inished this little story the Alderman laughed heartily, and
remarked: "I'll bet five dollars it is the same man."

"Why, what do you mean?" inquired Franklin.

"Well, a man named Nathan Maroney came to my office yesterday with a
wealthy widow, Mrs. Irvin, and I married them. I got a good big fee,
too, and I'll bet five dollars he is the same man that called on you. Of
course he would not want it known that he frequented such places just as
he was going to be married, and so did not prosecute. Don't you see?"

They both laughed heartily, and Franklin, having learned all he wanted
to, soon took his departure. He reported to the Vice-President that
Maroney had been married the day before, and the Vice-President
immediately communicated the news to me.

I hurriedly thought the matter over. I had all the points on Mrs.
Maroney that I wanted. I could see that there was some cogent reason for
Maroney's marrying Mrs. Irvin. He wanted to place her where she would
tell no stories. There were only two ways to do this. Maroney, the
thief, had either to murder his mistress, or to make her his wife. I
could see plainly through the whole transaction. Maroney, after
committing the robbery, had, in exact accordance with my theory, found
that he needed some one in whom he could confide, and with whom he could
ease his overburdened mind by disclosing the facts of the robbery. Who
could be a safer person than his mistress? Her interests were identical
with his; he had gained her the entree to good society; had taken her
from a house of infamy, where she was shunned and scorned, and by
allowing her the use of his name, had placed her in a position to
_demand_ respect.

In all things she seemed devoted to his interests, and so far as he
knew, her conduct while with him had been beyond reproach. What could be
more natural than his selecting her and pouring into her ear the details
of his crime?

How well it must have made him feel to find in her not a stern moralist
who would turn from him with scorn and point to the heinousness of his
crime, but a sweet enthusiast, with ideas moulded to suit his, who
would encourage and renew his feelings of ultimate success and almost
rob crime of its horrors!

What a happy moment it must have been to her to hear Maroney give vent
to his pent-up feelings! How she must have looked forward with delight
to the coming time when Maroney, rich with his ill-gotten spoils, should
place her in a position _f