is," said he.

"Do you think I am cramming you with lies?" said Jacques Collin,
perceiving that Paccard had had a few drops too much. "Well, listen. In
the cellar of that house there are two hundred and fifty thousand francs
in gold----"

Again silence reigned in the coach.

"The coin is in a very hard bed of masonry. It must be got out, and you
have only three nights to do it in. Jacqueline will help you.--A hundred
thousand francs will buy up the business, fifty thousand will pay for
the house; leave the remainder."

"Where?" said Paccard.

"In the cellar?" asked Prudence.

"Silence!" cried Jacqueline.

"Yes, but to get the business transferred, we must have the consent of
the police authorities," Paccard objected.

"We shall have it," said _Trompe-la-Mort_. "Don't meddle in what does
not concern you."

Jacqueline looked at her nephew, and was struck by the alteration in
his face, visible through the stern mask under which the strong man
generally hid his feelings.

"You, child," said he to Prudence Servien, "will receive from my aunt
the seven hundred and fifty thousand francs----"

"Seven hundred and thirty," said Paccard.

"Very good, seven hundred and thirty then," said Jacques Collin. "You
must return this evening under some pretext to Madame Lucien's house.
Get out on the roof through the skylight; get down the chimney into your
miss'ess' room, and hide the packet she had made of the money in the
mattress----"

"And why not by the door?" asked Prudence Servien.

"Idiot! there are seals on everything," replied Jacques Collin. "In a
few days the inventory will be taken, and you will be innocent of the
theft."

"Good for the boss!" cried Paccard. "That is really kind!"

"Stop, coachman!" cried Jacques Collin's powerful voice.

The coach was close to the stand by the Jardin des Plantes.

"Be off, young 'uns," said Jacques Collin, "and do nothing silly! Be on
the Pont des Arts this afternoon at five, and my aunt will let you
know if there are any orders to the contrary.--We must be prepared
for everything," he whispered to his aunt. "To-morrow," he went on,
"Jacqueline will tell you how to dig up the gold without any risk. It is
a ticklish job----"

Paccard and Prudence jumped out on to the King's highway, as happy as
reprieved thieves.

"What a good fellow the boss is!" said Paccard.

"He would be the king of men if he were not so rough on women."

"Oh, yes! He is a sweet creature," sai