"Captain Jules will be here after a little, Miss Morton," he said
gravely, "but he wished me to have a talk with you first."

Madge looked curiously at the unknown man. She could not obtain a very
distinct view of his face, but she saw that he was very distinguished
looking, that his eyes seemed quite dark, and that he wore a pointed
beard. He did not look like an American. At least, there was something in
his appearance that Madge did not quite understand. It struck her that
perhaps the man was a lawyer. It could not be that Lillian was right in
her guess. The treasure in the iron safe had not yet been sold, so it
might be that this man wished to make some offer for it. Whoever he might
be the silence was becoming uncomfortable. The little captain decided to
break it.

"I wonder if you wish to talk to me about the treasure that we found?"
she inquired, smiling. "I would rather that Captain Jules should be in
here when we speak of that."

The stranger shook his head. He had a very beautiful voice that in some
way fascinated the girl.

"No, I don't wish to talk about your treasure, but I do wish to speak of
something else that was lost and is found again. I don't know that you
will value it, child, or that it is worth having, but Captain Jules
thinks you might."

Madge's heart began to beat faster. This strange man had something of
great importance to tell her. She wondered if she had ever seen him
anywhere before. There was something in his look that was oddly familiar.
But why did he look at her so strangely and why did not her old friend
come to her to end this foolish suspense?

"I have been down here on a visit to Captain Jules a number of times this
summer and he has always talked of you," went on the fascinating voice.
"I have longed to see you, but----Miss Morton, Captain Jules Fontaine and
I knew your father once, long years ago. The news that you had proof of
his innocence made us very happy last night."

Madge would have liked to bounce up and down in her chair, like an
impatient child. Only her age restrained her. Why didn't this man tell
her the thing he was trying to say? What made him hesitate so long?

"Yes, yes," she returned impatiently, "but do you know whether my father
is alive now? That is the only thing I care about."

Madge gripped both arms of her chair to control herself. She was
trembling so that she felt that she must be having a chill, though it was
a warm summer day, for the stran