I have no right to take him in charge
for the other things he's done. I have no warrant, an' I'm not a state
officer."

"What I'm afeard of," Ichabod went on, "is that while he's a-sufferin'
so, an' so full o' remorse, he'll do away with himself. If he don't do
that now, I 'low as how he's a cured man. It's my opinion that feller
will never hit the dope ag'in. An' if he don't, he's too valuable a man
to lose. If we come up with him, let's me an' you see if we can't git
him to do what that kind-hearted little girl wanted him to--go off
somewhars under another name an' work fer his feller human bein's, an'
fer God. A man, when he does it right, is a-workin' fer Him when he
practices medicine!"

Unaccustomed emotion vibrated in Van Dusen's voice as he replied:

"Captain, you yourself would make a good one to work for the Master. You
have a heart! And, in my profession, I find many, both men and women,
who are heartless. I would not willingly put a straw in the way of
Garnet. But, just the same, for the love of God and man, think what his
guilt is."

The old fisherman wagged his head in assent.

"Yes, I admit he has done a heap o' evil. But, Mr. Detective, the
closin' words that man said to Ethel Marion are still a-ringin' in my
ears. I hain't got much edicatin, but I can repeat 'em jest like she
said the Doctor said 'em. Here they be: 'My only hope now is to return
you safe to your friends an' to do my utmost to explain these most
unbelievable circumstances. I care nothing fer my own future. It is
ruined, an', like a good patient, I am ready to take my medicine.'"

As the old man ended his quotation from the Doctor's farewell to Ethel,
Van Dusen suddenly pointed a little way ahead.

"Unless I'm greatly mistaken," he exclaimed, "he has already taken--or
been given--his medicine. That looks to me like a yachtsman's cap down
there on the beach. You said he was dressed in yachting costume."

The two men hurried forward. When they reached the cap, which was
weighted down with a shell, the detective picked it up and found a note
pinned to the top of it. Captain Ichabod glanced about him with
apprehension at thought of the tragedy that might have occurred here.

Just beyond where they were standing there was a sort of false inlet. It
does not show as an inlet upon the map. Nevertheless, at times it allows
the water to cut clear across the Core Banks. Except at high tide, it is
shallow. But it is not safe for fording by