over-night; before closing the bank everything is sent
to the Bank of France."

"A large sum will be kept there the night I choose."

"You think so?"

"I think this: I have a hundred thousand crowns deposited with M.
Fauvel: and if I desire the money to be paid over to me early some
morning, directly the bank is opened, of course the money will be kept
in the safe the previous night."

"A splendid idea!" cried Raoul admiringly.

It was a good idea; and the plotters spent several hours in studying its
strong and weak points.

Raoul feared that he would never be able to overcome Mme. Fauvel's
resistance. And, even if she yielded the key, would she not go directly
and confess everything to her husband? She was fond of Prosper, and
would hesitate a long time before sacrificing him.

But Louis felt no uneasiness on this score.

"One sacrifice necessitates another," he said: "she has made too many
to draw back at the last one. She sacrificed her adopted daughter;
therefore she will sacrifice a young man, who is, after all, a
comparative stranger to her."

"But madame will never believe any harm of Prosper; she will always have
faith in his honor; therefore--"

"You talk like an idiot, my verdant nephew!"

Before the conversation had ended, the plan seemed feasible. The
scoundrels made all their arrangements, and fixed the day for committing
the crime.

They selected the evening of the 7th of February, because Raoul knew
that M. Fauvel would be at a bank-director's dinner, and Madeleine was
invited to a party on that evening.

Unless something unforeseen should occur, Raoul knew that he would find
Mme. Fauvel alone at half-past eight o'clock.

"I will ask M. Fauvel this very day," said Clameran, "to have my money
on hand for Tuesday."

"That is a very short notice, uncle," objected Raoul. "You know there
are certain forms to be gone through, and he can claim a longer time
wherein to pay it over."

"That is true, but our banker is proud of always being prepared to pay
any amount of money, no matter how large; and if I say I am pressed, and
would like to be accommodated on Tuesday, he will make a point of having
it ready for me. Now, you must ask Prosper, as a personal favor to you,
to have the money on hand at the opening of the bank."

Raoul once more examined the situation, to discover if possible a grain
of sand which might be converted into a mountain at the last moment.

"Prosper and Gypsy are to be