CHAPTER XII.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 147, 27 March 1886, Page 4

CHAPTER XII.

THE MAlUjUKss SECRET. About twelve o'clock the day after this exciting evening, Sartilly, leaning on the ■ Captain's arm, was crossing tho garden of the Tuileries slowly. It was about the ! miJdle of March ; the sky was blue, the sun radiant, the air wann, and the precocious Parisian spring had already covered the traditional horse chestnut trees with budding leaves. This magnificent day had doubtless its influence on the Viscount, who, in spite of his paleness and feeblo gait, appeared gay. " We did well to como out on foot," ho said to Chateaubrun, pointing to the gay crowd in the gai'den ; "it seems to have given me new lifa." " It must be confessed," answered tho Cap'ain, "that our drive last night was not charming. I understand why you prefer a walk this morning." "I think," replied Sartilly. smiling, ■"that this delightful spring morning is i not the only cause of my joy. I went, before starting, to tho Trocadero, and the doctor assures me that Jeanne- will soon be well. Then good fortune, they eay, neve comes alone, as I have received a letter from a book dealer, whom I commissioned to look for this ' History of the Province of Normandy' ; he has written that ho has discovered a copy, perhaps the only one, at a book store on the Arsenal wharf, and in an hour I hope to have it at my housf, and to-morrow be ablo to execute Roger de Mcnsignac's directions " *' You know,"' paid the worthy Captain, "If you have need of my services for any expedition whate\er, I am ready, as this mornine my colonel has given me leave of absence for a month." "Thank you, my dear friend; I will not refuse, as without you — without your presence of mind -Jeanne would not have been saved last evening/' " Ah, it was not for nothing that I made fivecampaignsin Africa," saidChateaubrun, laughing : " but since jou have- confidonce in my mameuvres, iet mo know your plan f ir to-day "' ■ " At thi« moment I have no other than j to so quickly and buy the work in question. I I think that very probably the fortune of I Mademoiselle de Mensignuc depends on the indications that I shall find in that volume ; and 1 have no time to lose, as the noble youncr girl '•till persists, in her desire to i pay the tive hundred thousand francs that Koger owes, and her house is to bo sold in eight days " "Thunder '"' said tho Captain; "that i? quick, indeed, and it would not do to postpone our visit to the vendor of old book?. I only want you to make a littlo change in our route. 1 '•What is it?" " Since we are on foot, 1 will explain it to you as we walk. Let us go along the wharf, to profit by the sun ; and tell me about that" rascal, Toby. ' " My dear friend, it ia as simple as possible ; he went out as usual several times throughout the day, in spito of my I order-, and verv probably to arrange this affair with his accomplices.'" " Thelettcrto Mademoisellodo MonMgnac mu^t have been sent by them Jibout four o'clock ?'' paid the Captain. " Yes : he came in a little after five o'clock. I went out at seven, and after I left he stayed at homo, which i^ entirely contrary to his u=ual habits. About nine o'clock, a man dre?sed as a servant, with out livery, brought a 1-tter to old Antoine, and my wiiting was imitated exactly that even he was deceived. In it, ho wa° desired to have my new coupe got ready as quickly as possible, and to let Toby drive ib to the Do Mensignac mansion. You know the rest."' ! " Then this little scoundrel, who looked so sprightly, was nothing more than an agent ot De PJorrfFs When and how did you take him into your tervioe ?" "I took him about three years ago, upon the recommendation of RogerdeMensignac. 1 ' " Of Roger ! That is very odd; but do you know that this traitor, Toby, will aid us very much in discovering the chief of j the band V' "And how?" " Because a groom with a coupe ami two horses like yours cannot disappear without leaving gome trace ; because, aleo, we must i find him in M. do Noreil's house, and I intend to go there and inquire for him. ' " I had forgotten to tell you that the carriage and horses were brought back thi? j morning by the police-oiHcers, who found them at the corner of the Boulevard. They had put them in the pound at first, but afterward found my visiting cards in the pocket of the coupe. But now, my dear Captain, let us busy ourselves, the first thing, with the book that the ecoundiel stole from me, and that this worthy book dealer will fcell to me as dear aa possible !"' "Agreed ; but when we have- done with him, I have something else to propose to you that on a day like this will be charming '" The two friends, while walking at a pace suitable to a convalescent, had arrived at the Arsenal wharf. Sartilly was looking for the number of the house, and at last found it on the worn-out front of a tumble down building, on which there was neither name nor inscription ot any kind ; the Vi?count beginning to think his agent must have been mistaken. " A singular bookstore, that has neither sign nor shop." said the Captain. " Oh, it is a man who only Fells rare books, and his customers consist principally of collectors of thorn, who know very well how to find him." " Let us go in and be done with it. But, now I think of it, how are you going to carry away the.se old books, that must be as large as they are numerous V" " I'm going to pay for the whole work, and tell him I will send for the others tomorrow ; to day I will bo content with volume seventh as a pattern." '•Then," said Chateaubrun, laughing heartily, " I am to tako charge again of this folio, that made so singular an appearance upon my arm upon the day of tho duel, — and which that scoundrel stole from the carriage V" "Fortunately, I kept tho note for Mademoiselle de Mensignac, that pointed out the manner of using it ; the book could be of no use to thorn without it." "I am afraid it £s no longer in my secretary, for it seems to me that it has been opened, and Roger's note has been taken."

