So she told him all the plot, trusting to the man’s avarice and other matters to protect her, for Inez hated Fray Henriques bitterly, and knew him from the crown of his shaven head to the soles of his erring feet, as she had good cause to do. Only she did not tell him whence the money was to come. “That does not seem a very difficult matter,” he said, when she had finished. “If a man and a woman, unwed and outside the prohibited degrees, appear before me to be married, I marry them, and once the ring has passed and the office is said, married they are till death or the Pope part them.” “And suppose that the man thinks he is marrying another woman, Father?” The priest shrugged his shoulders. “He should know whom he is marrying; that is his affair, not the Church’s or mine. The names need not be spoken too loudly, my daughter.” “But you would give me a writing of the marriage with them set out plain?” “Certainly. To you or to anybody else; why should I not?—that is, if I were sure of this wedding fee.” Inez lifted her hand, and showed beneath it a little pile of ten doubloons. “Take them, Father,” she said; “they will not be counted in the contract. There are others where they came from, whereof twenty will be paid before the marriage, and eighty when I have that writing at Seville.” [Illustration: ] “There are others where they came from” He swept up the coins and pocketed them, saying: “I will trust you, Inez.” “Yes,” she answered as she left him, “we must trust each other now—must we not?—seeing that you have the money, and both our necks are in the same noose. Be here, Father, to-morrow at the same time, in case I have more confessions to make, for, alas! this is a sinful world, as you should know very well.” CHAPTER XVII. THE PLOT. On the morning following these conversations, just after Margaret and Betty had breakfasted, Inez appeared, and, as before, locked the door behind her. “Señoras,” she said calmly, “I have arranged that little business of which I spoke to you yesterday, or at least the first act of the play, since it remains for you to write the rest. Now I am sent to say that the noble Marquis of Morella craves leave to see you, Dona Margaret, and within an hour. So there is no time to lose.” “Tell us what you have done, Inez?” said Margaret. “I have seen your worshipful father, Dona Margaret; here is the token of it, which you will do well to destroy when you have read.” And she handed her a slip of paper, whereon was written in her father’s writing, and in English: “BELOVED DAUGHTER,  “This messenger, who I think may be trusted by you, has made arrangements with me which she will explain. I approve, though the risk is great. Your cousin is a brave girl, but, understand, I do not force her to this dangerous enterprise. She must choose her own road, only I promise that if she escapes and we live I will not forget her deed. The messenger will bring me your answer. God be with us all, and farewell. “J.C.”