ders.
When the Universal Credit removed to its new offices, these shares were
taken away by mistake. It will suffice to replace the scrip. I will give
back the receipt to the Prince and all trace of this deplorable affair
will be wiped out."

"But the numbers of the shares will not be the same," said Madame
Desvarennes, accustomed to minute regularity in all operations.

"We can explain the change by feigning a sale when they were high, and
buying them up when low. We will show a profit, and the shareholders
will not quarrel. Besides, I reserve the right of divulging Herzog's
fraud without implicating Panine, if the shareholders insist. Trust me,
I will catch Herzog another time. It is my stupid confidence in that
man which has been partly the cause of this disaster. I will make your
business mine and force him to shell out. I shall leave for London
to-night, by the 1.50 train. Promptness of action in such a case is the
first step toward success."

"Thank you, Cayrol," said the mistress. "Have my daughter and the Prince
arrived?"

"Yes, Serge is calm; he has more power over himself than I could have
believed."

"What does it matter to him what is going on? Is it he who will feel the
blow? No. He knows that I shall go on working to keep him in idleness
and maintain him in luxury. I may think myself lucky if he is reclaimed
by this hard lesson, and does not again begin to rummage in other
people's safes, for then I should be unable to save him."

The mistress rose and, with flashing eyes, walked up and down the room.

"Oh, the wretch!" she said. "If ever my daughter ceases to come between
him and me!"

A terrible gesture finished the sentence.

Cayrol, Marechal, and Pierre looked at each other. The same thought
came to their minds, dark and fearful. In a paroxysm of rage this fond
mother, this energetic and passionate woman, would be capable of killing
any one.

"You remember what I told you one day," murmured Marechal, approaching
Cayrol.

"I would prefer the hatred of ten men to that of such a woman," answered
Cayrol.

"Cayrol!" continued Madame Desvarennes, after a few moments of
meditation, "the conduct of the business of which you spoke to us a
little while ago depends solely on you, does it not?"

"On me alone."

"Do it at once, then, cost me what it may. Has it been noised abroad?"

"No one has the slightest suspicion. I have not mentioned it to a living
soul," said the banker--"except to my wi