ing for us down by
the quay, that he must not expect us for an hour or so."

"Very good."

* * * *

Markby must have been pretty keenly upon the lookout, for no sooner
were they gone than back he came.

"Well, what success?"

"Just as I wished," returned Lenoir, with a great chuckle; "they are
coming back directly."

"That's your chance; you have only to take them up to your place. Once
there, you will do as you please with them."

"There is no danger?"

"What can there be!"

"Only this--suppose that you were mistaken?"

Markby was visibly offended at this.

"If you think that likely after all I have told you, take my advice and
have nothing whatever to do with them. I don't want to expose you to
any risk that you think you ought not to run."

Lenoir appeared to waver momentarily.

Markby eyed him anxiously for awhile, until Lenoir, with an air of
resolution, exclaimed--

"Hang the risk. I'll go for it neck or nothing."

"And you will take them there to-night."

"I will."

"Good! You'll have no cause to repent your decision. They'll do you a
turn that you little contemplate."

"Right! Now off with you."

"I'm gone."

And away he went.

"What a strange fellow that Markby is," thought Pierre Lenoir, looking
after him. "What an odd laugh he has."

Alas! Pierre Lenoir had good reason to bear that laugh in mind.

But we must not anticipate.

* * * *

As soon as Markby was fairly out of sight, he beckoned over to a young
man in white blouse and a cap, who had walked along on the opposite
side of the way, keeping Markby in view all the while without appearing
to notice him.

The fellow in the blouse ran across at once.

"Well, how's it going?"

"Beautiful," returned Markby, "nothing could be better. Already have
Harkaway and his hard-knuckled companion, Girdwood, been seen in
Lenoir's society. But before the day is over they will be seen in the
Caveaux themselves, where proofs of their guilt will spring up
hydra-headed from the very ground."

"And what will it end in?" asked the other, eagerly.

"The galleys," returned Markby, with fierce intensity.

"Beautiful!" exclaimed the man in the blouse, with unfeigned
admiration. "You always must have been a precious sight downier than I
thought. Why, your old man was no fool. He made a brown or two floating
his coffins, but he was a guileless pup compa