intended coup d'etat, and ordered them to take
the necessary steps to checkmate her, while Bangs ordered Porter to
avoid acting as Mrs. Maroney's agent.

In the meantime Porter found McGibony, and conducted him to Mrs.
Maroney's room. He learned that Charlie May and Patterson had come up
during his absence. Mrs. Maroney made her desire known to McGibony, and
he at once accepted the commission. She thanked him, and remarked that
she hoped to have all in readiness in a few days.

Charlie May was very attentive to her, and she seemed to thoroughly
appreciate him, although his wife had treated her so _cavalierly_ the
day before.

After dismissing the rest of the party she had a long, private
conversation with Patterson. In an hour Patterson came down and went to
a livery stable where "Yankee Mary" was known to be kept, and soon after
Mrs. Maroney had an interview with the proprietor of the livery-stable.
Porter had become one of the clique, and found that Maroney had a large
interest in the stable. "Yankee Mary" was Maroney's own property, and
his business with the livery-stables in Chattanooga and Nashville was to
examine and buy horses for his stables in Montgomery. In a couple of
days Maroney's interest in the stable was disposed of to Patterson, and
the money paid over to Mrs. Maroney. "Yankee Mary" was not sold, and
still remained the property of Maroney.

All these transactions Porter duly reported to Bangs, and Bangs to the
Vice-President. They decided to secure "Yankee Mary" for the company,
and Watts, Judd & Jackson were instructed to attach her. This they did,
and she changed hands, being afterwards cared for in the stables of the
Express Company.

Flora was much neglected, as Mrs. Maroney devoted all her time to
business. She was continually out in the company of Charlie May,
Patterson, the livery-stable keeper, Porter, or McGibony.

At last it was announced by her counsel that the "die was cast," and the
requisition refused; so McGibony was spared the trouble of going North.
The Governor of Alabama came to the conclusion that he could not ask the
Governor of New York to deliver up a man who was a prisoner of the
United States government, charged with feloniously holding money, until
judgment was rendered against him. Mrs. Maroney found she could do
nothing in Montgomery, so she packed up and, with Flora, started for
Atlanta. Porter had Roch at the depot, and as soon as she started, she
was again under the