Ber. (realising what he has said). Why—why—it’s right here! (Hastily examines the ring.) You can see it for yourself!
Ariel. You have wonderful eyes. I have always known what the name is, and I have hard work to trace it. You see what a curious little old-fashioned ring it is; it has a German mark in it. Captain Freeman traced this to a German jeweler who in 1878 engraved the name Alicia in a baby ring for a Mrs. Emerson. The address was a hotel in Berlin. Father moved heaven and earth to trace it still further, but that was all he ever found out. He decided that my mother must have been Alicia Emerson, but whom she married, who my father is, will probably always remain unknown. Somewhere in the world I may have a mother—a father.
Ber. You have been happy here?
Ariel. Oh, yes, indeed. I couldn’t have had a kinder father than Captain Freeman. Gracious, Captain Berry, I can’t imagine why I have told you all these things! I never speak of them to any one but Miss Cynthy. Somehow you seem to be the kind of man one tells their innermost secrets to. It was so kind of you to help Lee Gordon this morning.
Ber. Nonsense! Nothing kind about it. Justice, that’s all. He ain’t any more guilty than I am.
Ariel. You really think so?
Ber. Certain! One look at his face will tell you that.
Ariel. But the evidence against him? Such a lot of it!
Ber. By tunket, the circumstantial kind or I’ll eat my hat.
Ariel. Why, Captain Berry (suddenly grabbing pipe from hammock), look! Here’s a pipe in my hammock! What in the world——