"How long have you known Lady Josceline, Captain Dove?"
Captain Dove frowned as if in deep thought, and Slyne looked very crossly at him.
"About three quarters of an hour," the old man answered, and, glancing at Slyne, chuckled hoarsely. "She's only been Lady Josceline for so long."
Mr. Jobling nodded understanding and the creases on his fleshy forehead disappeared again.
"And before that—?" he suggested, politely patient.
"Before that she was—what she still is so far's I'm concerned—Saleh Harez, my adopted daughter."
"Sallie—Harris!" Mr. Jobling ejaculated. "Dear me! Did you say Sallie—er—Harris?"
"I said Saleh Harez," affirmed Captain Dove, and filled the glass at his elbow again. "But all that concerns you, so far's I can see, is that I've known her ever since she was knee-high to me. I've been a father to her all those years, and she's my adopted daughter. So now, you can take it from me, Mr. Jobling, that I'm the joker, and both bowers too, in this merry little game."
"Which makes it all the more unfortunate for you that you haven't a single penny to stake on your hand," Slyne put in, while the lawyer looked somewhat blankly from one to the other of them. "So—don't waste any more time bluffing, but tell Jobling how you found Sal—Lady Josceline."
Captain Dove darted a very evil look at his friendly adviser. "And what if I refuse?" he asked.