The colonel, who had completely mastered his emotions, spoke with such candor, judgment and authority that the men present whispered together, and seemed almost inclined to think that they had committed a shameful indiscretion in suspecting so gallant an officer and so perfect a gentleman of any impropriety, on the mere word of a strange woman, who was certainly not a lady. The stranger saw the tide of sentiment, or of opinion, turning, and her black eyes sparkled, her blooming cheeks glowed and her red lips wreathed in a mocking smile, as she said: "I declare! If you haven't played the right bower! And you have very nearly took the trick, only for my little joker. Here it is, gentlemen! See me take this trick! Here! Here's the joker!" And, with these words, she took a folded parchment from her pocket, and handed it to the rector. CHAPTER XXII THE LITTLE JOKER "What are these?" demanded the reverend gentleman, unfolding the parchment. "Oh, it's only my little joker, that took his right bower and won the trick," laughed the woman. "I don't understand," said the rector, while Abel Force, Thomas Grandiere and William Elk drew near and looked over his shoulders at the document. "Well, read it, and then maybe you will understand. Don't you see it is the marriage certificate?" demanded the woman. "It is, indeed," said the rector, examining the document. "It is, indeed, a certificate of the marriage of Angus Anglesea, colonel in the Honorable East India service, Anglewood Manor, Lancashire, England, and Ann Maria Wright, widow, of Wild Cats' Gulch, California, signed by the officiating minister, Paul Minitree, pastor of St. Sebastian's Parish, Sebastian, California, and witnessed by Henry Powers, Margaret Rayburn and Philomena Schubert! It is dated August 1, 18--. Col. Anglesea, what explanation can you give of this?" sternly demanded the rector, while the severe faces of the other men emphasized the question. "Why, he can't give any! The joker takes every trick! It's the highest card in the pack, and I have just played it!" "The thing is a forgery! I never was in California in my life! And I never set eyes on this woman before this hour! It is a forgery, I say!" exclaimed the colonel, so positively, so confidently, so authoritatively that the men were once more puzzled. "Oh, it's a misdeal, then, is it? I'll prove that it isn't!" said the stranger. "Now, then, gentlemen, you can test the truth for yourselves. Money is no object to you, particularly in such a case as this. You can telegraph to the Rev. Father Paul Minitree, and ask him if this marriage certificate is genuine, and you can telegraph every word of the certificate, word for word. Ask him to compare it with the entry in the parish register of August 1, 18--, and to telegraph the answer, at your expense, mind you; and, though it will be expensive, it will be worth the money, and you won't mind the cost," said the woman. This settled the question.