phrase: _Sauve
qui peut_. It means 'Git!' And that's the advice I'm giving and taking.
To-morrow we'll meet to liquidate the Boundary Gang and split the Gang
Fund."

He turned his companions out to get what sleep they could. For him there
was little sleep that night. Before the dawn came, he was at Twickenham,
examining a big motor-launch that lay in a boat-house. It was the launch
which should have carried Lollie Marsh and Selby on their river and sea
journey. It was provisioned and ready for the trip. But first the
colonel had to take from a locker in the stern of the boat a small black
box and disconnect the wires from certain terminals before he stopped a
little clock which ticked noisily. He had tuned his bomb to go off at
four in the morning, by which time, he calculated, Lollie Marsh and her
escort would be well out to sea. For the colonel regarded no evidence
that might be brought against him as unimportant.

CHAPTER XXXIV

CONSCIENCE MONEY

The colonel was sleeping peacefully when Pinto rushed into his bedroom
with the news. He was awake in a second and sat up in bed.

"What!" he said incredulously.

"Selby's pinched," said Pinto, his voice shaking. "My God! It's awful!
It's dreadful! Colonel, we've got to get away to-day. I tell you they'll
have us----"

"Just shut up for a minute, will you?" growled the colonel, swinging out
of bed and searching for his slippers with the detached interest of one
who was hearing a little gossip from the morning papers. "What is the
charge against him?"

"Loitering with intention to commit a felony," said Pinto. "They took
him to the station and searched his bag. He had brought a bag with him
in preparation for the journey. And what do you think they found?"

"I know what they found," said the colonel; "a complete kit of burglar's
tools. The fool must have left his bag in the hall and of course Jack o'
Judgment planted the stuff. It is simple!"

"What can we do?" wailed Pinto. "What can we do?"

"Engage the best lawyer you can. Do it through one of your pals," said
the colonel. "It will go hard with Selby. He's had a previous
conviction."

"Do you think he'll split?" asked Pinto.

He looked yellow and haggard and he had much to do to keep his teeth
from chattering.

"Not for a day or two," said the colonel, "and we shall be away by then.
Does Crewe know?"

Pinto shook his head.

"I haven't any time to run about after that swine," he said impatient