o go to the devil; and the fellow took offence,
you know."

"H'm--odd, too," said Harry. "Why should he take offence at such a
simple remark?"

"Don't know, I'm sure," said Ashby; "but there it is, you see.
However, that makes no difference. I've defied him and threatened
him."

"Threatened! Why?"

"Why, because the infernal scoundrel is deep in some plan to get hold
of Katie's money."

"Katie's money? Oh, she has money, then?"

"Of course--about thirty or forty thousand pounds. Most of this, I
believe, is in Spanish bonds, in which Westlotorn was foolish enough
to invest."

"Not very good just now, hey?"

"Oh, they'll be good ultimately. At any rate, old Russell's bound to
get hold of all this and keep it for himself, and I'm resolved that
he shall disgorge. He's got half a dozen plans. One plan is to try to
get her to marry his son, an infernal redheaded, cock-eyed cad of a
fellow--a tailor too. Another plan is to put her off in some
out-of-the-way place here in Spain, where no one will ever hear of
her. Another plan is to ship her off to America; another is to keep
her in seclusion in his own home, where no one will ever see her;
while another is to dispose of the Spanish bonds in such a way as to
make it appear that they are a dead loss."

"You seem to be very deep in Russell's plans," said Harry. "He could
not have told you all this himself. If he did, he must be of an
uncommonly confiding disposition."

"He tell me!" said Ashby. "Of course he didn't. I found it all
out--no matter how. Oh, the fellow's a desperate swindler--he'll
stick at nothing. But, at any rate, he knows that I have my eye on
him, and he'll hardly dare to do anything against Katie's interest so
long as I am near enough to watch over her."

"You and Russell must have had rather interesting conversations. Did
you ever tell him your suspicions?"

"They're not suspicions, they're facts. Tell him--of course I did,
and that's one reason why he hates me. He knows perfectly well that I
see through and through him. We had a row at the station, just before
leaving Madrid, because I came down to see Katie off; and he's now on
the watch to prevent me from seeing her again."

"And what do you propose to do about it?"

"Oh, I've arranged it all. I'll tell you. I wrote a letter, and
handed it to her just as we were leaving Madrid, asking her to meet
me at Biarritz, naming a place. I have friends there, and I will take
her to their house. T