s a heavy thud.

Struck from behind, Charlot fell like a log to the floor, while Lady
Beltham recoiled in terror, clenching her fists to prevent herself from
screaming.

Seizing the opportunity presented by Valgrand's faithful servant
standing so still, hypnotised by the gruesome spectacle being prepared
outside, Gurn had drawn a knife from his pocket, and, springing on the
unfortunate old man, had driven the blade up to the hilt behind his
neck.

Charlot fell prone and rigid, the weapon remaining in the wound and
stopping the flow of blood.

Lady Beltham was staring at the victim in horror, but Gurn seized her
roughly by the arm.

Without troubling to alter the appearance of his face, but horrified as
she was by the tragedies which had succeeded one another in such
appalling and rapid succession during this awful night, Gurn drew the
half-fainting woman to him, and hurried her away.

"Come quick!" he muttered hoarsely. "Let us get out of this!"

XXXII. ON THE SCAFFOLD

It was still dark.

In the keen morning air a crowd came hurrying along the pavements,
flowing over into the roadways. The boulevards were black with people,
all marching briskly towards one common goal. And it was a
light-hearted, singing crowd, chanting the choruses of popular songs and
swarming into the open restaurants and wine-shops and drinking dens.

And it was noticeable that all these late birds belonged to one of two
sharply divided classes. They were either rich, or miserably poor; they
either came from the night clubs, or they were the poor devils with no
homes or hearths who roam about the city from one year's end to another.
There were crooks whose faces shone with the evil excitement of alcohol,
out-of-works of all kinds, beggars, and young men--all young men--with
sleek oiled hair and shiny boots, in whose eyes and demeanour theft and
crime could be seen.

By a curious coincidence the great news seemed to have reached all,
toffs and crooks alike, at exactly the same time. About midnight the
rumour had run round the town; it was certain, definite this time; the
official steps had been taken, and the guillotine was going to raise her
blood-stained arms towards the sky; at earliest dawn, Gurn, the man who
had murdered Lord Beltham, was to undergo the supreme punishment, and
expiate his murder with his life.

No sooner had the great news become known than all prepared, as for a
holiday, to go to see the man's head fall