her square. That's why I don't
have much use for him. If he'd told her out and out that he wa'n't going
to marry her, I'd forgive him. But----"

"Did Mr. Fox know this half-brother?"

"About as well as he knew the rest of us about town. He always was sort
of h'ity-t'ity, Jim was."

"Did he know him better after they left Little River?"

"Mack, I ain't got your tack, yet. Mind telling me where you're
heading?"

"You asked me once if anything out of the ordinary took place that night
I dined at the Fox home. Do you remember?"

"Yes, I rec'lect I did ask you something like that. But----"

"You may also recall that you suggested that what happened to Mr. Fox
took place in his head instead of in his heart."

"Yes, I said that, too. But, Mack----"

"Just wait, and I'll tell you what this is all about. I had mentioned to
Harold that I was born in Australia----"

"Mack!" The Captain was out of his chair in one bound. "You born in
Australia? Why in tarnation didn't you ever tell me that afore?"

The minister looked puzzled. "My announcement had a similar effect on
the Elder."

"Go on, Mack. Don't mind me. I'm a mite narvous. All unstrung, I
cal'late."

"As I said I had just mentioned that fact to Harold, and the conversation
naturally turned back to the days of the early traders who went to that
country. Harold then told his father that the law firm, of which he
has recently been made a junior member, had put him on a case which
necessitated his going over to Australia. It seems that they had been
trying to clear it up for a long time. The case came from Sydney, and
had been referred to him because he had once spent some time over there.
It was when he mentioned the name of the client that Mr. Fox nearly
fainted."

Mr. McGowan gave the fire another vigorous poke before continuing. The
Captain slid to the edge of his chair, holding on to the sides.

"Do you know of all the movements of Mr. Fox after he left here?" came
the disappointing question from near the fireplace.

"No, I don't. But you was speaking of the case from Sydney, Mack. Who
was the feller whose name hit Jim so hard?"

"Was Mr. Fox a sailor?"

"Lordie!" ejaculated the Captain. "Jim Fox a sailor? Why, he couldn't
sail a tub in a flooded cellar."

"You mean he never crossed the ocean as a trader?"

"He done that, I cal'late, but as far as him being a sailor----" He
sniffed a contemptuous conclusion.

"How many years ago was it that he fol