were dying. "She will get there. The property will be hers."

"Not necessarily. He has simply invited her to live with him. She may not
suit."

"How?" demanded Garcia, open-eyed and open-mouthed with anxiety.

"He has simply invited her to live with him," repeated Coronado. "I saw
the letter."

"What! you don't know, then?"

"Know what?"

"Muñoz is dead."

Coronado threw out, first a stare of surprise, and then a shout of
laughter.

"And here they have just got a letter from him," he said presently; "and I
have been persuading her to go to him by the isthmus!"

"May the journey take her to him!" muttered Garcia. "How old was this
letter?"

"Nearly three months. It came by sea, first to New York, and then here."

"My news is a month later. It came overland by special messenger. Listen
to me, Carlos. This affair is worse than you know. Do you know what Muñoz
has done? Oh, the pig! the dog! the villainous pig! He has left everything