Thockmorton knocked the ashes out of his pipe.

“Of course,” he admitted slowly.  “There is no question as to the law, but I have little doubt but what Beaucaire has attended to this matter long ago.  If he dies, the papers will be found hidden away somewhere.  It is beyond conception that he could ever leave the girl to such a fate.”

I shook my head, obsessed with a shadow of doubt.

“A mistake men often make—­the putting off to the last moment doing the disagreeable task.  How many, expecting to live, delay the making of a will until too late.  In this case I am unable to conceive why, if Beaucaire has ever signed papers of freedom, for these two, the fact remains unknown even to his lawyer.  One fact is certain, nothing bearing upon the case has been recorded, or Haines would know of it.”

“There is nothing on record, Haines assured himself as to that some years ago.  The fact is, Knox, that while I hope this provision has been made, there remains a doubt in my mind.  Beaucaire has traveled on my boat several times, but he’s an unsociable fellow; I don’t like him; he’s not my kind.  If he still harbors hatred toward that run-away son—­and to my notion he is exactly that sort—­he will never feel any too kindly toward Delia, or her child.  If he has not freed them, that will be the reason—­no neglect, but a contemptible revenue.”

“What are the two girls named?”

“Rene, and Eloise.”

“Which one is the daughter?”

“Really, Lieutenant, I do not know.  You see I was never introduced, but merely gained a glimpse of them in the garden.  I doubt if I would recognize the one from the other now.  You see all this story was told me later.”

I sat there a long while, after he had gone below, the taciturn mate at the wheel.  The low, wooded shores swept past in changing panorama, yet I could not divorce my mind from this perplexing problem.  Totally unknown to me as these two mysterious girls were, their strange story fascinated my imagination.  What possible tragedy lay before them in the years? what horrible revelation to wrench them asunder? to change in a single instant the quiet current of their lives?  About them, unseen as yet, lurked a grim specter, waiting only the opportunity to grip them both in the fingers of disgrace, and make instant mock of all their plans.  In spite of every effort, every lurking hope, some way I could not rid myself of the thought that Beaucaire—­either through sheer neglect, or some instinct of bitter hatred—­had failed to meet the requirements of his duty.  Even as I sat there, struggling vainly against this suspicion, the Judge himself came forth upon the lower deck, and began pacing back and forth restlessly beside the rail.  It was a struggle for me not to join him; the impetuousity of youth urging me even to brave his anger in my eagerness to ascertain the whole truth.  Yet I possessed sense enough, or discretion, to refrain, realizing dimly that, not even in the remotest degree, had I any excuse for such action.  This was no affair of mine.  Nor, indeed, would I have found much opportunity for private conversation, for, only a moment or two later, Kirby joined him, and the two remained together, talking earnestly, until the gong called us all to supper.