and stole three
hundred and fifty thousand francs."

Madeleine crimsoned with shame and indignation; she leaned over the
sofa, and seizing her aunt's wrist shook it violently, and in a hollow
voice cried:

"It is false, is it not, aunt? speak!"

"Alas! alas!" groaned Mme. Fauvel. "What have I done?"

"You have allowed Prosper to be accused," cried Madeleine; "you have
suffered him to be arrested, and disgraced for life."

"Forgive me," sighed Mme. Fauvel. "He was about to kill himself; I was
so frightened! Then you know--Prosper was to share the money: he gave
Raoul the secret word--"

"Good Heavens! Aunt, how could you believe such a falsehood as that?"

Clameran interrupted them.

"Unfortunately, what your aunt says of M. Bertomy is the truth," he said
in a sad tone.

"Your proofs, monsieur; where are your proofs?"

"Raoul's confession."

"Raoul is false."

"That is only too true: but how did he find out the word, if M. Bertomy
did not reveal it? And who left the money in the safe but M. Bertomy?"

These arguments had no effect upon Madeleine.

"And now tell me," she said scornfully, "what became of the money?"

There was no mistaking the significance of these words: they meant:

"You are the instigator of the robbery, and of course you have taken
possession of the money."

This harsh accusation from a girl whom he so passionately loved, when,
grasping bandit as he was, he gave up for her sake all the money gained
by his crime, so cruelly hurt Clameran that he turned livid. But his
mortification and anger did not prevent him from pursuing the part he
had prepared and studied.

"A day will come, mademoiselle," he said, "when you will deeply regret
having treated me so cruelly. I understand your insinuation; you need
not attempt to deny it."

"I have no idea of denying anything, monsieur."

"Madeleine!" remonstrated Mme. Fauvel, who trembled at the rising anger
of the man who held her fate in his hands, "Madeleine, be careful!"

"Mademoiselle is pitiless," said Clameran sadly; "she cruelly punishes
an honorable man whose only fault is having obeyed his brother's
dying injunctions. And I am here now, because I believe in the joint
responsibility of all the members of a family."

Here he slowly drew from his pocket several bundles of bank-notes, and
laid them on the mantel-piece.

"Raoul stole three hundred and fifty thousand francs," he said: "I
return the same amount. It is more than half m