"Why," said the man slowly, "he was my cousin you know, and we had the same blood in us--the bad Carr blood. How I ever came to have such a brat of a Methodist parson for a son I can't make out. Got it from his mother I suppose, she was always a whimpering devil. "I didn't come here to discuss your son and wife Joyce----" "Frisco's my name for the time being," said the man coolly, "when I get across the pond again I'll take to a more Christian one." "Humph! You won't have an easy time getting out of this scrape." "Well no, you're about right there Herrick. You don't mind me dropping the Mister I hope. I feel friendly to you. You're about the only man of the whole lot. Stephen isn't a bad chap; but if he hadn't had you beside him, I'd have got that money. Well I'm to be tried for my life. What are you going to do Herrick?" "Something quixotic," replied the doctor, "Robin has no money, neither have you, so I am going to supply you with a solicitor and see you through. If you are guilty I wish to see you hanged, if innocent free. All the same," said Herrick frankly, "I tell you candidly Frisco, that I don't think it fair to hang you for the killing of a brute like Carr." Frisco stared at Dr. Jim in a hard unwinking manner, but he was visibly moved. "You're a white man Doc," said he, "and I'm a bad lot. All the same if you don't mind--" he held out his hand. "I'll take that only on one condition," said Herrick, "that you tell me you are innocent of murder." Frisco drew back his hand, and recovered his hard manner. "You bet I'm not," he said, "that is where Carr had the pull over me. There are two Towns in South America I daren't go near--" he burst out laughing. "So you won't shake hands," said he "well I don't blame you. I am a bad lot--but Carr was a damned sight worse sonny. You can take that from me." "We are wasting time I think," said Herrick coldly, "I want to help you if I can. You shall have a lawyer, to defend you. But I want to ask you as man to man:--Did you shoot Carr?" Frisco thought for a moment stroking his chin. "Well there's not many men I'd tell my mind to but you are one. I did not kill Carr." "Then who did?" "I'll tell you in a few minutes. But you let me reel out my yarn first." "I know most of it from Robin and Santiago." "You don't know all," replied Frisco quietly "I've been with Carr these twenty years and more. He was a devil and treated me like a dog. I helped him to get that treasure and he cheated me of my share of it." "I shouldn't think you were the man to be cheated." "Not in an ordinary way, you bet. But the Colonel had the bulge on me I guess. He could have handed me over to the authorities in San Francisco for a murder. Oh! don't look scared Herrick. I'm not going to own up to all my crimes. I have committed heaps though." "Oh, damn your beastly talk," said Herrick angrily, for the shamelessness of the man made him sick, "just tell me about that night."