ught,' he said. 'Are your
condemnations written on your face? No, I should say. Well, as you will
exhibit your papers in excellent order, they will take you.'

"I opened my eyes wide, and said, 'That's all very pretty, what you say;
but the mischief is, that, as I have not worked at my profession
for more than fifteen years, I have no papers at all.' He shrugs his
shoulders, and says, 'You shall have your papers.' That worries me; and
I reply, 'If I have to steal somebody's papers, and change my name,
I won't do it.' But the brigand had his notions. 'You shall keep your
name,' he said, touching me on the shoulder. 'You shall always remain
Crochard, surnamed Bagnolet; and you shall have your papers as engraver
on metal as perfect as anybody can have them.'

"And, to be sure, the second day after that he gave me a set of papers,
signatures, seals, all in perfect order."

"The papers found in your room, you mean?" asked the lawyer.

"Exactly."

"Where did Chevassat get them?"

"Get them? Why, he had made them himself. He can do anything he chooses
with his pen, the scamp! If he takes it into his head to imitate your
own handwriting, you would never suspect it."

Daniel and the old surgeon exchanged glances. This was a strong and very
important point in connection with the forged letter that had been sent
to the navy department, and claimed to be signed by Daniel himself. The
magistrate was as much struck by the fact as they were; but his features
remained unchanged; and, pursuing his plan in spite of all the incidents
of the examination, he asked,--

"These papers caused no suspicion?"

"None whatever. I had only to show them, and they accepted me. Besides,
Chevassat said he would enlist some people in my behalf; perhaps I had
been specially recommended."

"And thus you sailed?"

"Yes. They gave me my ticket, some money for travelling expenses;
and, five days after my meeting with Chevassat, I was on board 'The
Conquest.' Lieut. Champcey was not there. Ah! I began to hope he would
not go out on the expedition at all. Unfortunately, he arrived forty-
eight hours afterwards, and we sailed at once."

The marvellous coolness of the wretch showed clearly under his affected
trouble; and, while it confounded Daniel and the old surgeon, it
filled the faithful Lefloch with growing indignation. He spoke of this
abominable plot, of this assassination which had been so carefully
plotted, and of the price agreed upon, an