the
intruder, finding the door locked, had had recourse to stronger
measures, and would stop at nothing which would help him to get at the
child. Mrs. Wright knew he was not likely to give up his attempt at the
first failure. She waited in breathless silence, a pistol ready in her
hand.

Again the effort to spring the door open was made, but the bolts held it
fast. Another silence, and then came the sound of cuts being made in the
woodwork, as if to take out the panel. But the wood was thick, and old
age had hardened it. Any attempt to penetrate it would only mean loss of
valuable time.

This second failure depressed Thomas exceedingly. He had had a very hard
week. Only the hope of Jack's absence had kept him near the Hospice de
la Providence. He had managed to get into the disused portion, where
hiding had not been difficult among those gloomy passages and empty
chambers. Getting food had not been a light business. It had
necessitated a long walk every now and again, as soon as the friendly
shadows of night permitted, to a neighbouring village, where he was
unknown. He had been obliged to be very careful of his money, too, as he
had only what had been paid to him by the circus people. It could not
last long, and, what he grudged most of all, his candles and tools had
to come out of it. It was essential to the success of his plans that he
should discover a way into Jack's abode without attracting attention,
and for this he required light.

So cautiously were his discoveries made that even Jack was ignorant of
his presence so near him. Thomas could even hear what was said in the
vast kitchen if the voices of the speakers were at all raised, and by
this means he had learned of Jack's trawling expedition. Had he
discovered the opening before, he might have acted differently. The
discussion over the plans for finding Estelle's home would have made him
aware that he would gain more by helping than by any attempts at
kidnapping. He would have seen that it was wiser to make terms with
Jack, rather than risk the loss of everything by grasping at too much.

But Thomas's mind was naturally slow. He had not heard the discussion,
and the idea of sharing any reward which might be offered for Estelle
with anybody else had not even occurred to him. With any prospect of
success he would have scouted the idea; but, with no food, no money, and
the child so carefully guarded, he had sense enough to perceive that
Jack was better as hi