I asked her why
she had stayed behind so long, and she replied that the men were
not killed outright, and that she had brought a priest to them and
waited until they had died. This was the truth, but not all the
truth. Moved by superstition or foresight, the woman had induced
the priest to take down the sworn statements of the two dying men,
seal it, and give it to her. This paper she brought with her. All
this I learned afterwards. At the time I knew nothing of this
damning evidence.
"We struck out together for the Pacific coast. The country was
lawless. The privations we endured were almost past belief. At
times the woman exhibited cunning and ability that were almost
genius; and through it all, often in the very fingers of death, her
devotion to me never wavered. It was doglike, and seemed to be her
only object on earth. When we reached San Francisco, the woman put
these papers into my hands." Walcott took up the yellow package,
and pushed it across the table to Mason.
"She proposed that I assume Walcott's name, and that we come boldly
to New York and claim the property.
Pages:
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129