The man approached close to the detective, and whispered.

“Has my daughter got such a box?”

“Your daughter!” exclaimed the detective.

“My friend, I have a strange story to tell.  I suspect that the girl is my long-lost daughter.”

“You’re a fraud,” was the idea that ran through the detective’s mind.  He had observed that the man did not claim Renie as his daughter until an allusion was made to the box of jewels.

“If she is your daughter you ought to know all about the box.”

“So I do.”

“You know all about it, eh?”

“Yes.”

“You know where it is?”

“No.  It was left with the child.”

“Ah, you know that much!”

“If it is my child we are talking about, I know, all about it.  But tell me; is the box in the girl’s possession?”

“I reckon we might find it.”

“Go and bring the girl to me, and you shall have a hundred dollars.”

“I don’t know about that; I am afraid you are not an honest man.”

“What do you mean?”

“My words are plain enough.  Tell me your story.”

“I will tell it to the girl.”

“In my presence?”

“Why should I tell it in your presence?  It’s none of your business.”

“Oh, yes, it is.”

“How?”

“I’m looking after the girl’s interests.”

“Who are you’?”

“I am her friend.”

“Her friend only?”

“That’s all.”

“Do you wish to earn the hundred dollars”

“I do not care anything about the money; but I wish to see justice done the girl.”

“She may look for justice at the hands of her father?”

“Not the father who has deserted her for thirteen or fourteen years.”

“That can all be explained.”

“Give me a satisfactory explanation, and I will go and bring the girl to you.”

“I will explain to her.”

“Explain to me.”

“No, sir!”

“Very well; clear out, then.”

“I think you are a meddlesome young scamp.”

“You first addressed me.”

“I only asked you a simple question.”

“And I’ve answered you in the most simple manner.”

“Take me to the girl’s reputed father.”

“That is fair; I will do that.”

“You are a foolish young, man.”

“How so?”

“You might make a large sum of money.”

“By bringing the girl to you?”

“Yes.”

“I will not do it.”

“You will lead me to the fisherman’s cabin!”

“Yes.”

“All right.”

The two men started across the sands, and, after half an hour’s walking, came in sight of the cabin of the old fisherman.

“That is the cabin.”

“Over there?”,

“Yes.”

“There are no lights in the cabin.”

“They have all retired, probably.”