"What was I to do? I dared not refuse him. I knew you would be out of town the following evening, so agreed to see him then. He did not follow me into the Rosemere, as I was afraid he might, but drove quickly off. I wrote and telegraphed at once to Pa, asking him to make sure that my divorce was perfectly legal. I hoped that I might receive a reassuring answer before the time set for my interview with Brown, in which case I should simply refuse to receive him and confess to you my previous marriage as soon as you returned. Then I should have nothing more to dread from him. That day and the next, however, went by without a word from Father. I couldn't understand his silence. It confirmed my worst fears. As the time when I expected my tormentor drew near, I became more and more nervous. I feared and hoped I knew not what from this meeting. I told both my girls they might go out, as I did not wish them to know about my expected visitor, and then regretted I had left myself so unprotected. So I got out my Smith & Wesson, and carefully loaded it. I can shoot pretty straight, and Allan was quite aware of that fact, I am glad to say; so I felt happier. He was so very late for his appointment, that I had begun to hope he was not coming at all, when the door-bell rang. As soon as I had let him in I saw that he had been drinking. Strangely enough, that reassured me somewhat; I felt that I and my pistol stood a better chance of being able to manage him in that condition than when that fiendish brain of his was in proper working order. He no longer indulged in gibes and sarcasms, but this time did not hesitate to demand hush money. "'What is your price?' I asked. "'A thousand dollars.' "Of course, I had no such sum, nor any way of obtaining it. I told him so. "'What rot! Why, those rings you've got on are worth more than that.' "'Those rings were given to me by my husband, and if I part with them he will insist on knowing what has become of them.' "'I don't care about that,' he said, settling himself deeper into his chair; 'either you give me that money or I stay here till your lover returns.' "I knew him to be capable of it. "'Look here,' said I, 'I can't get you a thousand dollars, so that's all there is about it; but if you'll take some jewelry that Pa gave me, and which I know is worth about that, I'll give it you on condition that you sign a paper, saying that you have blackmailed me, and that your allegations are quite without foundation.' "'I won't take your jewelry on any consideration,' he answered. 'What should I do with it? if I sold it I could only get a trifle of what it is worth, besides running the risk of being supposed to have stolen it. No, no, my lady; it must be cash down or no deal.'