"You would not have gone to Key West to stop the Islander at your own expense." "I did go at my own expense," added Cornwood, with a smile. "But not to stop the Islander," I added. "I admit that I had another mission there. I had been thinking of going to Key West on business for a week." "When you got there you forged a letter to Captain Blastblow, to induce him to leave before the arrival of the Sylvania," I added. "That was a little harmless strategy to enable me to carry out the purpose for which I went to Key West," added Cornwood, with the smoothest of smiles. "I never heard forgery called by that name before," I replied, with becoming severity. "It was not to obtain money, or any other valuable consideration from Colonel Shepard that I wrote his name. Why, I could have made two hundred dollars by detaining the Islander," said the Floridian, with spirit. "Instead of doing what he employed you to do, you sold him out, and let his steamer go off without him. You were satisfied that Nick had the four thousand dollars with him, and you were bound to have the half, if not the whole of it. It looks like a plain case." "You are taking an entirely wrong view of the matter, Captain Garningham," protested Cornwood. "I shall be able to prove in due time that you are utterly mistaken." "Two thousand dollars were found on you, and the same on Nick." "I grant that this fact has a suspicious look about it; and I can not greatly blame you for your course, though the brutality exercised upon me was entirely unnecessary. Now I will explain the whole matter to you just as it was; and you will see that you were greatly mistaken." "I am ready to hear anything you have to say," I replied. "That four thousand dollars is a rather annoying coincidence," he began. "I should think it might be," I added. "You quite mistake my meaning. I am willing to admit that I have told professional lies in the interest of my clients. I am Buckner's counsel, though I told you to the contrary. He admitted his guilt to me." "Did he, indeed? Did he tell you what he did with the package of bills after he took it from the counter?" "He did: he acknowledged that he was guilty, and told me how it was done," replied Cornwood, with easy assurance, of which I had seen a great deal on his part. "Buckner's wife was at the door of the saloon, and he gave the package to her as he rushed out. She had it under her shawl before Nick got half way to the door. She went home; and my client considers it a successful affair. He offered me five hundred dollars to get him out of the scrape, and that is the fee for which I am working just now, in part." "And he gave you the money, did he?" I asked, hardly able to keep from laughing in the face of the guileless Floridian.