"NINA SAN CROIX

" , fool, the papers you destroyed were copies

"N SAN C "

To pinned line in delicate aristocratic hand saying Archbishop would willingly listen to Madam San Croix's statement if come to him on Friday morning at eleven

" ," said Walcott, desperately, " no possible way out the woman--when she decides thing end of it She has decided to "

Mason turned around table, stretched out his long legs, and thrust his hands deep into his pockets Walcott sat head down, watching Mason hopelessly, almost indifferently, his face blank and sunken The ticking bronze clock mantel shelf was loud, painfully loud Suddenly Mason drew his knees in and bent over, put both his bony hands table, and looked at Walcott

"Sir," , " is shape only This growth cut out roots, and cut out quickly first fact determined, and fool would know it The second fact yourself Hired killers are like the grave daughters horse leech,--they cry always, 'Give, Give ' only palliatives, not cures By using them you swap perils You simply take stay of execution at best The common criminal would know this These are the facts of your problem The master plotters of crime would see here but two difficulties to meet:

"A practical method for accomplishing the body crime

"A cover criminal agent

" see no farther, and attempt to guard no farther After they had provided plan killing, and means the killer could cover his trail and escape theater homicide, believe all the requirements problems met, and would stop The greatest, the very giants among them, have stopped here and in great error

"In every crime, especially great ones, there exists third element, preeminently vital This third element the master plotters have either overlooked or else had the genius to construct They plan with rare cunning to baffle the victim They plan with vast wisdom, almost genius, to baffle the trailer But they fail utterly any plan for baffling the punisher Ergo, their plots are fatally defective and often result in ruin Hence the vital necessity for providing the third element--the escape ipso jure "

Mason arose, walked around the table, and put his hand firmly on Samuel Walcott's shoulder " to-morrow night," he continued; " arrange your business matters to-morrow and announce that going on yacht cruise, by order of your physician, and may not return for some weeks prepare your yacht for voyage, instruct your men to touch at certain point on Staten Island, and wait until six o'clock day after tomorrow morning come aboard , to South American ports and remain until further orders By your absence for an indefinite period explained go to Nina San Croix disguise which always used, and from her yacht, and by step out of your real status and back without leaving traces come here to-morrow evening and furnish you with everything that you shall need and full and exact instructions in every particular These details execute greatest care, as vitally essential success plan "

Through it all Walcott silent and motionless Now he arose, and face there must some premonition of protest, for Mason stepped back and put out his hand "Sir," , with brutal emphasis, "not word Remember that only the hand, hand think " Then he turned around abruptly and went house

III

The place which Samuel Walcott had selected residence of Nina San Croix was far up northern suburb of New York The place was very old The lawn was large and ill kept; the house, square old-fashioned brick, was set far back street, and partly hidden by trees Around it all was rusty iron fence The place had the air of genteel ruin, such as one finds Virginias

On Thursday of November, about three o'clock afternoon, little man, driving dray, stopped alley rear house As he opened the back gate an old negro woman came down the steps kitchen and demanded what The drayman asked lady house was in The old negro answered that she was asleep hour and seen

" good," said the little man, "now there won't be any row I brought up some cases of wine which she ordered house last week and which the Boss told me to deliver at once, but I forgot it until to-day Just let me put it cellar now, Auntie, and don't say word lady and she won't ever know not brought up "

The drayman stopped, fished silver dollar out pocket, and gave it old negro "There now, Auntie," , "my job depends lady not knowing wine; keep it mum "

"Dat's all right, honey," said the old servant, beaming like May morning "De cellar door is open, carry it all in and put it in de back part and nobody ain't never going how long in dar "

The old negro went back kitchen little man began to unload the dray He carried in five wine cases and stowed them away back part cellar old woman had directed Then, after having satisfied himself that no one was watching, dray two heavy paper sacks, presumably filled with flour, and little bundle wrapped in an old newspaper; these he carefully hid behind the wine cases cellar After awhile he closed the door, climbed dray, and drove off down the alley

About eight o'clock evening same day, Mexican sailor dodged front gate and slipped down side house He stopped window and tapped finger In moment woman opened the door She was tall, lithe, and splendidly proportioned, with dark Spanish face and straight hair The man stepped inside The woman bolted the door and turned round

"Ah," she said, smiling, " you, Senor ? How good of you ! "

The man started "Whom else did you expect ? " quickly

"Oh ! " laughed the woman, "perhaps the Archbishop "

"Nina ! " said the man, in broken voice that expressed love, humility, and reproach His face was white under the black sunburn

For moment the woman wavered shadow flitted over her eyes, then she stepped back "No," she said, "not yet "

The man walked across fire, sank down in chair, and covered his face hands The woman stepped up noiselessly behind him and leaned over the chair The man was either in great agony or else superb actor, muscles neck twitched violently shoulders trembled

"Oh," he muttered, echoing his thoughts, " 't , 't ! "

The woman caught the words and leaped up some one had struck her face She threw back her head Her nostrils dilated and her eyes flashed

" 't ! " she cried "Then love her ! You shall ! hear me ? You shall ! You killed him ! You got rid of him ! but you get rid of me the evidence, all of it The Archbishop it to-morrow They shall hang you ! hear me ? They shall hang you ! "

The woman's voice rose, loud and shrill The man turned slowly round without looking up, and stretched out his arms toward the woman She stopped and looked down at him The fire glittered for moment and then died out of her eyes, her bosom heaved and her lips began to tremble With cry she flung herself into his arms, caught him around the neck, and pressed his face up close against her cheek

"Oh ! Dick, Dick," she sobbed, " love you so ! 't live without you ! Not another hour, Dick ! want you , , Dick ! "