“It happens,” I contended coldly, “that I have seen the marriage certificate.”

He sat up stiffly, the sarcastic grin leaving his face, and replaced by an expression of vindictiveness.

“Oh, you have!  As much a forgery as some of these other precious documents.  You win certainly grant that I ought to know whether I am married or not?”

“I made no assertion relative to that.”

“What did you assert?”

“That Philip Henley was married, and that his wife—­or widow, as the case may be—­is the lady who accompanied me to Carrollton.”

He leaned forward, both arms on the desk, his black eyes narrowed into mere slits.

“Oh, I see,” finally.  “Driven out of one position, like a good general, you have another in reserve.  You are more of an antagonist than I had supposed, Craig.  So now it is the widow who claims the ducats.  Am I also to understand that you are prepared to submit proof of the death of Philip Henley?  By the saints; I am becoming interested.”

“Naturally, if you claim to be the man.  I have not said he was dead, for I do not know.  I came down here believing him alive.  His wife is almost convinced otherwise.  All I am actually certain about now is that you are not the man.”

“You are extremely free-spoken for a fellow in your condition.  You will at least confess that I am master on board this ship; that my word here is law, and you are in my power.”

“Yes.”

“Then why expose yourself, and that young woman, to unnecessary danger?  To be frank, Craig, I sent for you just now in a friendly spirit.  You can be decidedly useful to me, and I can afford to pay well for services rendered.  Now wait! don’t break in until I am through.  I know who you are, and how you originally became involved in this affair.  You have no personal interest in the final outcome, so you receive the amount promised.  You are a mere soldier of fortune, an adventurer.  Good!  Then it is certainly to your interest to be on the winning side.  What did Neale, and that other fellow—­Vail—­offer?”

I sat looking at him steadily for a moment.  That he was a shrewd, scheming villain I had no doubt, but the one question which controlled my answer was the thought of how I could best serve her.  If I followed my inclination, told him frankly that I had already deserted my allegiance to those men in the North, and only remained loyal to the woman, the confession would possibly react upon us both.  We would be held prisoners indefinitely.  If, on the other hand, I appeared to hesitate, a way of service might be opened before me, and, with it, a path to freedom, for us both.  The decision had to be made quickly.

“Never mind the sum,” I said soberly.  “I am not altogether mercenary, although I need money.  I ’ll say this, however, and you can take it for what it may be worth.  I originally came into this game believing I was doing a kindness to a helpless man who was being defrauded of his rights.  There is no necessity of my going into details, but Neale told me an apparently straight story, and convinced me my part was a mere form.  Later I learned different, and promptly quit.  I have n’t sent in a line of report to my employers.”