And so, ma'am, you succeeded in fixin' it up with Dona Rosita to take her place and just sell them robbers cheap! Wa'al, ma'am, yer sold this yer party, too--for"-- he advanced his face close to hers--"I never let on a word, though I knew it, and although they nearly knocked me off my hoss in their fuss and fury.

Ha! ha! They wanted to know what I was doin' here, he-he! Tell 'em, Joan, tell 'em." Demorest gazed from one to another with a troubled face, yet one on which a faint relief was breaking.
"What does he mean, Joan?
Speak," he said, almost imploringly.
Joan, whose color was slightly returning, drew herself up with her old cold Puritan precision.
"After the scene you made this morning, Richard, when you chose to accuse your wife of unfaithfulness to her friend, her guest, and even your reputation, I resolved to go myself with Dona Rosita to Los Osos and explain the matter to her father.

Some rumor of the ridiculous farce I have just witnessed reached us through Ezekiel, and frightened the poor girl so that she declined--and properly, too to face the hoax which you and some nameless impersonator of a disgraced fugitive have gotten up for purposes of your own! I wish you joy of your work! If the play is over now, I presume I may be allowed to proceed on my journey ?" "Not yet," said Demorest slowly, with a face over which the chasing doubts had at last settled in a grayish pallor.

"Believe what you like, misunderstand me if you will, laugh at the danger you perhaps comprehend better than I do, but upon this road, wherever or to whatever it was leading you--to-night you go no further!" "Then I suppose I may return home," she said coldly.

"Ezekiel will accompany me back to protect me from--robbers.