Smythe laughed uneasily.
“That was a pretty big contract for Watts to take on.”
“Of course, he never intended to keep it,” said Hallibut. “She gave him money with which to seek out her friends. The sailor says he put it in his pocket and let the County bury the poor woman.”
“And the baby?” queried Smythe, his face twitching.
“I’m coming to that. It seems this Watts’ hunchback sister was a good woman at heart. She wanted to keep the baby. But he sent the child away into the forest with an Indian on a wild-goose chase and kept the parcel.”
Smythe made five dots on the paper before him.
“What was in the parcel?” he asked, wiping his eyes.
“The sailor didn’t know, but it was reported to be money. You’ll make me wish I hadn’t told you this harrowing story, Smythe.”
“Poor mother; poor little orphan,” sighed the storekeeper.
The Colonel stared at him.