ever came; I was always told to
wait because the place was not free, and another berth must be found
first for Siegenthal, who was my senior. But the old beast would never
make any application. However, three days ago, I was sent for to the
Ministry, and one of the staff told me that some one in the Embassy, or
the Government, or somewhere, was taking an interest in me, and they
asked me a lot of questions and I told them all about it. And then, all
of a sudden, Siegenthal was promoted to Poissy and I was given his
billet here."

Gurn nodded: he saw light.

"And what about the money?"

"That's stranger still, but I understood all the same. A lady met me in
the street the other night and spoke to me by name. We had a chat there
on the pavement, for the street was empty, and she shoved some
bank-notes in my hand--not just one or two, but a great bunch----, and
she told me that she was interested in me--in you----, and that if
things turned out as she wished there were plenty more bank-notes where
those came from."

While the warder was talking Gurn watched him carefully. The murderer
was an experienced reader of character in faces, and he speedily
realised that his lady's choice had fallen on an excellent object. Thick
lips, a narrow forehead, and prominent cheek-bones suggested a material
nature that would hesitate at nothing which would satisfy his carnal
appetites, so Gurn decided that further circumlocution was so much waste
of time, and that he might safely come to the point. He laid his hand
familiarly on the warder's shoulder.

"I'm getting sick of being here," he remarked.

"I dare say," the warder answered uneasily; "but you must be guided by
reason; time is going on, and things arrange themselves."

"They do when you help them," Gurn said peremptorily; "and you and I are
going to help them."

"That remains to be seen," said the warder.

"Of course, everything has got to be paid for," Gurn went on. "One can't
expect a warder to risk his situation merely to help a prisoner to
escape." He smiled as the warder made an exclamation of nervous warning.
"Don't be frightened, Nibet. We're not going to play any fool games, but
let us talk seriously. Of course you have another appointment with the
worthy lady who gave you that money?"

"I am to meet her to-night at eleven, in the boulevard Arago," Nibet
said, after a moment's hesitation.

"Good," said Gurn. "Well, you are to tell her that I must have ten
tho