The events of the day at "The Red Eagle" had brought things to a crisis in the affairs of Carmen's father.

It was a foolish business that at the tavern--so, at any rate, he thought, when it was all over, and he was awake to the fact that he must fly or go to jail.

From the time he had, with a bottle of gin, laid Valescure low, Spain was the word which went ringing through his head, and the way to Spain was by the Six Thousand Dollar Route, the New World terminal of which was the cupboard in the wall at the Manor Cartier.
Little cared Sebastian Dolores that the theft of the money would mean the end of all things for Jean Jacques Barbille-for his own daughter's husband.

He was thinking of himself, as he had always done.
He worked for two whole hours before he succeeded in quietly forcing open the iron door in the wall; but it was done at last.

Curiously enough, Jean Jacques' snoring stopped on the instant that Sebastian Dolores' fingers clutched the money; but it began cheerfully again when the door in the wall closed once more.
Five minutes after Dolores had thrust the six thousand dollars into his pocket, his horse was galloping away over the hills towards the River St.Lawrence.If he had luck, he would reach it by the morning.