In Her Own Right Part 32

"Proceed!" said Croyden. "We are arriving, now, at the pith of the matter. What do you offer?"

"We want an equal divide. We will take Parmenter's estimate and multiply it by two, though jewels have appreciated more than that in valuation. Fifty thousand pounds is two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, which will total, according to the calculation, half a million dollars,--one half of which amount you pay us as our share."

"Your share! Why don't you call it properly--blackmail?" Croyden demanded.

"As you wish!" the other replied, airily. "If you prefer blackmail to share, it will not hinder the contract--seeing that it is quite as illegal on your part as on ours. Share merely sounds a little better but either obtains the same end. So, suit yourself. Call it what you will--but _pay_."

"Pay--or what?"

"Pay--or lose everything!" was the answer. "If you are not familiar with the law covering the subject under discussion, let me enlighten you."

"Thunder! how you do roll it out!" laughed Croyden. "Get on! man, get on!"

"I was endeavoring to state the matter succinctly," the stranger replied, refusing to be hurried or fl.u.s.tered. "The Common Law and the practice of the Treasury Department provide, that all treasure found on Government land or within navigable waters, is Government property. If declared by the finder, immediately, he shall be paid such reward as the Secretary may determine. If he does not declare, and is informed on, the informer gets the reward. You will observe that, under the law, you have forfeited the jewels--I fancy I do not need to draw further deductions."

"No!--it's quite unnecessary," Croyden remarked. "Your fellow thieves went into that phase (good word, I like it!) rather fully, down on Greenberry Point. Unluckily, they fell into the hands of the police, almost immediately, and we have not been able to continue the conversation."

"I have the honor to continue the conversation--and, in the interim, you have found the treasure. So, Parmenter's letter won't be essential--the facts, circ.u.mstances, your own and Mr. Macloud's testimony, will be sufficient to prove the Government's case. Then, as you are aware, it's pay or go to prison for larceny."

"There is one very material hypothesis, which you a.s.sume as a fact, but which is, unfortunately, not a fact," said Croyden. "We did not find the treasure."

The man laughed, good-humoredly.

"Naturally!" he replied. "We don't ask you to acknowledge the finding--just pay over the quarter of a million and we will forget everything."

"My good man, I'm speaking the truth!" Croyden answered. "Maybe it's difficult for you to recognize, but it's the truth, none the less. I only wish I _had_ the treasure--I think I'd be quite willing to share it, even with a blackmailer!"

The man laughed, again.

"I trust it will give no offence if I say I don't believe you."

"You can believe what you d.a.m.n please!" Croyden retorted.

And, without more ado, he turned his back and went up the path to Clarendon.

XII

I COULD TELL SOME THINGS

When Croyden had got Parmenter's letter from the secret drawer in the escritoire, he rang the old-fashioned pull-bell for Moses. It was only a little after nine, and, though he did not require the negro to remain in attendance until he retired, he fancied the kitchen fire still held him.

And he was not mistaken. In a moment Moses appeared--his eyes heavy with the sleep from which he had been aroused.

"Survent, marster!" he said, bowing from the doorway.

"Moses, did you ever shoot a pistol?" Croyden asked.

"Fur de Lawd, seh! Hit's bin so long sence I dun hit, I t'ink I'se gun-shy, seh."

"But you have done it?"

"Ya.s.s, seh, I has don hit."

"And you could do it again, if necessary?"

"I speck so, seh--leas'wise, I kin try--dough I'se mons'us unsuttin, seh, mons'us unsuttin!"

"Uncertain of what--your shooting or your hitting?"

"My hittin', seh."

"Well, we're all of us somewhat uncertain in that line. At least you know enough not to point the revolver toward yourself."

"Hi!--I sut'n'y does! seh, I sut'n'y does!" said the negro, with a broad grin.

"There is a revolver, yonder, on the table," said Croyden, indicating one of those they used on Greenberry Point. "It's a self-c.o.c.ker--you simply pull the trigger and the action does the rest. You understand?"

"Ya.s.s, seh, I onderstands," said Moses.

"Bring it here," Croyden ordered.

Moses' fingers closed around the b.u.t.t, a bit timorously, and he carried it to his master.

"I'll show you the action," said Croyden. "Here, is the ejector,"

throwing the chamber out, "it holds six shots, you see: but you never put a cartridge under the firing-pin, because, if anything strikes the trigger, it's likely to be discharged."

"Ya.s.s, seh!"

Croyden loaded it, closed the cylinder, and pa.s.sed it over to Moses, who took it with a little more a.s.surance. He was harkening back thirty years, and more.

"What do yo warn me to do, seh?" he asked.

"I want you to sit down, here, while I'm away, and if any one tries to get in this house, to-night, you're to shoot him. I'm going over to Captain Carrington's--I'll be back by eleven o'clock. It isn't likely you will be disturbed; if you are, one shot will frighten him off, even if you don't hit him, and I'll hear the shot, and come back at once.

You understand?"

"Ya.s.s, seh!--I'm to shoot anyone what tries to get in."

"Not exactly!" laughed Croyden. "You're to shoot anyone who tries to _break_ in. For Heaven's sake! don't shoot me, when I return, or any one else who comes legitimately. Be sure he is an intruder, then bang away."

"Sut'n'y, seh! I onderstands. I'se dub'us bout hittin', but I kin bang away right nuf. Does yo' spose any one will try to git in, seh?"

"No, I don't!" Croyden smiled--"but you be ready for them, Moses, be ready for them. It's just as well to provide against contingencies."

"Ya.s.s, seh!" as Croyden went out and the front door closed behind him, "but dem 'tingencies is monty dang'ous t'ings to fools wid. I don'

likes. .h.i.t, dat's whar I don'."