"That's all right. Keep it; you may need it later on," said Pell, as though the jug were his to give away.
"Much obliged," the ranger thanked him, nothing loath. "Come on, Bloke. Good-night. We got him!"
He gave the bandit a shove, and two other rangers grasped him by either arm. In a twinkling they were gone, had mounted their horses and were galloping away in the starlight.
So everything was over and done with! Lucia was heart-broken for Lopez. She came back into the room, murmuring:
"Lopez! Lopez captured!" There were tears in her eyes.
Pell paced the room with new strength. His eyes were now sinister.
"Fortunately for us, my dear," he said. "For now we are certain not to be disturbed while working out a sensible solution of our little problem." He had forgotten the pain in his head. He lighted a cigarette, casually, slowly. "You will of course sue for divorce," he went on, blowing a ring to the ceiling and watching it ascend. "But there'll be no difficulty about that. I shall not contest," he added magnanimously.
She grasped at the straw. "You won't?" She almost believed him now.
"You'd win, anyway," her husband said. "But there is the question of alimony."
Gilbert swerved about. He detested the word. "Alimony!" he cried.