"The greatest reason for haste,'' said Chateaubrun, pushing the door open ; and going into a Jow, dark vestibule, the two frionds paw a black hole that soemed to be a porcer's lodge, the Captain putting his head bravely through the casement to gain the necessary information. " In the third story, on the etaircaso to tho right; and, above all, take hold of the] balustrade/' The visitors understood very soon the object of this odd recommendation, the steps being so worn out and worm-eaten, and the staircase so dark, that the uso of i the balustrado was indispensable. In the midst of this a&cenfc in the darkness, the Captain swore a great oath, for he had just knocked against a person who was f coming down so quietly that they had not heard him. The collision was very violent, but tho invisible passer-by, no doubt greatly frightened by the loud voice of tho Captain, did not sneak, and was soon lo^t in the lowor regions of the staircase " This is the place," said Sartiliy, almost immediately stopping beforo a door on which was written the namo of the dealer in books, and the words, " Come in without ringing." " So much the better," grumbled th Captain; "I don't like staircases who strangers pass between your legs," The Viscount went in, and the sound of a cracked bell gave notice to the owner of this strange shop, where books, piled in heaps of a formidable eize, left scarcely a free passage. A little man, shabbily dressed appeared at the end of one of these alleys of old books, and drew near the two friends while coughing violently " I came to terminate tho purchase of c The History of tho Province of Normandy,' at the price agreed upon by M. Signovet," said Sartiliy. '•But it is —it is already bought," replied tho old man, whoso cough redoubled while epekaing. " What i already sold ?" " Yc3, I have just this moment received the money for it, and I gave one volume to the person, who paid me three hundred and sixty five francs : you must have met him on the staircase." " What ! you have sold this book, and have ]ust given one of the volumes to the purchaser?" cried Sartiliy, beside himself ; *' which volume was it and to whom did you give it ?" '■1 believe it was volume the seventh, and I gave it to a young nvin that you must have met on the staircase," said the old man, in the midst of a frightful lit of coughing. "Lotus run alter him," cried Sartiliy; "he cannot bo veiy far off, and — " What good would it do .'" interrupted the Captain ; ''fiistof all, it is not prob able that we could overtake him ; and even if we did, -what right have we to take a bonk from him that he has already bought and piid for ?" " i es, he paid me exactly to the last farthing," said the seller ot old books ; '"and gave me bright gold piece3 in payment ; but if these gentlemen will give me my price. I may be ablo, poihaps, to procure another copy for them, although the work is very rare." '•That's not the question," replied tho Vis-count, without hiding his ill humor; '• those books had been engaged for me, and I think it w as very w rong in you to sell them to another person. ' "Sir, 1 have a principle," said tho little old man. dryly; "'First come, first served.'" •'Perfectly light," said Chateaubrun, nudging Sartill/ a elbow ; " and we may be more fortunate another time ; but I am curious to find out tho name of tho amateur who has forestalled us." " Upon my word,' 1 said tho appeased bookaellor, " I do not know him. It \va~> a German who came to mo first, and paid he had a comtni sion from Leipsic. Tin 3 was last week, and he asked for eight clays to decide. It was only this morning ho sent me tho money, taking away one volumo, and promising to send for the rest to morrow." " To-morrow 5 Ai what o'clock ?" Tho captain shrugged his shoulder:', as much as to &ay, "Do you think he will be foolish enough to come back?"' "What kind of a looking man was this clerk ':" he asked of tho book merchant ; •■ perhaps I know him." "He was a man moro than tfifcy years old, — tall, strong, and with whito wlmker^ ; but he who piid mo to-day was a very young man, and looked hko a servant.' "Thank you, very much," said Chateau - brun ; 'I think I kno»v thi=» Gorman, from having seen him at sale^, and we will meet him again, perhaps. Como, my dear friend," taking Sartilly's arm, who rushed out without paying attention to the bookseller's bows and oilers of service. When the two frionds were on tho wharf, they walked along pome time without speaking. The Captain had lost nothing of hito usual serenity, while Sartiliy scorned