"You might have guessed, knowing Vetch, whom your own father had
sent out here," I said.

"But not for this," he said eagerly. "I beg you to believe me,
Bold. I know there is much against me, but after that business at
the turnpike I told Vetch I would countenance no more tricks of
that sort--though I own I helped to arrange your kidnapping at
Bristowe."

"'Twas an insult to Mistress Lucy to send Vetch out here," I said,
refusing to compromise on this matter. "But go on, let me hear how
you came to this."

"Lucy told me what tricks Vetch had been playing, and begged me to
help her to get away from him, and burst into tears, and I can't
stand a woman's tears. I sought Vetch, and I told him that he had
gone too far, and bade him remember that, whether she married me or
not, she is my cousin, and I wouldn't have her worried.

"'You've got my father's power of attorney,' I said to him, 'but
that don't authorize you to do what you are doing.'

"And then the scoundrel rounded on me, and asked me with his
infernal sneer what I thought he had come out to Jamaica for, and
then, by heaven, Bold, he said that he was going to marry Lucy
himself!"

At this I broke into a shout of laughter, the idea seemed so
ridiculous; but my mirth gave place to a hot fit of anger when I
remembered that the fellow had Lucy in his power.