nd it was to
protect these that he had fitted the place with steel shutters,
elaborate fastenings, and _chevaux-de-frise_ along the garden wall. He
lived much alone, in spite of some strange visitors, with whom, it
seemed, he had business to transact; and there was no one else in the
house, except Mademoiselle and an old woman servant.

"Is Mademoiselle his daughter?" inquired Francis.

"Certainly," replied the porter. "Mademoiselle is the daughter of the
house; and strange it is to see how she is made to work. For all his
riches, it is she who goes to market; and every day in the week you may
see her going by with a basket on her arm."

"And the collections?" asked the other.

"Sir," said the man, "they are immensely valuable. More I cannot tell
you. Since M. de Vandeleur's arrival no one in the quarter has so much
as passed the door."

"Suppose not," returned Francis, "you must surely have some notion what
these famous galleries contain. Is it pictures, silks, statues, jewels,
or what?"

"My faith, sir," said the fellow, with a shrug, "it might be carrots,
and still I could not tell you. How should I know? The house is kept
like a garrison, as you perceive."

And then as Francis was returning disappointed to his room, the porter
called him back.

"I have just remembered, sir," said he. "M. de Vandeleur has been in all
parts of the world, and I once heard the old woman declare that he had
brought many diamonds back with him. If that be the truth, there must be
a fine show behind those shutters."

By an early hour on Sunday Francis was in his place at the theatre. The
seat which had been taken for him was only two or three numbers from the
left-hand side, and directly opposite one of the lower boxes. As the
seat had been specially chosen there was doubtless something to be
learned from its position; and he judged by an instinct that the box
upon his right was, in some way or other, to be connected with the drama
in which he ignorantly played a part. Indeed, it was so situated that
its occupants could safely observe him from beginning to end of the
piece, if they were so minded; while, profiting by the depth, they could
screen themselves sufficiently well from any counter-examination on his
side. He promised himself not to leave it for a moment out of sight; and
whilst he scanned the rest of the theatre, or made a show of attending
to the business of the stage, he always kept a corner of an eye upon the
empty