had promised wonders, and who finds his situation imperilled,
--of a man who is tired of working for a band of brigands who heap
millions upon millions, and to whom, for all reward, they offer
the police-court and a retreat in the State Prison for his old age,
--in a word, the interests of a man who will and shall have revenge,
by all that is holy!"

"On whom?"

"On the Baron de Thaller, sir! How, in the world, has he been
able to compel Favoral to assume the responsibility of all, and
to disappear? What enormous sum has he given to him?"

"Sir," interrupted Maxence, "my father went off without a sou."

M. Saint Pavin burst out in a loud laugh.

"And the twelve millions?" he asked. "What has become of them?
Do you suppose they have been distributed in deeds of charity?"

And without waiting for any further objections,

"And yet," he went on, "it is not with money alone that a man can
be induced to disgrace himself, to confess himself a thief and a
forger, to brave the galleys, to give up everything,--country,
family, friends. Evidently the Baron de Thaller must have had
other means of action, some hold on Favoral--"

M. de Tregars interrupted him.

"You speak," he said, "as if you were absolutely certain of M. de Thaller's
complicity."

"Of course."

"Why don't you inform on him, then?"

The editor of "The Pilot" started back. "What!" he exclaimed, "draw
the fingers of the law into my own business! You don't think of it!
Besides, what good would that do me? I have no proofs of my
allegations. Do you suppose that Thaller has not taken his
precautions, and tied my hands? No, no! without Favoral there is
nothing to be done."

"Do you suppose, then, that you could induce him to surrender
himself?"

"No, but to furnish me the proofs I need, to send Thaller where they
have already sent that poor Jottras."

And, becoming more and more excited,

"But it is not in a month that I should want those proofs," he went
on, "nor even in two weeks, but to-morrow, but at this very moment.
Before the end of the week, Thaller will have wound up the operation,
realized, Heaven knows how many millions, and put every thing in
such nice order, that justice, who in financial matters is not of
the first capacity, will discover nothing wrong. If he can do that,
he is safe, he is beyond reach, and will be dubbed a first-class
financier. Then to what may he not aspire! Already he talks of
having himself elected de