overwhelmed with grief ; at la«fc he said : " There is a fatality in this atlair, for this time it is not D«> Norcfl' who has bought the book,— for what would he want with it, when ho had already tho copy ho f^tolc from me at the pond at Auteuil ?" "I am not of your opinion," Chatcaubrun answered, quietly ; "but I am sure, on the contrary, that it is De Norcft' ; for, first of all, he may have heard of tho discovery made by your ag;ent, and wanted to provent your coming in possession of this famous volume !" "Then why did you hesitate a whole week before buying it ?" "I beg your pardon ; but when did you tind out that your secretary was opened and rummaged ?" "This morning only.'' " Well, my clear friend, this is all evidently connected together, and it can be easily explained. De Norefl owned tho book stolen at the Boi°, but could not use it, aa he had not the key to the mystery. Toby examined your papers the very evening when they expocted to murder you and kidnap Mademoiselle do Mensignac. He could net do it while you were ill, be cause you were always in your chamber. Their first plan failed, but they had found the secret of tho book. It was not badly clone." "Ah you are right," cried Sartiliy, striking his forehead in despair; "now they have this secret that Roger left me as a tacred deposit, and that j have not known how to keep." " Bah <" saidtheCaptain, philosophically ; " have you not observed that in life, as in gambling, there are consequences of good and bad fortune? I, who am speaking to you, have been losing for seven years, and in the last six months have gained all I want. The turning-point is when the party begins to bo wearied," added the Captain, laughing The Viscount listened without understanding the allusion "Having overtaken, last night, the carriage that was taking Mademoiselle Jeanne off, was the beginning of good fortune. Kemember what I pay to you ; as for this old book, I have a presentiment that we will &oo it again soon." "But what are we to do now?" said Sartiliy. "My plan is entirely arranged, I give you my word of honour; but now I want you to take an excursion with me,"

While cha'ting together, the two iriends had left the right bank of the river to go into the city, and the Captain, without appearing to do so, directed their steps to the open space in front of Notre Dame, to a bridge now completely changed, that was thon one of the moat curious places in a rom the bridge of the Hotel Dieu to the bridge of Saint Michael, where there is now an enormous municipal barrack, stood, from one ond of the passage to tho other, a row of houses with gable roofs, irregularly built. From the base to thesummifc of these wornout, miserable houses, camo a doafening concert, made by the cries of overy winged creature. The harsh notes of tho large red and blue macaw echoed to the soft cooings I of the dove, and the shrill song of tho canaries and goldfinches was distinctly heard amidst the noise, as tho high notes of a tonor rise above the band that accompany it. One might havo thought himself in a South Ameiican forest, when only in the neighbourhood of the bird market. Opposite this menageiie, so gay and noisy, stood a building that at first sight it would havo been difficult to tell the use of, it being black, low, and ugly. Tho general form was that of a long barrack, that some poor architect had placed upon the walls of the bridge. This heap of rough stones had a narrow window in one corner, with dirty curtains, and in the middle of it was a large folding door, that was always open. " It is hero we are going," said the Captain, pointing out to Sartilly this moan building I "To the guard-hou=<8 ?" asked Sartilly, who, like many othor Parisians, knew very little of Paris. " No, to the Morgue," answored Chateaubrun, in his usnal tone. " To the Morgue ! you are going there '!'' "Yes I am, indeed, to see if they have brought our rascal from the avenue of tho Champa de Mars." Tho Viscount's face expressed so much astonishment and disapprobation, that tho Captain hastened to add : " Upon my life, my dear friend, I confess to you that 1 have none of that tenderness of hoart von posses* ; and if my club killed the follow last night, the blow has fallen upon a scoundrel who merits twonty deaths ; and we have too groat an interest to find out; if the body has boon recognized, to stop at the door.'' Sartilly, half persuaded, followed Chateiubiun without answering him, and, from tho crowd that pressed in it wa« easy to sco that there were many dead bodies thcro on this day. A