‘I said: “Excuse me, but the Government is robbed, and, since the Government represents the public, the public is robbed. You are robbing the public. Besides, coining is a crime.”
‘He burst out: “Only in the eyes of the law. It is not a real crime.”
‘I said, as quietly as I could: “That may be; real or unreal, it is a crime.”
‘He went on, apparently not noticing my observation: “Anyhow, I find it necessary to put this money into circulation at a far quicker rate than I have previously achieved. The years are slipping by. I have by me vast accumulations of silver money, and I must negotiate them. I will tell you my object, Featherstone: it is to take a just revenge upon a scoundrel who, more than twenty years ago--before her birth--cast a shadow--a terrible shadow--over the life of the girl whom you love. Will not that move you?”
‘He said: “Yes, Juana and her sister and their poor mother. I have lived till now only to carry out that scheme--only to see this man at my feet ruined and begging for a mercy which I shall not vouchsafe.”
‘I own that I was moved to sympathy by the fearful earnestness of Mr. Craig. I asked him who the man was.
‘He replied: “That I will not tell you, nor will I tell you his sin, nor the precise nature of my revenge, until you agree to join me. Surely you, as the professed lover of Juana, will not hesitate for a moment?”
‘I said: “First, let me ask you one or two questions.”
‘So I asked: “You want me to help you in passing this coin which has not come from the Royal Mint?”
‘He replied with eagerness: “Yes. I want one or two accounts opened at other banks, and certain operations put into action with financiers and specie dealers. Also, with your help, I can do a lot at our own bank.”
‘I said: “It seems to me you have already done something there.”
‘He laughed, and outlined to me the various means, all very ingenious, by which he had already disposed of a lot of silver.
‘I said: “Another question: Am I to understand that if I decline to join you you will withhold your consent to my marriage with i your daughter?”
‘He answered: “If now, at this stage, you decline to join me, I would see both you and Juana dead before I allowed you to marry.”
‘His manner was ferocious. I could see that he was absolutely absorbed--that his whole moral being was cankered by this life-long idea of a mysterious revenge. And though I did not allow him to guess the fact, I was annoyed at his attempt to intimidate me. I am not to be intimidated.