"
"He has spoken nothing but the truth, so far, my child.
Garcia is a villain! it was he who assailed me."
"How was it he came to assail you, father?"
"My child, that man has designs against you; it is time that I
told you all I know concerning yourself!"
"Do so, father."
The old smuggler proceeded and related to Renie all that he
had told to Garcia, and also stated the Cuban's proposition.
The girl was silent, but deeply interested, and the one
thought that ran through her mind was the knowledge that
Spencer Vance had overheard the revelation when made to
Garcia.
The old man had just concluded his narrative when an intruder
walked into the cabin.
CHAPTER XIV.
A reckless gang of men were assembled in the low tavern kept
my a man named Rigby.
The latter was a remarkable man. He kept a low seashore
resort, a place where fishermen and the roughest sort of men
gathered, and yet he was a man of considerable education and a
great deal of cunning, and coined more good money in this
little seaside tavern then did other rumsellers who occupied
saloons in the great city, that cost thousands to fit up and
decorate.
Rigby was too cunning and careful to be a smuggler himself,
but he was also cunning enough to "scoop in" the major portion
of the earnings of the men engaged in the perilous trade.
It was only when the business had grown to large proportions
that the Government organized a regular plan for its
suppression; and at the time our story opens, the play between
the smugglers and the Government agents was at its finest
point.
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