matter? You are out of breath and
as pale as if you had been shadowed by an Agent de la Surete!"

"I have not been shadowed, Waldmann," answered the beggar or
Bouche-de-Miel, "but I have made a startling discovery."

The players at once put down their cards and leaned forward to hear.
They were a rough, desperate-looking set; on their ill-omened and
sunburnt visages thief could be read as plainly as if it were written
there, and perhaps, also, the still more significant word, assassin! Two
of the men were Italians, evidently the Peppino and Beppo referred to by
the slatternly young woman at the counter in the outer room. Besides
Waldmann there was another German. This was Siebecker. Tall, slim, with
yellow hair and moustache, he had some claim to good looks; his attire
was quite respectable compared to that of the rest; had he not possessed
a pair of restless, demoniac eyes, he might have passed for a person of
tolerably fair repute, but those glaring, tiger-like orbs betrayed his
true character and stamped him as a very dangerous member of the
criminal fraternity. Waldmann appeared to be the leader of the coterie.
The Italians wore blue blouses, but the distinctive garment of the
Parisian workman could not conceal a certain brigandish air that was
second nature to them.

"Let's hear about your startling discovery, Bouche-de-Miel," said
Waldmann. "Take a seat and tell us."

The beggar dropped upon a wooden chest, saying, in a tone of deep
dejection, as he did so:

"Much as I long to take a hand in to-night's little job, I'm afraid
you'll have to let me off!"

"Stuff!" cried Waldmann. "You are afraid of meeting that terrible
fellow, the Count of Monte-Cristo! But the startling discovery--out with
it, man!"

"Yes; the discovery, the discovery!" demanded the others, impatiently.

"Well," said Bouche-de-Miel, "I went to the Rue du Helder this morning,
as agreed upon, and made a survey of Monte-Cristo's mansion. Nothing
easier than to get in, as no watch is kept at night, and the Count is
not in the least suspicious although he has millions of francs in his
safe, to say not a word of jewels and other valuables. As I was about
leaving the premises, I stopped at a little gate giving access to the
garden from the street, having noticed that the key had been carelessly
left in the lock on the outside. I was leaning against the gate, taking
a wax impression of this key, which would assure us entrance without
trouble, w