e to
the police barracks and called on the colonel of police, with the same
result, which satisfied me beyond all doubt that however the storm blew
in London or New York there was not a single cloud on the horizon in
Havana. But it was soon to blow a hurricane. I had a very happy meeting
with my wife, and found her the picture of health and happiness.

As I looked in her face, beaming with confidence and faith, I realized
how hard it would be to tell her the terrible truth, and what a shock it
would be to her when she discovered the husband she believed the soul of
honor stood in danger of a prison. Yet I was tolerably certain she would
forgive me upon my promise never to do wrong again.

She had sent out invitations to dinner for Thursday to twenty friends.
There was then a steamer in the harbor advertised to sail in two days
for Mexico, and I had thought of going by her. Had we, this book would
never have been written.

As invitations were out for Thursday, I concluded to wait for Saturday's
steamer, but determined to sail on that day without fail.

Under our system of housekeeping a dinner party was a simple thing. We
merely had to notify our landlord how many guests we expected and the
thing was done, so far as we were concerned. Don Fernando would send his
hotel steward down to the house with reinforcements of cooks and
waiters, and my wife had simply to usher the guests into the dining room
and out again. Don Fernando's supernumeraries did the rest. On the day
of our dinner I was strongly tempted to give some hint to my wife that I
was in some way entangled in a web, but as she was so happy I could not
do it, but resolved to wait until we were settled in Mexico, and then to
tell her a little, but not all the truth.

My wife, all unconscious of the frightful calamity impending, entered
upon the last half day of happiness she was to know for many long years.
The same statement would be true of myself. As the guests were arriving
I was in a happy vein, and in the same happy frame of mind sat down to
dinner. Twenty happy mortals, but not one divined the termination of
that dinner party, least of all the proud and happy hostess. It was a
great success, and at 8 o'clock was drawing to a close. The long windows
were open, while the warm breeze from the nearby gulf was pouring
through the room. The clock had just chimed the quarter when there came
a sudden rush of feet over the veranda and through the hall. All eyes