His wife, borne down by shame and sorrow, died while her son was still an infant.

In a fit of equal remorse and recklessness the caballero married again within the year.
But the new wife was of a temper and bearing as bitter as her consort.
Violent quarrels ensued between them, ending in the husband abandoning his wife and son, and leaving St.Louis--I should say Guadalajara--for ever.

Joining some adventurers in a foreign land, under an assumed name, he pursued his reckless course, until, by one or two acts of outlawry, he made his return to civilization impossible.

The deserted wife and step-mother of his child coldly accepted the situation, forbidding his name to be spoken again in her presence, announced that he was dead, and kept the knowledge of his existence from his own son, whom she placed under the charge of her sister.

But the sister managed to secretly communicate with the outlawed father, and, under a pretext, arranged between them, of sending the boy to another relation, actually dispatched the innocent child to his unworthy parent.