th grief and horror; swore that she had
killed him by her cruelty; that there was nothing left her but to die,
and all that sort of thing; and for three days she was little better
than a mad woman. At the end of that time, after the fashion of her
people, she retired to her own room, covered herself with sackcloth and
ashes, and remained hidden from all eyes for the space of a fortnight,
weeping and wailing constantly and touching nothing but bread and
water."

"Poor wretch! She suffers like that, then, over a rascally fellow not
worth a single tear. It's marvellous, Major, what women do see in men
that they can go on loving them. Has she come out of her retirement
yet?"

"Yes, Mr. Cleek. She came out of it five days ago, to all appearances a
thoroughly heart-broken woman. Of course as she was all alone in the
world, my son and I considered it our duty, during the time of her
wildness and despair, to see that a thoroughly respectable female was
called in to take charge of the house and to show respect for the
proprieties, and for us to take up our abode there in order to prevent
her from doing herself an injury. We are still domiciled there, but it
will surprise you to learn that a most undesirable person is there also.
In short, sir, that the woman Anita Rosario, the cause of all the
trouble, is again an inmate of the house; and what is more remarkable
still, this time by Zuilika's own request."

"What's that? My dear Major, you amaze me! What can possibly have caused
the good lady to do a thing like that?"

"She hopes, she says, to appease the dead and to avert the threatened
'haunting.' At all events, she sent for Anita some days ago. Indeed, I
believe it is her intention to take the Spaniard with her when she
returns to the East."

"She intends doing that, then? She is so satisfied of her husband's
death that she deems no further question necessary. Intends to take no
further step toward proving it?"

"It has been proved to her satisfaction. His body was recovered the day
before yesterday."

"Oho! then he is dead, eh? Why didn't you say so in the beginning? When
did you learn of it?"

"This very evening. That is what brings me here. I learned from Zuilika
that a body answering the description of his had been fished from the
water at Tilbury and carried to the mortuary. It was horribly
disfigured--by contact with the piers and passing vessels--but she and
Anita--and--and my son--"

"Your son, Major? Your