"Not the slightest," I answered. "Although I felt sorry for what had happened to you, I confess I was very much amused at what you told me. But the most interesting part of the romance--as you call it--had not transpired. I shall be very glad to hear more of it." "Well," proceeded Farrell, "you shall. As I told you they would, Foster and my wife came out to California; and, as I expected, to San Francisco. However, they had come ashore so very secretly and quietly, that I did not succeed in finding them, until they had been about ten days in the city. "Foster took a house in Sacramento Street, furnished it with the money I had sent home to maintain my faithless wife; and laid in a stock of liquors. He intended to commence business in the grog-selling line; and was about opening the establishment, when I found them out. "As soon as I did so, I went straight to the house--prepared for some sport. "Foster and my wife were out shopping, and, no doubt, spending what remained of my money. The new tavern was in charge of a young man, whom they had engaged as a barkeeper. "I immediately took possession of the whole concern--the house, and everything in it. "I then discharged the barkeeper from their employment; and, the instant after, engaged him in my own service. "I remained in that house for nine weeks--managing the business which Foster had intended to profit by; and then sold out for five thousand dollars. "Neither Foster nor my wife, to my knowledge, ever came near the place-- at all events, they never showed their faces in the house. They had found out, by some means, that I was in possession; and that had proved sufficient to make them surrender their claim without a contest. "After selling out, I found leisure to look about me; and make further enquiries concerning the precious pair. I learnt that they had gone up to Sacramento city--where they had both taken situations in a public-house, managed by some other man. They had no longer any money, to go into business for themselves. "I was still determined to see them; and started off for Sacramento. "They must have had some one on the watch; for, on reaching the place, I found they had left only two hours before! As my anger had been for some time evaporating, I had no desire to pursue them any farther. The fact is, I felt a degree of freedom--after the loss of my wife--that went far towards reconciling me to the man who had relieved me of her. Besides, there was something in the idea of having turned Foster out of his finely furnished house in San Francisco, that made me think myself nearly square with him; and I did not care to take any more trouble, simply for the sake of troubling them. "I returned to San Francisco; and from that place took passage in a ship just sailing for Melbourne.