Jarge, to all appearances, did not relish the conversation, and with a mumbled excuse he sauntered away.
“Yes, sir,” Mr. Lydecker repeated, once they were alone, “Mr. Jarge won my instant admiration. I don’t mind telling you, Mr. Klein, that I have engaged this man to mingle with my guests to-night. The robbery of last week has naturally made me nervous, and I concluded I would take measures to prevent another incident like that.”
“You say that this Mr. Jarge was a detective on the Fall River boat?” Klein asked. “How did you find that out?”
“Why, he told me himself,” replied Mr. Lydecker. “Besides, he returned all my daughter’s jewelry, which she was foolish enough to leave in her stateroom when we went to dinner.”
“And I suppose Mr. Jarge caught the thief, and you prosecuted him?”
“Why, no; not exactly. You see, Mr. Jarge asked me to keep the matter quiet. We did so.”
“How does it happen that Mr. Jarge is in Hudson?” asked Klein.
“He has left the boat, and started in business for himself. He is very successful, too, I believe. I had almost to force him to take my case to-night.”
“Is that so?” Klein smiled to himself. “But did it ever occur to you, Mr. Lydecker, that this Jarge might have had a good reason for gaining your friendship in the manner he did?”
“Why—why, what do you mean?” sputtered the older man.