"Strange that you should mention his name in conjunction with Kidd. He had a treasure likewise, had he not?"
"What do you mean by 'had a treasure likewise?'"
Herrick considered a minute before replying. As a rule he was not a man given to loose speaking, and preferred to do his own work without the assistance of any one. But he saw that Frith was a shrewd and capable man, and that in case of need, his advice was not to be despised. So far as Joyce was concerned, Jim did not intend to say anything at present, as he was not yet sure of his ground and even had he been sure, he would have hesitated to betray his friend, however guilty he might be. Concerning Don Manuel, he had no such scruples, so he then and there told the lawyer all that had passed at the flat. Frith listened attentively, but seemed in no way astonished.
"It is the sort of thing one would expect from Carr," he said. "The man was a bad lot, and I daresay if we knew all the details of that expedition we should find it less innocent than this Mexican has depicted. Still, leaving the man amongst the Indians was bad enough. So that was how he made his money. I always knew it was not made in any respectable way."
"Few fortunes are," said Herrick dryly.
"That is true; but some methods may be more damnable than others, as in this case. Carr I know went away many years ago, as poor as a rat. I have heard my father speak of him. He came back ten years ago with no end of money. We helped him to invest it. As the income is eight thousand a year Dr. Herrick, you may guess what the principal amounted to. Treasure-hunting sounds innocent enough, even romantic, but in Carr's hands I can guess what a piece of rascality it was. The man could not run straight. If there was a possibility of going the wrong way, he took that in preference to following the right path."
"Still," said Herrick approaching the main object of his visit, "the man had some good points. For instance, he was charitable to Mrs. Joyce."
"Of West Kensington?" said Frith with a stare. "How did you know about her."
"Joyce is a friend of mine. I was with him on a walking-tour when he received your letter asking him to call."
"Nonsense. We never wrote the man a letter in our lives!"