the wicked face of the man with the receding forehead whom I had
seen at madame's, and in his arms he held THE BOX.

It was a shock which sent me further into concealment. Mr. S----, on the
contrary, looked relieved. Exclaiming, "Ah, he has come!" he went to
the door leading into the drawing-room, locked it, took out the key and
returned to meet the stealthy, advancing figure.

The latter presented a picture of malignant joy, horrible to
contemplate. The lips of his large mouth were compressed and bloodless.
He came on with the quiet certainty and deadly ease of a slimy thing
sure of its prey.

As I noted him I felt that not only Mr. S----'s life but my own was not
worth a moment's purchase. But I uttered no cry and scarcely breathed.
Miss Calhoun, on the contrary, gave vent to a long, shivering sigh. The
man bowed as he heard it, but with looks directed solely to Mr. S----.

"I was told," said he, "to deliver this box to you wherever and with
whomsoever I should find you. In it you will find _the name._"

Mr. S---- gazed in haughty astonishment, first at the box and then at
the man.

"This is irregular," said he. "Why was I not made acquainted with the
fact that a name was up for consideration, and why have you removed the
box from its place and broken the connection which was made with so much
difficulty?"

As he said this he looked up through the glass of the conservatory to a
high building I could see towering at the end of the garden. It was the
building in which I had first seen that box, and I now understood how
this connection had been made.

Mr. S----'s movement had been involuntary.

Dropping his eyes, he finished by saying, with an almost imperceptible
bow, "You may speak before this lady; she is the holder of a key."

"The connection was broken because suspicion was aroused; to your other
question you will find an answer in the box. Shall I open it for you?"

Mr. S------, with a stern frown, shook his head, and produced a key
from his pocket. "Do you understand all this?" he suddenly asked Miss
Calhoun.

For reply, she pointed to the box.

"Open!" her beseeching looks seemed to say.

Mr. S---- turned the key and threw up the lid. "Look under the hand,"
suggested the man.

Mr. S---- leaned over the box, which had been laid on a small table,
discovered a paper somewhere in its depth, and drew it out. It was no
whiter than his face when he did so.

"How many have subscribed to this?" he aske