"He came to see mamma."

"I was afraid he would. What did he say?"

"He came one evening, after supper. It was dark and stormy, and he
drove up in a buggy. Mamma and I and the servants were home alone,
although Nellie had been over in the afternoon. He rang the bell, and
asked for mamma, and the girl ushered him into the parlor. He asked
the girl if we had company, and he said if we had he wouldn't bother
us."

"Guess he was afraid of being arrested."

"Perhaps so. He told the girl he was a friend from New York. I went
down first, and when I saw him I was almost scared to death. I thought
I was looking at a ghost."

"Naturally, since you thought he had been drowned. It's too bad he
scared you so, Dora."

"He said he had come on business, and without waiting began to talk
about the treasure we had taken from the isle. He insisted upon it
that the treasure belonged to him, since his uncle, Sid Merrick, was
dead. When my mother came in he demanded that she give him some money
and sign some papers."

"What did your mother do?"

"She refused, of course. Then he got very wild and talked in a