As far as the money went I would have taken care you came to no harm." "What was it, then ?" "I thought you understood all along," he said, with some surprise.

"I saw you were my rival with Christina, and my game was to drive you out of the country by making the place too hot for you." "She told me you didn't suspect about me and her till quite the end." "Did she ?" he answered, with a smile.

"I must be getting clever to deceive two such wide-awake, young people.

Of course I saw it all along.

But you had more grit than I thought.