"Finally Francisco set off across the plaza to a little hotel there, and went in to telephone perhaps, or to get himself a drink. I could not follow him in of course. While he was inside you drove up in your cab and went into the bar. Presently Francisco came out by another door. Something in the look of the cab seemed to arrest his attention. He looked it over. He opened the door a crack and peeped in. I know now what he saw there, but of course I couldn't guess then. He turned around with an ugly smile. Then you came out, and he engaged you, and rode off on the front seat. There was no other cab handy. I ran across the plaza after you, and managed to get on the same boat. Well, you know all the rest. That's my story." Bessie had listened to this tale with ever-deepening indignation. "A black villain!" she cried. "This Francisco fellow! Him with his castle and his yacht and his money and all! He ain't got no call to be crooked. It must be pure cussedness. And I hope you bring him to the rope, I do!" Amy had ended her story on a note of dejection, and now to Greg's surprise her eyes were full of tears. "It's not so simple," she murmured. "I think of mamma. This would kill her if she knew!" Bessie made a clucking sound of sympathy. "But she'll have to know sooner or later," she said. "She'll have to suffer of course," said Amy, "but I must think how to save her from the worst." Bessie got up. "I expect you and Mr. Parr have your plans to talk over. I'm going down-stairs to make you a cup of hot coffee before you start out in the cold." Greg thought: "Good old Bessie! She's a lady!" Nevertheless, left alone with Amy as he had so much desired, a sudden diffidence overcame him, and he could find nothing to say. Amy had fallen into a kind of study, and scarcely seemed to be aware of his presence. Finally he said: "What do you want me to do?" "Ah, if I knew!" she murmured. To Greg's direct masculine mind there was but one course to be taken. "We have the body safe," he said, "and the conversation you overheard in the hotel supplies the necessary link of evidence. I could go to the police and ask for his arrest." The surprising girl's eyes flashed at him. "I will not have it!" she cried. "That is stupid!" "But--but you said you wanted him brought to justice," stammered Greg. "Would you expect me to go on the witness stand and swear his life away--with mamma listening there? Here in a strange country!" "But you said--you were an American." "So I am--in spirit. But I have lived all my life in Managuay. Give me time." "But we cannot let him go free. That would be making ourselves accessory to the crime." She looked at him strangely. "I shall not let him go free. I am thinking how to punish him. I shall punish him in a way that even you will admit is sufficient." A dreadful fear made Greg's eyes widen.