The Deceptive Schemes of the Duke and the King

In Chapter 13 of the narrative, the readers witness a masterful display of manipulation and deceit by two con artists, referred to as the "king" and the "duke." They arrive in town posing as the brothers of the late Peter Wilkes, successfully deceiving the grieving family and the local community through a series of calculated performances.

The Performance of Grief

Upon arriving at the Wilkes' residence, the two frauds immediately stage a dramatic scene to establish their legitimacy. They approach the coffin and "burst out crying," eventually kneeling to "pretend to pray" over the deceased. This performance is highly effective, as the crowd, moved by the display, is quick to accept them. The king further bolsters his credibility by delivering a speech "full of tears and nonsense," using intimate details about the family and the town that he had previously "heard every little detail" about from a young man on a steamboat. By weaving these specific facts into his narrative, he makes it appear as though he had been in correspondence with the late Peter Wilkes.

The Financial Deception

The duo’s primary objective is to acquire the family's fortune. After locating the "six thousand dollars" hidden in the cellar, they devise a plan to gain the family's complete trust. The duke suggests, "Let's go upstairs, count out the money, and then give it to the girls," believing that this act of generosity will ensure the family never questions their identity. The king agrees, noting, "They've got to believe we're their uncles if we give them the money." When the money is handed over to Mary Jane, the emotional connection seems solidified.

Dr. Robinson’s Skepticism and the Protagonist’s Moral Awakening

Despite the success of the ruse, Dr. Robinson remains unconvinced, calling the king a "fraud" and criticizing his "English accent" as the "worst imitation" he has ever heard. While the crowd largely ignores the doctor's warning due to Mary Jane's belief in the impostors, the narrator begins to feel "so mean and so low down" upon realizing the girls’ kindness. He observes that they "didn't deserve to have their money stolen by those two old frauds," prompting a resolve to thwart their plans.

The Theft and the Final Concealment

As the narrator eavesdrops on the conspirators, he discovers their even darker intentions: they plan to "sell the house and all the property" owned by Peter Wilkes, leaving the orphans with nothing. The king dismisses the duke’s momentary hesitation by arguing that they are only taking the cash and that the girls will not "suffer at all" once the truth eventually comes out.

Seizing his chance, the narrator steals the bag of money while the two men are distracted. In a moment of desperation, he hides the gold inside the coffin, "under the lid, just below where the man's hands were crossed." The chapter concludes with the funeral proceedings, where the narrator carries the secret of the hidden fortune, while the king continues his manipulation by convincing the girls to "have an auction" for their property and promising to take them back to England, further deepening the tragedy of their exploitation.