shville, Memphis, Natchez, New Orleans and Mobile, not forgetting the
_highly respectable_ ladies at the pleasant house at Chattanooga, or at
Natchez, on the hill. These papers I sent to Porter by express,
directing him to mail them. Wherever I could learn of any of Maroney's
friends, I furnished them with copies of the _Press_. They must have
thought some one very kind to take so much interest in him, or more
likely thought he had sent them himself. I knew I was making capital for
the company by having the notice so fully circulated in Montgomery. The
inhabitants were amazed when they saw it, and terribly indignant at
Maroney's conduct.

While it was true that Maroney and his wife had never mingled much in
society in Montgomery, still he had brought a woman there and openly
lived with her as his wife, who had not only led a life of infamy prior
to her meeting with Maroney, but who, even then, was but his mistress.
It was an outrage upon decency, and as such was felt and resented. From
Maroney's personal popularity and agreeable manners, there were many who
believed in his innocence, still more who did not desire his conviction.
His marriage thinned the ranks of the latter and entirely wiped out
almost every trace of the former. The man who would live with and
introduce a prostitute as his wife, was regarded as never too good to be
guilty of robbery or any other crime.

The sympathy which had been felt and expressed for Maroney by those who
regarded him as fighting single-handed against a wealthy and powerful
corporation, was now regarded as having been worse than thrown away. It
was at once and permanently withdrawn. My move had proved a perfect
success and I now felt much easier about the result of the final trial
to be held in Montgomery.

We left Maroney, his wife and Flora on the cars, bound for New York, to
enjoy their honey-moon. They were shadowed by Green, and he noticed
that Mrs. Maroney appeared supremely happy. She had accomplished her
purpose; she was now a legally married woman. Maroney was in good
spirits, but must have had a hard battle to keep them up. He was now
enjoying some of the sweets of crime, being forced to leave the girl he
loved and marry a common prostitute. He had sold his freedom for gold,
and although outwardly he appeared calm and happy, inwardly he was
racked with contending emotions. What would he now not have given to be
back in his old position, free from the taint of crime, free t