He had been fairly caught

Alida, moreover, had won a far stronger hold upon him than he had once imagined possible.  He was terribly mortified and cast down by the result of his experiment, as he regarded it.  But the thought of a prison and hard labor speedily drew his mind away from this aspect of the affair.  He had been fairly caught, his lark was over, and he soon resolved that the easiest and safest way out of the scrape was the best way.  He therefore raised his head and came forward with a penitent air as he said: "It's natural I should be overwhelmed with shame at the position in which I find myself.  But I see the truth of your words, and I'll try to make it all right as far as I can.  I'll go back with you and Hannah to my old home.  I've got money in the bank, I'll sell out everything here, and I'll pay you, William, as far as I can, what you've spent.  Hannah is mighty good to let me off so easy, and she won't be sorry.  This man is witness to what I say," and the detective nodded. "Why, Ferguson," said Mr. Hackman effusively, "now you're talking like a man.  Come and kiss him, Hannah, and make it all up." "That's the way with you men," said the woman bitterly. "These things count for little.  Henry Ferguson must prove he's honest in what he says by deeds, not words.  I'll do as I've said if he acts square, and that's enough to start with." "All right," said Ferguson, glad enough to escape the caress. "I'll do as I say." He did do all he promised, and very promptly, too.  He was not capable of believing that a woman wronged as Alida had been would not prosecute him, and he was eager to escape to another state, and, in a certain measure, again to hide his identity under his own actual name. Meanwhile, how fared the poor creature who had fled, driven forth by her first wild impulse to escape from a false and terrible position?  With every step she took down the dimly lighted street, the abyss into which she had fallen seemed to grow deeper and darker.  She was overwhelmed with the magnitude of her misfortune.  She shunned the illumined thoroughfares with a half-crazed sense that every finger would be pointed at her.