

"Has Lucy heard anything?"

"No. She is busy in her room. But I'll tell her," Hope turned to mount
the stairs; "she likes Random, and will no more believe him guilty than
I do at this present moment."

"Stop!" cried Braddock, flying forward to pull Hope back, as he placed
his foot on the first stair. "Tell Lucy nothing just now. We must go to
the Fort, you--and I, to see Random. Hervey, you come also, and then you
can accuse Sir Frank to his face."

"If he dares to do it!" said Archie, who looked and felt indignant.

"Oh, I'll accuse him right enough when the time comes," said Hervey in
his coolest manner, "but the time isn't now. Savy! I am going to see the
Don first and make sure of this reward."

"Faugh!" cried Hope with disgust, "Blood-money!"

"What of that? Ifs a man is a murderer he should be lynched."

"My friend, Sir Frank Random, is no murderer."

"He's got to prove, that, as I said before," rejoined the Yankee in a
calm way, and strolled to the door. "So-long, gents both. I'll light out
for the Warrior Inn and play my cards. And I may tell you," he added,
pausing at the door, which he opened, "that I haven't got that blamed
wind-jammer, so need money to hold out until another steamer comes
along. One hundred pounds English currency will just fill the bill. So
now you know the lay I'm on. So-long," and he walked quietly out of
the house, leaving Archie and Braddock looking at one another with pale
faces. The assurance of Hervey surprised and horrified them. Still, they
could not believe that Sir Frank Random had been guilty of so brutal a
crime.

"For one thing," said Hope after a pause, "Random did not know where the
emeralds were to be found, or even that they existed."

"I understood that he did know," said Braddock reluctantly. "In my
hearing, and in your own, you heard Don Pedro state that he had related
the story of the manuscript to Random."

"You forget that I learned about the emeralds at the same time," said
Hope quietly. "Yet this Yankee skipper does not accuse me. The knowledge
of the emeralds came to Random's ears and to mine long after the crime
was committed. To have a