"All the better for him," Foster rejoined. "It's pretty clear that he had a share in the thing."
Carmen suddenly leaned back and turned her head. She had given in sooner than Foster expected, but the evidence was overwhelming. He did not look at her for some moments and felt ashamed of the cruelty he had had to use, but there was no avoiding this when a number of people's happiness was at stake. After all, he thought it was rather her ambition than her affection that had been engaged. Then rousing herself with an effort she turned to him.
"Well," she said, "it looks as if I'd had an escape!"
Foster felt comforted, but did not answer, and she resumed: "You haven't told me this for nothing. What do you want?"
"I want to know where Daly is. I've no doubt he called here on his way west and you have his address."
"You can't force me to give it you."
"I don't know if I can or not, but don't want to use force," Foster replied, and while he waited, hesitating to play his last card, Carmen looked up with fear in her eyes.
"Jake," she said, "you mustn't think my father knows anything about this. I sent the packet, without telling him, because Daly asked me."
"But your father and he had some business together that nobody knew about."
"They had. They were really backing Nicholson, who got the first recorders turned off the Fish-hawk silver claim."