he brooded on it
through the years. Woman's instincts; woman's love of pleasure, pretty
clothes--all could lead only to sin.

And so he had kept Jetta secluded. He had fought what he seemed to see
in her as she grew and flowered into girlhood, and denied her
everything which he thought might make her like her mother.

Spawn met his death within a few hours of this afternoon I am
describing. Perhaps he was no more than a scheming scoundrel. We are
instinctively lenient with our appraisal of the dead. I do not know.

"Jetta," Perona said to her accusingly, "that is true, then: you did
talk with that miserable Americano last night? You sinful, lying
girl."

The contrition within Jetta at disobeying her father faded before this
attack.

"I am not sinful." The trembling left her and she sat up and faced the
accusing Perona. "I did but talk to him. You speak lies when you say I
am sinful."

"You hear, Spawn? Defiant: already changed from the little Jetta I--"

"Yes, I am changed. I do not love you, Senor Perona. I think I hate
you." Her tears were very close, but she finished: "I--I won't marry
you. I won't!"

It stung Spawn. He leaped to his feet. "So you talk like that! It has
gone so far as this, has it? Get to your room! We will see what you
will and what you won't!"

* * * * *

Again the crafty Perona was calmest of them all. He thrust himself in
front of Spawn.

"Jetta, to-night you plan to see him again, no? To-night?--here?"

"No," she stammered.

"You lie!"

"No."

"You lie! Spawn look at her! Lying! She has planned to meet him
to-night! That is all we want to know." He broke into a cackling
chuckle. "That fits my new plan, Spawn. A tryst with Jetta, here in
the garden."

"Get to your room," Spawn growled. He dragged her back, and Perona
followed them.

"You lie there." Spawn flung her to her couch. "After this night's
work is done, we'll see whether you will or you won't."

"She may not stay in here." Perona suggested.

"She will stay."

"You seal her in?"

"I will seal her in."

Perona's eyes roved the little bedroom. One window oval and a door,
both overlooking the patio.

"But suppose she should get out? There is no way to seal that window
properly from outside. A cord!"

A long stout silken tassel-cord had been draped by Jetta at the window
curtain. Perona snatched it down.

"If her ankles and wrists were tied with this--"

"No!" burst out Je