and we could return to America and drop into my place in society
without causing more than a passing comment.

"I concluded to meet the matter squarely once for all. I said that
I would convert half of the property into money and give it to her,
but that I would not marry her. She did not fly into a storming
rage as I had expected, but went quietly out of the room and
presently returned with two papers, which she read. One was the
certificate of her marriage to Walcott duly authenticated; the
other was the dying statement of her father, the Mexican gambler,
and of Samuel Walcott, charging me with murder. It was in proper
form and certified by the Jesuit priest.

"'Now,' she said, sweetly, when she had finished, 'which do you
prefer, to recognize your wife, or to turn all the property over to
Samuel Walcott's widow and hang for his murder?'

"I was dumfounded and horrified. I saw the trap that I was in and
I consented to do anything she should say if she would only destroy
the papers. This she refused to do. I pleaded with her and
implored her to destroy them. Finally she gave them to me with a
great show of returning confidence, and I tore them into bits and
threw them into the fire.

"That was three months ago. We arranged to go to Spain and do as
she said. She was to sail this morning and I was to follow. Of
course I never intended to go. I congratulated myself on the fact
that all trace of evidence against me was destroyed and that her
grip was now broken. My plan was to induce her to sail, believing
that I would follow. When she was gone I would marry Miss St.