largo number of persons besieged tho entrance, and it was with difficulty that two or three policeoiboers maintained oi dor. " All theso pooplo do not coaio hove to see a drowned man only, and the robber at tbo pond at Auteuil must bo here." This souvenir of his duel that Chitsaubrun had, perhaps, recalled to him intentionally, gave Sartilly the courage to go in. Tho interior of this building did not: redeem its uncouth oxterior. Walls green from dampness inclosed a i^quare room, only lighted from the door. To the left a win dow, dimmed aud soiled by filth, shiolded the corner where- the dead bodies were lying upon slabs of black stone ; but most hideous of all was the collection of tattered clothes, hanging on long ropes,— remains of the misery that had run aground there, .after having gono through the corruption of ParK On tho middle slab, between two bodies that the Seine had thrown forth, lay a dead man that Sartilly recognised upon the spot The face of tho flight' ul old man retained its insolent and crafty expression ; on his mouth was a horrible smile ; his glassy eyes had that fixed, stern expression that had fascinated the Viscount, and given free passage to M, de Dohna's sword. " Lot us leave hore," whispered Sartilly to Chateaubrun, who was listening to the conversation of the spectators. '•He was picked up yesterday in the Champa do Mars " " Was ho recognised ''" " No ; it is said he was an Englishman, killed in a duel." '• In a duel, indeed ' when he was killed by a blow with a club." '•At all events, he was very nicely dressed." ■' And had a repeater with a heavy gold chain, so the recorder tokl me." From this vulgar talk around them they learned nothing new ; and tho regular movement of the crowd was pushing them along tho glass partition, when suddenly the Captain pre s sed Sirtilly'o arm, and without saying a word, pointed out a young man, holding a book under his arm, who was walking quietly to waul tho door, and wa^ thiee paces from them, but separated by a row of officers who wore watching tho file. •'Toby !" cued tho Viscount, rushing low/aid tho groom . " Kcop your place, eir, keep your place," repeated tho officer-, pushing Sartilly vigorously back ; and, restrained in this way, Sartilly had, in spito of himself, to follow the slow movement of tho crowd ; and, before ho could extricate himself from the file, Toby could no lnngor be seen. The Viscount, as soon as he was free, wanted to run after his groom ; but Chatoaubrun, always pi udent, moderated his ardour by saying, quietly: "Ifc would only be time lost ; for, even it you vveio to overtake Toby, you would have a scene with him in tho btreet, which I think ought to be avoided at any risk.'' '•Vou are right," Sartilly: "I do not wish to havo the police interfering i again in my alUirs. I havo had nothing but misfortunes since I began with that." " At this moment we must try something bettor." '' What shall it bo V a9ked the Viscount. "Simply to go immediately to M. de More IPs, and if young Toby is foolish ! enough to return there, we will get a littlo tiap for him. The Boulevard doslnvahdes is almost always deserted, and we may peihaps havo there an explanation with this amiable groom, without attracting attention. '* fFc will not fro back there : nothing succeeds with us to-day " "Who knows? At all event?, if we do not seo tho enemy, we can take at least a tour round the placo." Tho tw r o friends took a carriage at the cornor of St. Mitchel bridge, and drove to tho Esplanade. Sartilly, who had become gradually extremely sad, remained quiot, while tho Captain, on tho contrary, seemod to bo moio clear-headed and gay in proportion as obstacles multiplied, Nevertheless, of these two men, the Viscount was incontestably the more intelligent ; bis courage equalled Chateaubrun's, and, undor any circumstances, would have swayed his friend, but tho latter had tho habit of prompt decision \\ hich the practice of war gives ; and besides, ho was not in love.for if Edmond's ow n safety only had been in question, ho would havo preserved all his presenco of mind and composure, but tho thought of the dangers that threatened Jeanne overwhelmed him completley. Tho carriage went along very quickly, and it was not long before they passed into the Boulevard des Invalides, whore Cha teaubrun stopped ifc at the right side, opposite the ruo Varennes The post was well 'chosen, for they could see nearly the whole front of the hotel, overlooking at the same timo tho two streets,

