"I stole it," interrupted Jack, with the same frankness. "I saw it in her parlour, on the table, and I froze to it when no one was looking. Lord, _she_ wouldn't have given it to _me_. I reckon those relatives of hers would have made it very lively for me if they'd suspected it. Hoss stealing ain't a circumstance to this, Gabriel," said Jack, with a reckless laugh. Then with equal frankness, and a picturesque freedom of description, he related his first and only interview with Donna Dolores. I am glad to say that this scamp exaggerated, if anything, the hopelessness of his case, dwelt but slightly on his own services, and concealed the fact that Donna Dolores had even thanked him. "You can reckon from this the extent of my affection for that Johnny Ramirez, and why I just froze to you when I heard you'd dropped him. But come now, it's your deal; tell us all about it. The boys put it up that he was hangin' round your wife,--and you went for him for all he was worth. Go on--I'm waiting--and," added Jack, as a spasm of pain passed across his face, "and aching to that degree that I'll yell if you don't take my mind off it." But Gabriel's face was grave and his lips silent as he bent over Mr. Hamlin to adjust the bandages. "Go on," said Jack, darkly, "or I'll tear off these rags and bleed to death before your eyes. What are you afraid of? I know all about your wife--you can't tell me anything about her. Didn't I spot her in Sacramento--before she married you--when she had this same Chilino, Ramirez, on a string. Why, she's fooled him as she has you. You ain't such a blasted fool as to be stuck after her still, are you?" and Jack raised himself on his elbow the more intently to regard this possible transcendent idiot. "You was speakin' o' this Mexican, Ramirez," said Gabriel, after a pause, fixing his now clear and untroubled eyes on his interlocutor. "Of course," roared out Jack, impatiently, "did you think I was talking of----?" Here Mr. Hamlin offered a name that suggested the most complete and perfect antithesis known to modern reason. "I didn't kill him!" said Gabriel, quietly. "Of course not," said Jack, promptly. "He sorter stumbled and fell over on your bowie-knife as you were pickin' your teeth with it. But go on--how did you do it? Where did you spot him? Did he make any fight? Has he got any sand in him?" "I tell ye I didn't kill him!" "Who did, then?" screamed Jack, furious with pain and impatience. "I don't know--I reckon--that is----" and Gabriel stopped short with a wistful perplexed look at his companion.