at's strange! When I went out I closed it! But it was
open--open--as I came in! Some one--some one has entered here in my
absence!"

With both his thin, wasted hands outstretched, he walked quickly to his
safe, cleverly avoiding the furniture in his course, and next second
discovered that the iron door stood wide open.

"Thieves!" he gasped aloud hoarsely as the truth dawned upon him. "My
papers! Gabrielle's voice! What can all this mean?" And next moment he
opened the door, crying, "Help!" and endeavouring to alarm the
household.

In an instant Flockart dashed forward towards the safe, and, without
being observed by Gabrielle, had slipped the key into his own pocket.

"Gabrielle," cried the blind man, "you are here in the room. I know you
are. You cannot deceive me. I smell that new scent, which your aunt
Annie sent you, upon your handkerchief. Why don't you speak to me?"

"Yes, dad," she answered at last, in a low, strained voice, "I--I am
here."

"Then what is meant by my safe being open?" he asked sternly, as all
that Goslin had told him a little while before flashed across his
memory. "Why have you obtained a key to it?"

"I have no key," was her quick answer.

"Come here," he said. "Let me take your hand."

With great reluctance, her eyes fixed upon Flockart's face, she did as
she was bid, and as her father took her soft hand in his, he said in a
stern, harsh tone, full of suspicion and quite unusual to him, "You are
trembling, Gabrielle--trembling, because--because of my unexpected
appearance, eh?"

The fair girl with the sweet face and dainty figure was silent. What
could she reply?

CHAPTER XX

TELLS OF FLOCKART'S TRIUMPH

"What are you doing here at this hour?" Gabrielle's father demanded
slowly, releasing her hand. "Why are you prying into my affairs?" He had
not detected Flockart's presence, and believed himself alone with his
daughter.

The man's glance again met Gabrielle's, and she saw in his eyes a
desperate look. To tell the truth would, she knew, alas! cause the
exposure of her secret and her disgrace. On both sides had she suddenly
become hemmed in by a deadly peril.

"Dad," she cried suddenly, "do I not know all about your affairs
already? Do I not act as your secretary? With what motive should I open
your safe?"

Without response, the blind man moved back to the open door, and,
placing his hand within, fingered one of the long iron drawers. It was
unlocked, and he drew it