"
"Renie was only a year old when placed in your charge"
"That's all, sir."
"Well, proceed."
"There ain't much more to tell; my wife told me that the man,
had left the child in her charge, and that we were to be well
paid for its keep; and as long as Betsy thought it as all
right, I made no objections."
"Did the man ever come again?"
"No, sir; the day following the bringing of the child ashore
the yacht sailed away and never since has her prow plowed the
waters of the bay. Nor has anyone belonging to her ever been
seen in these parts."
"And how long ago did this occur?"
"Nigh onto seventeen years ago, sir."
"And Renie is about eighteen years old?"
"Thereabouts, sir."
"It is not likely that she will ever be claimed."
"Hardly, sir."
"It is not likely that the box will ever be found."
"Hardly, sir."
There was one man, however, who dissented from the latter
opinion; the detective in his own mind resolved that he would
find that box, if it took him years to trace it; meantime the
man Garcia opened his scheme.
"Tom, you must let me have the girl."
"I am willing; but the girl herself objects."
"She does?"
"Yes."
"You have spoken to her?"
"Yes; I told her a rich gentleman in New York, wished to adopt
her, a man who would bring her up as his own child; but she
answered that she did not wish to go to New York; did not
desire to be adopted, and would not leave me."
"She must be compelled to go with me!"
"I wouldn't like to do that.
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