"And since which you have abandoned all intention of getting the girl
and earning the five thousand dollars," sneered Le Noir.
"Earning the remaining five thousand, you mean, colonel. The first five
thousand I consider I have already earned. It was the last five
thousand that I was to get when the girl should be disposed of."
"Well?"
"Well, I have not given up either the intention of earning the money or
the hope of getting the girl; in truth, I had rather lose the money
than the girl. I have been on the watch almost continually; but, though
I suppose she rides out frequently, I have not yet happened to hit upon
her in any of her excursions. At last, however, I have fixed upon a
plan for getting the witch into my power. I shall trust the execution
of my plan to no one but myself. But I must have time."
"Time! perdition, sir! delay in this matter is fraught with danger!
Listen, sir! How Warfield got possession of this girl or the knowledge
of her history I do not know, except that it was through the agency of
that accursed hag Nancy Grewell. But that he has her and that he knows
all about her is but too certain. That he has not at present legal
proof enough to establish her identity and her rights before a court of
justice I infer from the fact of his continuing inactive in the matter.
But who can foresee how soon he may obtain all the proof that is
necessary to establish Capitola's claims and wrest the whole of this
property from me? Who can tell whether he is not now secretly engaged
in seeking and collecting such proof? Therefore, I repeat that the girl
must immediately be got rid of! Donald, rid me of that creature and the
day that you prove to me her death I will double your fee!"
"Agreed, my colonel, agreed! I have no objection to your doubling, or
even quadrupling, my fee. You shall find me in that, as in all other
matters, perfectly amenable to reason. Only I must have time. Haste
would ruin us. I repeat that I have a plan by which I am certain to get
the girl into my possession--a plan the execution of which I will
entrust to no other hands but my own. But I conclude as I began--I must
have time."
"And how much time?" exclaimed Le Noir, again losing his patience.
"Easy, my patron. That I cannot tell you. It is imprudent to make
promises, especially to you, who will take nothing into consideration
when they cannot be kept," replied Black Donald, coolly.