nd
leave her alone for half an hour. And she lying there looking as if she
wouldn't live a day. But she always hated me."

I said bitterly, "You needn't have worried her like this. If she had not
lived for another day you would have had this house and everything else
besides; a bigger bit than even your wolfish throat can swallow,
Mademoiselle Therese."

I then said a few more things indicative of my disgust with her rapacity,
but they were quite inadequate, as I wasn't able to find words strong
enough to express my real mind. But it didn't matter really because I
don't think Therese heard me at all. She seemed lost in rapt amazement.

"What do you say, my dear Monsieur? What! All for me without any sort
of paper?"

She appeared distracted by my curt: "Yes." Therese believed in my
truthfulness. She believed me implicitly, except when I was telling her
the truth about herself, mincing no words, when she used to stand
smilingly bashful as if I were overwhelming her with compliments. I
expected her to continue the horrible tale but apparently she had found
something to think about which checked the flow. She fetched another
sigh and muttered:

"Then the law can be just, if it does not require any paper. After all,
I am her sister."

"It's very difficult to believe that--at sight," I said roughly.

"Ah, but that I could prove. There are papers for that."

After this declaration she began to clear the table, preserving a
thoughtful silence.

I was not very surprised at the news of Dona Rita's departure for Paris.
It was not necessary to ask myself why she had gone. I didn't even ask
myself whether she had left the leased Villa on the Prado for ever.
Later talking again with Therese, I learned that her sister had given it
up for the use of the Carlist cause and that some sort of unofficial
Consul, a Carlist agent of some sort, either was going to live there or
had already taken possession. This, Rita herself had told her before her
departure on that agitated morning spent in the house--in my rooms. A
close investigation demonstrated to me that there was nothing missing
from them. Even the wretched match-box which I really hoped was gone
turned up in a drawer after I had, delightedly, given it up. It was a
great blow. She might have taken that at least! She knew I used to
carry it about with me constantly while ashore. She might have taken it!
Apparently she meant that there should be no bond le