there thinking of how I should kill him--slowly, taking my own time-
-talking to him all the while.

"What I had learnt was no more than I expected. The woman (his
wife), it appeared, was the daughter of a merchant at Gibraltar.
They were a whole nest of Scorpions. I went back to Algeciras, and
said nothing then to Lorenza. The next night I heard by chance that
he and his wife and children had taken passage in a steamer that
sailed for England in two days. Madre de Dio! he nearly slipped
through our fingers. It was not a P. and O. ship: the passengers
had to take a boat from the Old Mole, which is always crowded with
Algeciras boats and others. Nino and I sailed across there and
waited among the small craft. We saw the woman (his wife) and the
children go on board in the afternoon. In the evening he came. I
had arranged it with the licensed boatmen; a few pesetas did that.
Our boat was nearest the steps. In the dim light of the quay lamp
he noticed nothing, but stepped over the gunwale and mentioned the
name of his steamer in a quick way, which he thought was that of the
English.

"Nino took the oars, and when we were round the pier head we hoisted
the sail. Then I spoke.

"'I am the father of Lorenza Roldos,' I said, 'and that man is Nino,
her cortejo. We are going to kill you.'

"He started up, and was about to raise a cry, when Nino whipped out
his country knife. We carry them, you know."

"Yes," said Cartoner, speaking for the second time, "I know."