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they had provided a plan for the killing； and a means by which the
killer could cover his trail and escape from the theater of the
homicide； they would believe all the requirements of the problems
met； and would stop。 The greatest； the very giants among them；
have stopped here and have been in great error。
〃In every crime； especially in the great ones； there exists a third
element； preeminently vital。 This third element the master
plotters have either overlooked or else have not had the genius to
construct。 They plan with rare cunning to baffle the victim。 They
plan with vast wisdom； almost genius； to baffle the trailer。 But
they fail utterly to provide any plan for baffling the punisher。
Ergo； their plots are fatally defective and often result in ruin。
Hence the vital necessity for providing the third elementthe
escape ipso jure。〃
Mason arose； walked around the table； and put his hand firmly on
Samuel Walcott's shoulder。 〃This must be done to…morrow night；〃 he
continued； 〃you must arrange your business matters to…morrow and
announce that you are going on a yacht cruise； by order of your
physician； and may not return for some weeks。 You must prepare
your yacht for a voyage； instruct your men to touch at a certain
point on Staten Island； and wait until six o'clock day after
tomorrow morning。 If you do not come aboard by that time； they are
to go to one of the South American ports and remain until further
orders。 By this means your absence for an indefinite period will
be explained。 You will go to Nina San Croix in the disguise which
you have always used； and from her to the yacht； and by this means
step out of your real status and back into it without leaving
traces。 I will come here to…morrow evening and furnish you with
everything that you shall need and give you full and exact
instructions in every particular。 These details you must execute
with the greatest care； as they will be vitally essential to the
success of my plan。〃
Through it all Walcott had been silent and motionless。 Now he
arose； and in his face there must have been some premonition of
protest； for Mason stepped back and put out his hand。 〃Sir；〃 he
said； with brutal emphasis； 〃not a word。 Remember that you are
only the hand； and the hand does not think。〃 Then he turned around
abruptly and went out of the house。
III
The place which Samuel Walcott had selected for the residence of
Nina San Croix was far up in the northern suburb of New York。 The
place was very old。 The lawn was large and ill kept； the house； a
square old…fashioned brick； was set far back from the street； and
partly hidden by trees。 Around it all was a rusty iron fence。 The
place had the air of genteel ruin； such as one finds in the
Virginias。
On a Thursday of November； about three o'clock in the afternoon； a
little man； driving a dray； stopped in the alley at the rear of the
house。 As he opened the back gate an old negro woman came down the
steps from the kitchen and demanded to know what he wanted。 The
drayman asked if the lady of the house was in。 The old negro
answered that she was asleep at this hour and could not be seen。
〃That is good；〃 said the little man； 〃now there won't be any row。
I brought up some cases of wine which she ordered from our house
last week and which the Boss told me to deliver at once； but I
forgot it until to…day。 Just let me put it in the cellar now；
Auntie； and don't say a word to the lady about it and she won't
ever know that it was not brought up on time。〃
The drayman stopped； fished a silver dollar out of his pocket； and
gave it to the old negro。 〃There now； Auntie；〃 he said； 〃my job
depends upon the lady not knowing about this wine； keep it mum。〃
〃Dat's all right； honey；〃 said the old servant； beaming like a May
morning。 〃De cellar door is open； carry it all in and put it in de
back part and nobody ain't never going to know how long it has been
in dar。〃
The old negro went back into the kitchen and the little man began
to unload the dray。 He carried in five wine cases and stowed them
away in the back part of the cellar as the old woman had directed。
Then； after having satisfied himself that no one was watching； he
took from the dray two heavy paper sacks； presumably filled with
flour； and a little bundle wrapped in an old newspaper； these he
carefully hid behind the wine cases in the cellar。 After awhile he
closed the door； climbed on his dray； and drove off down the alley。
About eight o'clock in the evening of the same day； a Mexican
sailor dodged in the front gate and slipped down to the side of the
house。 He stopped by the window and tapped on it with his finger。
In a moment a woman opened the door。 She was tall； lithe； and
splendidly proportioned； with a dark Spanish face and straight
hair。 The man stepped inside。 The woman bolted the door and
turned round。
〃Ah；〃 she said； smiling； 〃it is you； Senor？ How good of you！〃
The man started。 〃Whom else did you expect？〃 he said quickly。
〃Oh！〃 laughed the woman； 〃perhaps the Archbishop。〃
〃Nina！〃 said the man； in a broken voice that expressed love；
humility； and reproach。 His face was white under the black
sunburn。
For a moment the woman wavered。 A shadow flitted over her eyes；
then she stepped back。 〃No；〃 she said； 〃not yet。〃
The man walked across to the fire； sank down in a chair； and
covered his face with his hands。 The woman stepped up noiselessly
behind him and leaned over the chair。 The man was either in great
agony or else he was a superb actor； for the muscles of his neck
twitched violently and his shoulders trembled。
〃Oh；〃 he muttered； as though echoing his thoughts； 〃I can't do it；
I can't！〃
The woman caught the words and leaped up as though some one had
struck her in the face。 She threw back her head。 Her nostrils
dilated and her eyes flashed。
〃You can't do it！〃 she cried。 〃Then you do love her！ You shall do
it！ Do you hear me？ You shall do it！ You killed him！ You got
rid of him！ but you shall not get rid of me。 I have the evidence；
all of it。 The Archbishop will have it to…morrow。 They shall hang
you！ Do you hear me？ They shall hang you！〃
The woman's voice rose； it was loud and shrill。 The man turned
slowly round without looking up； and stretched out his arms toward
the woman。 She stopped and looked down at him。 The fire glittered
for a moment and then died out of her eyes； her bosom heaved and
her lips began to tremble。 With a cry she flung herself into his
arms； caught him around the neck； and pressed his face up close
against her cheek。
〃Oh！ Dick； Dick；〃 she sobbed； 〃I do love you so！ I can't live
without you！ Not another hour； Dick！ I do want you so much； so
much； Dick！〃
The man shifted his right arm quickly； slipped a great Mexican
knife out of his sleeve； and passed his fingers slowly up the
woman's side until h