until this morning the whole story of the Lost Souls' Pool transaction,
but I suspected it. Starr Wiley had a strong motive for getting Miss
Murdaugh out of the way if she did not prove amenable to his schemes,
and he provided himself with a strong weapon, but he overlooked one
salient point. I happened to know Gentleman Geoff's last name, I
learned it from his own lips as he lay dying, and it was not
Abercrombie."

"After I left New York," Willa took up the story, "Starr Wiley came
down here, registered a deed of sale, signed by Tia Juana, giving him
possession of the Lost Souls' Pool and proceeded with his partner to
develop it and float it on the market. I believe Mr. Thode tried to
warn Mr. North through his son not to go into it, but unfortunately for
him, Mr. North would not heed, and he and Mr. Halstead invested
heavily. I say 'unfortunately,' for the money is lost! Gentlemen,
Juana Reyes and I still own that property. Starr Wiley--and in this
his partner, Harrington Chase, is equally guilty with him--had induced
a poor ignorant old Mexican woman, Rosa Mendez, to sign the name of
Juana Reyes to the bill of sale, copying it from the original signature
in the registry. He thought the trick which had served him so well in
Arizona could be safely repeated, but I have Rosa Mendez upstairs at
this moment, together with the real Juana Reyes and Jose. Shall I call
them?"

"No, no!" shrieked Starr Wiley. "I will not face that old hag! What's
the use? You've got the goods on me! It's all true, all of it except
that I instigated El Negrito's raid! That I never----"

"It was Tia Juana herself who witnessed your secret negotiations with
Juan de Soria, El Negrito's agent!" Willa interposed swiftly. "It's
been a fair fight, Starr Wiley, for I warned you once, but you have
played directly into my hands. I've paid my debt to Dad, but you have
yet to meet the penalty. For your crime against me, and those you have
victimized in the Lost Souls venture you will not live to make
restitution; you know what awaits you for summoning El Negrito down
from the hills!"

For an instant Wiley cowered, shuddering. Then with a supreme effort
he straightened and turned to his guards.

"Take me out of this!" he demanded hoarsely, through white lips. "I'm
through! Take me away!"

With a scream Angie flung herself forward, but he put her aside as if
in a dream and marched out with his guards on either side and his eyes
fi