the latter.

After we had been at the capital of the state three days, I thought it
was about time to move up the river again; but the Florida officials
had not yet appeared. It was not till the following Saturday that they
arrived. They had been detained in procuring the requisition by the
absence of the governor, and in collecting what evidence they could
obtain. With the officers came Peverell, the bank messenger, from whom
the money had been stolen.

Another hearing before the court was necessary. The package containing
the four thousand dollars was produced, and identified by Peverell. He
testified as to the manner in which the package had disappeared from
the counter of the saloon. He brought the affidavits of two men who had
seen Nick go off to the Islander just before she sailed, with a bundle
in his hand.

Captain Blastblow and I testified that the money had been found, in
equal parts, on the prisoners. The plan of Cornwood to get possession
of the whole or half of the money was shown from the manner in which he
had conducted himself, in causing the departure of the Islander from
Key West before the arrival of the Sylvania, though the latter was in
sight when the former left.

Cornwood attempted to disprove the charges by repeating the silly story
he had told me. He cross-questioned the witnesses, and did his best to
browbeat Peverell. The messenger showed that it was impossible that any
money could have been obtained from the bank while Cornwood was in
Jacksonville between the time the Floridian arrived and departed. But
the court was satisfied with the evidence, and the governor complied
with the requisition.

Before I left the court-room, I went to Nick to say how sorry I was for
him--sorry that he had done anything to reduce himself to such a
situation.

"I don't know what made me do it," blubbered Nick, to the great disgust
of his fellow-criminal. "I didn't think of doing it until the minute I
did it. I had been thinking, as I told you at the time, of clearing
out; and the sight of the package of money seemed to show me how it
could be done."

"What are you talking about, you ninny?" growled Cornwood. "You are
convicting yourself."

"I don't care anything about that. I won't lie any more about it, for
it ain't no use," replied Nick, sourly. "If it hadn't been for you, I
should have got off all right, Cornwood."

I concluded that his penitence was not very deep. He told me then how
Cornwood had