The sight of the daughter's grief
disturbed his calmness more than the affronts offered him by her bearded
henchmen. It was to her that he addressed the question:

"Am I permitted to say a word in my own behalf, Captain Jessica?"

A growl ran around the room, but she held up her small hand, protestingly.

"Yes. That's fair. My father always taught me to be fair. I'm sorry I
was--I wasn't polite----"

"No, you aren't," shouted Samson. "Don't you dare be sorry for
anything but the kindness you've showed that skunk!"

"Samson, it was you made me captain!"

"All right. I give in. Be as fair as you like, I can't help it."

"Tell us all there is to tell. As you told Aunt Sally."

"Thank you, captain. I'll be brief. I came to California, representing
a company, a syndicate, which had advanced large sums of money to
purchase, improve, and stock a vast tract of land called Paraiso d'Oro.
Though for a time due receipts and reports had been returned to the
syndicate for several months these had entirely ceased. Unfortunately,
the company had implicit faith in their consignee, and Paraiso d'Oro was
but one of their many enterprises. I had been their legal adviser in
other matters, and when my health failed from overwork, they suggested
that I should come here and investigate their affairs, while I could
recuperate at the same time.

"I set out on horseback from Los Angeles, my temporary headquarters,
without a guide and with many erroneous notions concerning both the State
and its people. You see, though I'd lived at the center of our national
civilization----"

"You're forgettin' Californy!" cried somebody.

"I'd led the narrow life of a man absorbed in one sort of business.
I traveled out of my way, and lost it. Then I met your captain in the
canyon and she courteously offered me the hospitality of Sobrante. Until
I reached this spot I had no idea that it was part and parcel, so to
speak, of that Paraiso I'd come to reclaim. Gradually this fact became
clear to me and from that moment I have been anxious to get away from
a hospitality I have no moral right to enjoy."

"Spoke the truth for once, liar!" grumbled Cromarty.

"You cannot feel it more than I, sir, nor more profoundly regret that
it is my misfortune to have undertaken a business which has now become
obnoxious to me. But a lawyer must look at facts. One Cassius Trent----"

"Take care!"

"Be quiet, Marty! Go on, Mr. Hale," ordered the little captain.

"