" Look," said tho Captain, " all the windows a?'o closed. Has Oe Noreff the habit of hermetically shutting up his house in this manner ?" " No," replied Sartilly, a3 much astonished as his friend ; " the day I came hero with the police officer, all was open." "It is odd, and 1 am almost tempted to believe that he has gone away." "But it is impossible that a man, leading a lifo like this Russian, could break up a large establishment so suddenly ; for lie was certainly here yesterday, as his accomplices were taking Jeanne there." "Oh!" said tho Captain, "when one's time is passed in concocting villainy, one must be always ready for flight. And at all events, I intend to find out." "How? are you going to show yourself?" " Why not? The Russian has nevsr seen me, that I know of, his servants have not oither, and wo have no time to lose ; for, if the house is empty, Toby will not come here ;" and, without waiting for his friend's answer, the Captain jumped lightly down, crossed the bou'voard, and, on reaching the gate, saw at the first glance that j his suppositions were right, as the house had the sad and silent look of an uninhabited mansion ; but, ringing the bell violently, he soon heanl tho noise of footsteps crackling on the gravol of the court yard, and saw a man in a gardener's dress coming forward." "M. de Noreff?" cried Chateaubrun to him. "M. de Noreff is absent," answered the man, in a silly, drawling tone of voice. " Since when ? I saw him the day before yesterday," said the Captain, with perfect assurance. "He left this morning; everybody has started for Russia." " Will they be long absent ?" " Ah, sir, I know nothing about them. I do not belong to the house, I only came here to take care of the garden." ••Very well, I will write to him," said Chateaubrun, seeing that it was impossible to gain any information from this man, and he went back to the carriage, where Sartillv was waiting impatiently for him. " Well?" he said. "Well, I was not miatakon ; they all went oil' last night." " It is very strango." "No, not at all; and their deparutre even agrees perfectly with my conjecture on last night's expedition, as, if they had succeeded in kidnapping Mademoiselle de Mensignac, all was ready to take her from France." "But Toby is still hero?" " They have left him with the English woman as a spy. Ic ib an employment, you must confess, that he is accustomed to." " 'Tis true, and I begin to believe that I will do well to let you act as you like, for I havo lost my head I boliovo." "Bah! you will find it again; and, °ince you abandon the command to me, I decide that we shall go now and smoke a cigar at your fireside, when I will explain to you the famous plan I have so often spoken of." Twenty minutes after, the two fi lends an ived at rue d'Astorg, where the faithful Antoine received hit. master with almost paternal care. " What a good servant you have,' 1 said the Captain, seating himself before the bright fire ; " f here are none like him nowadays ; but," ho added, laughine, "yon deserve to have some compensation for the groom the devil sent you." The Viscount -was making the tour through his room, when an exclamation from him made Chateaubrun turn his head, and he saw his friend, pale anJ trembling with emotion, holding in his hand a bound book, that he had found on hi3 night-table steammeiing oub, while showing it to the Captain : * l Volume the seventh ' volume the seventh '" "Didl toll you that your good fortune was coming back V" " But it is unheard of — incrodible ! How could this book come here, that we have just seen under the wretch Toby's arm ?" " We must ask Antoine, for the book could not have come by itself, and \\ hoever brought it must havo given it to your valet.'' Sartilly wa3 going to put the book dowu, to ring the b3ll, when he suddenly cried out : " But it is not the same ! it is nofc the book that Toby bought I" " What ! still another edition ? Why, it will end by our having too many of these famous volumes No 7." It was evident, indeed, that the volume po miraculously recovered coald not have come either from a libiary or a book-3hop, for tho binding wassciatchcd, the edge tarniahed, and the leaves mouldy, as if it had been a long tiiae in a damp place. '■It is singular, said Chateaubrun, opening the book, and trying to turn over the page.s that were sticking together ; "it really seoms as if it had been thrown in water. Could it be, by any chanco, the 2opy stolen from us at the pond at Auteuil ?" " Look at tho title-page, to see. if tho arms of tho De Mensignac family are there," said Sartilly, " Yes, hero