Then he proceeded to narrate, briefly, the details--from the finding of the letter to the present moment, dwelling particularly on the episode of the theft of their wallets, the first and second coming of the thieves to the Point, their capture and subsequent release, together with the occurrence of this evening, when he was approached, by the well-dressed stranger, at Clarendon's gates. And, once again, marvelous to relate, Miss Carrington did not interrupt, through the entire course of the narrative. Nor did she break the silence for a time after he had concluded, staring thoughtfully, the while, down into the grate, where a smouldering back log glowed fitfully. "What do you intend to do, as to the treasure?" she asked, slowly. "Give it up!" he replied. "What else is there to do?" "And what about this stranger?" "He _must_ give it up!" laughed Croyden. "He has no recourse. In the words of the game, popular hereabout, he is playing a bobtail!" "But he doesn't know it's a bobtail. He is convinced you found the treasure," she objected. "Let him make whatever trouble he can, it won't bother me, in the least." "He is not acting alone," she persisted. "He has confederates--they may attack Clarendon, in an effort to capture the treasure." "My dear child! this is the twentieth century, not the seventeenth!" he laughed. "We don't 'stand-by to repel boarders,' these days." "Pirate's gold breeds pirate's ways!" she answered. He stared at her, in surprise. "Rather queer!--I've heard those same words before, in this connection." "Community of minds." "Is it a quotation?" he asked. "Possibly--though I don't recall it. Suppose you are attacked and tortured till you reveal where you've hidden the jewels?" she insisted. "I cannot suppose them so unreasonable!" he laughed, again. "However, I put Moses on guard--with a big revolver and orders to fire at anyone molesting the house. If we hear a fusillade we'll know it's he shooting up the neighborhood." "Then the same idea _did_ suggest itself to you!" "Only to the extent of searching for the jewels--I regarded that as vaguely possible, but there isn't the slightest danger of any one being tortured." "You know best, I suppose," she said--"but you've had your warning--and pirate's gold breeds pirate's ways. You've given up all hope of finding the treasure--abandoned jewels worth--how many dollars?" "Possibly half a million," he filled in. "Without a further search? Oh! Mr. Croyden!" "If you can suggest what to do--anything which hasn't been done, I shall be only too glad to consider it." "You say you dug up the entire Point for a hundred yards inland?" "We did." "And dredged the Bay for a hundred yards?" "Yes." She puckered her brows in thought. He regarded her with an amused smile.