the trunk. I was
sure that I recognized Mackenzie, and as he made off I took aim with my
pistol and fired. A sharp cry and an oath followed the report, but the
fellow sped on to the end of the court, where a passage led out to a
back street. Here a voice hailed him; showing that one or more had
shared his enterprise.

But a moment had passed since I leaped out of the window, and now I
found Captain Rudstone at my side.

"Did you hit him?" he demanded.

"I think so," I replied; "but he ran like a deer."

"He'll not run far if I can get sight of him. To take the scoundrel will
be a good card in our hands!"

With that the captain swung himself into the tree, and went down hand
over hand, from limb to limb, with the agility of a cat. He was on the
ground before I could have counted ten.

"Do not follow me," he called up: and then he vanished in the shadows
across the court.

I would have preferred to take a part in the chase, but I swallowed my
disappointment and returned along the balcony. The pistol-shot had
raised some clamor in the neighborhood. I could hear men shouting, and
several lights were moving in the opposite house. I climbed through the
window into the room, where I found Monsieur and Madame Ragoul and their
three servants all in a state of excitement. Miss Hatherton had by this
time put on a dressing-gown and slippers, and seemed to have entirely
recovered from her fright. She blushed prettily as she saw me.

"You have not killed him. Mr. Carew?" she asked.

"I fear not," I replied; "but Captain Rudstone hopes to take him."

"It will be a shame if he escapes," cried Madame Ragoul. "Oh, the
pig--the wicked robber! He might have strangled the pretty English
mademoiselle!"

The servants were rolling their eyes and shivering with fear, and
Monsieur Ragoul was dancing about, with his red nightcap hanging to one
ear.

"I am ruined!" he wailed. "The good name of my house is gone!
Never--never did such a thing happen before! The officers of the law
will enter--they will demand why a pistol is fired to waken the
quarter!"

"Coward, be quiet!" snapped his wife. "The affair is no fault of ours."

I judged it was time to interfere. The distant clamor had not
perceptibly increased, and I saw some chance of keeping the matter a
secret, which was a thing greatly to be desired.

"Monsieur Ragoul, I think there need be no publicity," said I. "Will you
be so good as to close the window and draw the curtain