d," replied Cardillac.

"The very man! The identical villain!" cried Frank, clenching his fists.
"It is he who has stolen my savings!"

"The _huissier_?" inquired the _prevot_.

"Yes, seven hundred francs of mine."

"You know him? And has he seen you?" inquired the Skeleton.

"I have seen him, worse luck! But for him I should not be here."

These regrets sounded ill in the Skeleton's ears, and he fixed his
malignant eyes steadfastly on Frank, who replied to several of his
comrade's questions. Then stooping towards the Gros-Boiteux, he said, in
a low voice:

"This is a fresh 'un who might tell the turnkey."

"No, I'll answer for his not informing against any one; yet still he has
his scruples about going the whole hog, and he might aid Germain in
defending himself. It would be best to get him out of the yard."

"I'll do it," said the Skeleton; and then aloud he said, "I say, Frank,
won't you pitch into this thief of a lawyer?"

"Won't I, that's all!"

"Well, he's coming, and so look out."

"I'm ready, and he shall bear my marks!"

"We shall have a row, and they will send the _huissier_ to his room and
Frank to the black-hole," said the Skeleton, in an undertone, to the
Gros-Boiteux; "we shall thus get rid of both."

"What a lucky pitch! Why, this Skeleton is a prime minister!" said the
Boiteux, admiringly; and then he added, in a loud tone, "I say, shall we
tell Pique-Vinaigre that we shall avail ourselves of his history to come
over the turnkey and throttle the sneak?"

"By no means; Pique-Vinaigre is too soft and too cowardly. If he was up
to the thing he wouldn't tell the story, but when the job is done and
over he'll bear his share."

The dinner-bell sounded at this moment.

"To your puddings, dogs!" said the Skeleton; "Pique-Vinaigre and Germain
will soon be in the yard. Now mind your eyes, my boys! They call me
Dead-Alive, but the sneak is also dead-alive!"

CHAPTER X.

THE STORY-TELLER.

The new prisoner of whom we have spoken, and who was dressed in a gray
blouse, with a cotton cap on his head, had attentively listened to and
energetically applauded the scheme for punishing the reserve of Germain,
even at the expense of his life. This individual, whose form betokened
strength and power of no ordinary description, quitted the day-room with
the rest of the prisoners without being noticed, and soon mingled with
the different groups assembled in the courtyard to receive their
rations