"Then this man is not Sophy's father?" gasped Alan.
"Oh, he sez that, does he, the lubber? Missy's father! Why, he ain't fit to be her shoeblack!"
"Achille was the girl's father," said Lestrange sullenly. He saw that it was useless to lie in face of Joe's positive knowledge. "And if I'm not her father, I'm her uncle."
"That's a d----d lie!" put in Joe. "You weren't no more nor Achille's cousin. What you are to missy, I don't know. But she won't have nothing to do with you, you landshark!"
"Joe, do you mean to say your late master is not Sophy's father?"
"I do, sir. It's got to come out somehow, if only to put a stop to that devil's pranks. She's the daughter of Achille Lestrange."
"Who was murdered by Marlow!" finished the Captain savagely. "Ah, my friends, I have still some cards left."
"You'll have no teeth left!" growled Joe, making a step forward. "You're a liar, Captain Jean--you always was! Mr. Marlow----"
"Beauchamp," corrected Lestrange, with a glance at Alan.
"Beauchamp it is," continued Brill coolly. "Oh, you needn't be afeared that I'm going to lie! But Mr. Beauchamp never stabbed Munseer Achille, and you know it, you lubber! Let me get at him, Mr. Thorold!"