Kane was silent for a long time, as were the others; but at last the millionaire raised his head again and spoke.
“Nick,” he said, “there is always a chance that you may be wrong, isn’t there?”
“Yes.”
“Then let us look at both sides of this question.”
“Very well.”
“Suppose that you are all in the wrong?”
“Well?”
“Suppose that your conjectures as to Count Cadillac’s ultimate purpose are wrong, and that he has no more idea of taking her to Anjou than you have? We won’t depart from the original theme, that you believe he will treat her square—for I agree with you about that silk-purse-and-sow’s-ear business—but suppose that his intention is merely to keep her a prisoner where she is, on board the Shadow, until such time as she will agree to become his wife; eh?”
“Go ahead, Kane. You have not finished yet.”
“No; I haven’t. Suppose all that; eh? He can live by following up his piratical profession, and the devil himself can’t catch him. If he is pursued too hotly, he can go under water and stay there until the pursuit has drawn off.”