is eyes. Do you think he would do nothing
if we were to say, 'Excuse us, but we made a mistake; poor as you are,
so you must remain, for we do not intend to help you?'"

"But is it necessary to say that at all?"

"Well, at any rate, whatever we choose to say, what limit do you think
he will place upon his extortions now that he holds our secret? We have
taught him his music, and he will make us do our part in the chorus, and
can blackmail us as well as we can others."

"We played a foolish game," answered Dr. Hortebise moodily.

"No; we had to confide in some one. Besides, the two affairs, that of
Madame de Mussidan and the Duke de Champdoce, ran so well together. They
were the simultaneous emanations of my brain. I worked them up together,
and together they must stand or fall."

"Then you are determined to go on?"

"Yes; more determined than ever."

The doctor had been playing with his locket for some time, and the
contact of the cold metal seemed to have affected his nerves; for it was
in a trembling voice that he replied,--

"I vowed long ago that we should sink or swim together." He paused,
and then, with a melancholy smile upon his face, continued,--"I have
no intention of breaking my oath, you see; but I repeat, that your road
seems to be a most perilous one, and I will add that I consider you
headstrong and self-opinionated; but for all that I will follow you,
even though the path you have chosen leads to the grave. I have at this
moment a something between my fingers that will save me from shame and
disgrace--a little pill to be swallowed, a gasp, a little dizziness, and
all is over."

Tantaine did not seem to care for the doctor's explanation.

"There, that will do," said he. "If things come to the worst, you can
use the contents of your locket as much as you like, but in the meantime
leave it alone, and do not keep jingling it in that distracting manner.
For people of our stamp a danger well known is a comparatively slight
peril, for threats furnish us with means of defence. Woe, I say, woe to
the man who crosses my path, for I will hold my hand from nothing!" He
stopped for a little, opened every door, and assured himself that there
were no eavesdroppers, and then, in a low whisper, he said to Hortebise,
"Do you not see that there is but one obstacle to our success, and
that is Andre? Remove him, and the whole of our machinery will work as
smoothly as ever."

Hortebise winced, as if suffering fro