Keralio burst out fiercely:
"Squeal, will he, the dog? I'd like to know what will become of him when the final reckoning's paid. Will he tell the police that he was a drunken adventurer in the South African mining camps before his twin brother, Kenneth Traynor, arrived at Cape Town? Will he tell the police that he set the steamer afire, murdered his own brother, and, profiting by the extraordinary resemblance, returned to New York, passing himself off as the man who went away. No, he won't tell all that, will he? But I will. Did you bring the money? Let me see it."
The talking suddenly ceased, and was followed by a deep silence. Steell, staggered at this unexpected revelation, almost stumbled in his eagerness to hear more. Turning to his companion, he exclaimed in a horror-stricken whisper:
"My God! Did you hear that? It's even worse than I feared. They've done away with Kenneth. That man at the house is an impostor!"
"An impostor?" ejaculated Dick. "Impossible. Don't we all know Kenneth when we see him?"
"Nothing's impossible!" rejoined the lawyer hurriedly. "Kenneth had a twin brother—the resemblance was so extraordinary as children that no one knew them apart. The brother disappeared years ago. They thought him dead. Kenneth must have come across him in South Africa. This brother killed him and took his place. It's all clear to me now. We're in a den of assassins!"
Inside the conversation began again.
"Hush! Listen!" whispered Steell.
The voice of Keralio was once more raised in angry tones.
"Didn't I tell you that I wanted the child brought here at once?"