d gazed with a startled, frightened look at the
Marshal and the rapidly gathering crowd.

"I have no money belonging to the Express Company!" said Maroney, and
supposing that that was all that was wanted with him, he attempted to
force himself past the Marshal.

"Not so fast!" exclaimed the Marshal, taking hold of one of Maroney's
arms, while his deputy stepped forward to assist him, if Maroney made
any resistance. "Not so fast, you must come with me!"

Maroney could scarcely realize his situation; it was to him a horrid
dream. In a few moments he would awake and laugh at it. But the jeering
crowd, the stern officers of the law, his weeping wife and her
frightened child, formed a scene which was indelibly stamped on his
memory never to be obliterated. His wife insisted that her husband
should be allowed to accompany her to the Astor House, and the Marshal
finally consented. At the Astor House he saw his wife and Flora in their
room, in the presence of Marshal Keefe, his deputy, and Bangs. No words
passed between them. His new-made bride of only six hours was bathed in
tears--what a honey-moon! Maroney was almost in tears himself, but he
choked them back. He kissed his wife and Flora, and motioning to the
officers that he was ready, followed them to Eldridge street jail.

How terribly must he have felt when the heavy door of his cell was
bolted upon him, and he was left in solitude to brood over his position.
How he must have cursed the moment when he married Mrs. Irvin. He did so
merely to save himself, and now he was in prison! What would he not have
given to undo what only six hours before he had been so anxious to
consummate! What a blow it would have been to him if he could have known
the efforts I was then making to disseminate through the South the news
of his marriage; but this I did not intend he should know. Mrs. Maroney
thought that Maroney would soon be out of jail, but wondered why he had
been arrested in New York. She concluded that the Company had
determined on the plan of suddenly confronting him and charging him with
the crime, hoping that if guilty he would break down and make a
confession. He had passed through the trying ordeal unscathed and most
likely would be liberated in the morning. She little thought they had
been separated never more to be united.

_CHAPTER XVI._

Mr. Seward had done his work well. I had little fear that Maroney would
get out, as his bail was fixed at one hundred