“Or I of her.”
“Either way. So that’s it? And you told her all about this racket, because you thought it wrong to hold any secrets of your own, and she soured on it. Well, that’s woman’s way. And the other lady you spoke about, she who made you run wild, you’ve forgotten her?”
Onslow nodded.
“And she’s forgotten you?”
“I hope she has; and if she hasn’t I can’t help it.”
“Well, Mr. Onslow, if this business is to end in a ’bout ship, as soon as the donkeyman comes back from his hunting I am ready to get under weigh and be off. But as he isn’t here yet, and as we’ve still a bit of time to wait, I’d like to hear what is going to become of that £500,000 and the old ship after all. I’ve been in at the handling of them both so long that I’m beginning to take quite a friendly interest in their movements. As you know, I’ve liked them so well at times that I’ve been half inclined to adopt them myself.”
“I know; and it is to your honor that you didn’t.”
“Oh, as to honor, don’t you make any blessed error about that, sir. I’m a poor man with a family, and a wife that works, Mr. Onslow, and honor’s a luxury beyond my means. It was just my cantankerousness that prevented me being a rich man this minute. If the crew hadn’t been so uppish that night in the gut of the Florida channel, so help me, neither steamer nor gold would have got as far as this. And if it had come to a scramble, then you can bet I’m the man to have grabbed the pig’s share. But that chance is gone and done with, and so we’ll let it pass for the present. Still, I’d like to hear—if I might—who is to finger the stuff.”
“Kettle, I’d tell you if I could, but on my soul, I’m not able. My bargain with the girl I’m going to marry was to pocket no share of the plunder myself; but, as I warned her when we made our bargain, I was Shelf’s man still, and couldn’t cease to serve him because of scruples with my own conscience. And so I was going to set off and carry his half to the bank which we had agreed upon, when a newspaper arrived to say that he had gone smash, and was in jail awaiting trial on sixteen heavy charges. It seems he had tried to make a bolt of it, and very nearly succeeded; but, through an accident to one of his own steamers, drifted back into the very hands of the English police.”
“Having got him,” said Kettle, “they are likely to keep him on hand. There should be charges enough against that gentleman, if only they can find half of them, to do anything to him short of hanging.”