ou may light the candle now," she whispered; "then we will go back to
Lisette."

Laczko lighted the candle, then shouldered his gun, and preceded his
young mistress down the staircase to the lower story.

They had almost reached the door of Lisette's room when Marie, who had
been peering sharply ahead, stopped abruptly, and exclaimed in a
startled tone:

"There is a man!"

Even as she spoke a dark form stepped from a doorway into the corridor
in front of them. Marie retreated several steps; but her little escort
proved that he was made of sterner stuff. He placed himself valiantly in
front of his young mistress, laid his gun against his cheek, and aiming
directly for the stranger's breast, said, in a brave tone:

"Halt, or I will shoot you."

"That's my brave lad," commented the stranger. "But don't shoot. It is
I, your father."

"Don't come any nearer, I tell you!" responded the lad, threateningly.

"Why, I am not moving a muscle, lad; don't be foolish."

"What do you want here?" demanded Laczko. "I will not let you do any
harm to my mistress."

Here Marie, who had recovered from her alarm, came forward, and laid her
hand over her small defender's eyes.

"Take down your gun, Laczko," she commanded. Then turning to the
stranger asked: "What do you want, my good man?"

For answer the man merely pronounced a name:

"Sophie Botta."

Without an instant's hesitation, and although she shuddered
involuntarily when her eyes fell on the stranger's repulsive
countenance, the young girl went close to his side, and said calmly:

"What do you wish me to do?"

Satan Laczi held the thumb-ring toward her, and said:

"The person who wears this sent me to fetch you away from here. Are you
ready to come with me at once?"

"I am," replied Marie, who seemed unable to remove her eyes from the
hideously ugly face before her.

"My master," continued the ex-robber, "also bade me fetch a little steel
casket. Do you know where it is hidden?"

"The person who had it in her care has already taken it to your master,"
was Marie's response.

"Ah, she has taken it to him?" repeated Satan Laczi. "Then it is all
right. I know now what I have to do. My master bade me convey you to a
place of concealment; but my face is not exactly the sort to win
anybody's confidence. Besides, I know some one who can perform this
errand as well as I. The way to Raab is clear. Instead of taking you
there myself, my wife will go with you. I think