But now comes the most curious part of the story. The man who had assisted in digging somehow or other had got Winkey’s address. It was almost indistinct as written, but “Fifth Avenue, New York,” could just be made out.
This the man gave to Mr. W. A. H., and he in turn gave it to Green, in whose honesty the lawyer had the utmost confidence. But it was necessary to success that Winkey be run to earth at once; so the lawyer dispatched Green to New York to find the runaway and confront him with a charge of roguery.
Probably Green was not so great a fool as he looked.
In all probability he found Winkey, and after a quarrel resumed partnership.
Perhaps this was so; but as Burns says,—
“Facts are chiels that winna ding,”
and the fact is that the clever but over-confiding lawyer has not up to the present date, July 15, 1897, heard again of either Winkey or Green. Very likely they are enjoying themselves together at some Continental or British watering-place.
While I write, it is a most brilliant sunny summer’s day, and only six miles from here Henley regatta is in full swing. When I finish this chapter I shall drive there, and it is just within the bounds of possibility that I might stumble across Winkey. I should know him at a glance!
* * * * *
The finding of our gold, or rather, I should say, the gold of Captain Keeves and Don Miguel M‘Lean, took place last December (1896). We succeeded in landing it easily, and had the whole melted down into bars, which were sold for their full value.