ate on the safe.

"Yes," he said, "I think I'm right. And if so, we shall each be richer
by a couple of hundred thousand francs."

"You don't seem to like the Baron, Ralph!" whispered his friend, with a
smile.

"Like him! Why, I hate him! I've been here before--as his visitor."

"Is he really what you alleged--a German spy?"

"Yes. And I can prove it. Why, in doing what we are now we are acting as
patriots, not as common burglars. We are acting for the honour of
France."

"And for our pockets, my dear fellow," laughed his companion, as he bent
beside him and watched him draw aside the brass cover of the lock and
insert the key.

Gripping the big brass handle--for he knew the mechanism of that
much-advertised make of safe--Ralph first turned it to the right. Then
he turned the key, which worked evenly and easily, afterwards twisting
the handle in an opposite direction.

Next moment, the bolts being shot back, the heavy, steel door came
slowly open; but suddenly, at the same instant, a huge electric alarm
bell in the main hall was set ringing.

At first so startled were they both that they did not move. But next
second the truth dawned upon them.

"_Diable!_ Let's fly!" cried Ansell. "It's all up! Across the garden and
over the wall by the gate in the corner. Quick!"

Out of the room and down the stairs dashed the men like lightning. Along
the corridor through the room by which they had entered, and out into
the moonlight in the garden.

They heard loud shouts of alarm from the windows. Electric lights were
being switched on everywhere, and loud cries were being raised of
"Thieves! Assassins! Thieves!" while somebody fired three shots at them
from a window as they crossed the grounds and sought concealment in the
shadows.

As fast as their legs could carry them they made for the corner of the
wall wherein was the Baron's secret exit, and, scaling the wall with
quick agility, were soon on the other side--and clear away.

As they ran back in the direction of the Bois de Boulogne they could
hear shouts and cries of the Baron and his servants. Twice were
revolvers emptied to attract the police, and then the hubbub grew
fainter, and at last, beneath the deep shadow of a wall, they halted to
regain breath.

"Never mind, Adolphe!" laughed Ralph; "we've got a nice haul, and it was
an easy job, after all. I never expected the spy to have an alarm
attached to the door of his safe. He's a wary bird, after all!"