ng the life assurance. Farnham was supposed to have
several policies, each one for an enormous sum; he had left everything
of which he should die possessed, life assurance and all the rest, to
Wildred, who would actually go halves with Farnham when the money should
be secured.

"I have nothing of my own, you know, except what I can make by my wits,
for my father disinherited me, and I've had just a little too much pride
ever to take anything from Karine. Wildred offered me ten thousand
pounds to work this business for him; half to be paid down, half when
the thing had been successfully carried through to the close.

"Of course, I had sense enough to know it was a villainous fraud, but
I've never been very scrupulous, and it was easy to persuade myself that
I owed Harvey Farnham a good turn for what he did for me in the past.
Besides, I wanted the money, and there was five thousand in notes
(Wildred was too sly to give a cheque) on the table for me to take or
leave. I didn't see that I was going to do much harm to anybody except
the insurance companies, who are rich enough to lose, as Farnham hadn't
a relative in the world; but before heaven, if I'd dreamed of the truth,
I'd have let Wildred do his worst before I'd have gone in with him.

"As for the Santa Anna, I knew that every board of the hotel was
assured--the landlord would lose nothing, and after I'd kindled the fire
I knocked like mad on your door. I fancy, though you didn't know it, it
must have been that which first began to rouse you. I didn't give myself
much time to get out, after taking off the disguise (which I flatter
myself I did pretty well), but I just managed it. I can tell you I was
desperate when I walked in here and found you; but now I was never so
thankful for anything in the course of my life."

"The present question is, then," I said, "whether you will go straight
to England with me and tell all you know about Carson Wildred? If we
stopped on this side, to prove things step by step as we went, we should
labour under two disadvantages. It would mean indefinite delay, and you
would get into trouble about that business at the hotel to-night. To
sail at once for England, and let matters here take care of themselves
for the present, is our only plan, I think. What do you say?"

"You are sure that Wildred can't swear my life away?"

"As sure as I am that we are both alive at this moment."

"Then I'm in your hands. I'll save my sister, and I'll