It was with a thankful heart that Alan Thorold realized the value of Joe as an ally. At one time he had really believed that Lestrange was truly Sophy's father, and although she would never have admitted the relationship, still it was satisfactory to know that the man had no claim on her obedience. The knowledge of Lestrange's falsehood cleared the air somewhat. For one thing, it proved conclusively that the Captain had come to blackmail the girl. His claim to be her father was doubtless made in the hope that she would accompany him back to Jamaica, and would give him control of her money. Failing this--and Lestrange had long since realized that there was no doing anything with Sophy in a paternal way--there remained the chance that, to preserve Marlow's memory from stain, she might buy his silence. Thus Lestrange argued, and Alan, with his eyes on the man's expressive face, guessed his thoughts and answered them. "No, Lestrange," he said, with decision, "you won't get one penny." "We shall see about that," was the rejoinder. "Of course. We are going to see about it now. You will be brought to your bearings, sir. Joe, you say that this man is Jean Lestrange?" "Yes, sir. But may I ask, Mr. Thorold, how you know about the shark?" "I have heard the story from his own lips, Joe. He claimed to be Achille Lestrange and Miss Sophy's father." "Did he, now, the swab! and you know, sir, how Mrs. Lestrange ran away to Mr. Beauchamp from the way her husband treated her?" "I know----" "Achille treated Zelia well," interrupted the Captain; "only too well." "That's another lie!" retorted Joe. "He was fond-like of her the first year they were married, but it was you, Captain Jean, who made a mess of them. You made him jealous of Mr. Beauchamp, and he treated her crool. No wonder she ran away, poor lass!" "Did the way Achille treated Zelia give Beauchamp any right to murder him?" "He didn't murder him. You know he didn't." "He did, I say. Achille was found stabbed to the heart on the veranda of Beauchamp's house. Zelia was dead, and your master took the child away to his yacht at Falmouth. You were on board." "Yes," said Joe coolly, "I wos; and it wos well for you, Captain Jean, that I wasn't near the house that same evening. I'd ha' wrung your neck, I would! Anyhow, master didn't kill Munseer Achille." "There was a warrant out for his arrest, however." "I know that, Captain Jean, and it was you who got it out. And I know as you came over here after master from seeing his picter in the papers. We both knowed you were coming, Captain Jean." Alan interposed: "Was that the West Indian letter, Joe?" "Yes, sir, it was. Master got a letter from a friend of his in Jamaica telling him this swab was after him to say as he'd murdered Munseer Achille, which," added Joe, deliberately eyeing Lestrange, "is a d----d lie!" "Then who killed Achille?" sneered the Captain, quivering with rage.