to bring the bad news. Had he come
to say that the game was up, and they must fly?

But, after all, perhaps he was mistaken in supposing this to be his
accomplice. It might be some honest workman bearing a strong resemblance
to Raoul.

If he could only run after this stranger, and speak to him! But no, he
must walk on up to the house with Gaston, quietly, as if nothing had
happened to arouse his anxiety. He felt as if he would go mad if his
brother did not move faster; the uncertainty was becoming intolerable.

His mind filled with these perplexing thoughts, Louis at last reached
the house; and Gaston, to his great relief, said that he was so tired
that he was going directly to bed.

At last he was free!

He lit a cigar, and, telling the servant not to sit up for him, went
out.

He knew that Raoul, if it was Raoul, would be prowling near the house,
waiting for him.

His suspicions were well founded.

He had barely proceeded thirty yards, when a man suddenly sprang from
behind a tree, and stood before him.

The night was clear, and Louis recognized Raoul.

"What is the matter?" he impatiently demanded; "what has happened?"

"Nothing."

"What! Do you mean to say that nothing has gone wrong in Paris--that no
one is on our track?"

"Not the slightest danger of any sort. And moreover, but for your
inordinate greed of gain, everything would have succeeded admirably; all
was going on well when I left Paris."

"Then why have you come here?" cried Louis fiercely. "Who gave you
permission to desert your post, when your absence might bring ruin upon
us? What brought you here?"

"That is my business," said Raoul with cool impertinence.

Louis seized the young man's wrists, and almost crushed them in his
vicelike grasp.

"Explain this strange conduct of yours," he said, in a tone of
suppressed rage. "What do you mean by it?"

Without apparent effort Raoul released his hands from their
imprisonment, and jeeringly said:

"Hein! Gently, my friend! I don't like being roughly treated; and, if
you don't know how to behave yourself, I have the means of teaching
you."

At the same time he drew a revolver from his pocket.

"You must and shall explain yourself," insisted Louis: "if you
don't----"

"Well, if I don't? Now, you might just as well spare yourself the
trouble of trying to frighten me. I intend to answer your questions when
I choose; but it certainly won't be here, in the middle of the road,
with the