they are ; look at them !" showing the escutcheon stamped with a Marquis's coronet, and printed in red ink *' It i3 tho same, there is not the slightest doubt of it; but leally, I cannot understand it at all. Let us consult Antoine " Tha Viscount rang, and tho old valet coming in, he asked him who had put tho volume there. "I did. The person who gave it tome told me to show it to you as soon aa you came back." " And who was this person ?" " I don't know his name, sir, but he was a middle-aged man, tall and strong, and it seemed to mo that I had seen him before." " When ?" { ' A f ow days boforo your duel, — the morning that I fastened Toby in the stable, as you ordered me, sir.'' " Jottiat," cried Sartilly ; "ah ! I understand now ! And you arc very sure that it was the same man who came bore to-day ?" " It was really I he same person, although much changed and very thin ; he had not a happy look, and I thought perhaps than he w anted holp from you.' " Did he say he 'would come back again ?" " No sir ; and after he put the book in my hands he ran off. as if he wanted to make his escape " " Very well ; do not receive any one unless they come from Mademoiselle do Mensignac." When the two fiiends were again alone, they looked at each other in a very different manner,as Sartilly was sad and gloomy, while the ayes of the Captain shone with roguishnos3 and joy. "Jotfcrat?" he asked; "is he not the police oflicer that you went to see last evening before coming to my house ?" "Yes, it is he." " And who has been absent from bis house a week, although he had promised to aid you against De Norefi'. Then I think I know what I have to depend upon. First, we possess, without doubt,a precious and devoted auxiliary. He has found means of taking the book from M. do Noreff, and he will aid us in the remainder." " Then you think ho has divined the importance of this volume, and has brought it back for me to use ?" "It is the intention of this worthy M. | Jottrat, do not doubt it ; and he thinks, 1

am convinced, that the case is a pregpint one, his recommendation to Antoine being the same as saying : • Do not lo&e s moment, M. de Ncreff is going to act : you must leave nothing 1 undone-'" " But M. de Noreff has gone away, ): objected Sartilly. " Gone trom his house, — yes ; but there is nothing to prove that he has left Paris. Be lieve me, my dear friend, we must strike hard and quickly, if we want to succeed." "I am readv." " Let us begin, then, by the famous secret of the Marquis ; and as soon as we know what weare todo to save thefortuneofthoDe Mensignac mansion, I promise you we will manoeuvre vigorously. You know that I have my leave of absence, and 1 can go with you to S'beria, if it is necessary." " First of all, I am going to read Roger's letter to you," Sarfcilly said, while opening his secretary. The Captain, while his friend was looking in the drawer, had aat down to the table, and was holding himself in readiness to turn over the leaves of the book at the command of the Viscount ; the latter, having just found the grey envelope, which he had hesitated to open formerly, began reading it slowly, while Chateaubrun listened with the greatest attention. Sartilly soon reached the important passage : "Open the seventh volume, and at the j nineteenth line of page 119 begins a sentence you must read attentively. When you have read the seven or eight lines that I have pointed out, you will understand, and you will have nothing to do bub to act." " Is that all ?" asked the Captain, rather surprised at i s conciseness " No : there is still something more." " ' You must go alone, where it i3 necessary to go, to eave Jeanne's fortune, and on your return you will give it to her, and then marry her.'" " Alone ! - do you intend to go along ?" "Roger would himself, 1 am sure of it, advise me to accept your aid." "Ah, wevl, then let us consult the oracle," the Captain said, while beginning to turn over the leaves of the precious volume. It was a solemn moment, and Sartilly 's heart beat violently. " Decidedly, this book has taken a voyage," said Chateaubrun, who was obliged to be very careful not to tear the paper ; " it seems to me that, it has been first wet, and afterward dried at the fire. Here it is, at last," turning tho last leaf gently; "119. — that's it." The Viscount did not breathe a word ; he waited. •' Line nineteenth," said tho Captain, after a phorfc silence. "Listen; "In the year 1415, the Abbu of Mont Saint Michel, fearing an attack from the English, had a cave dug in a rock, to deposit the treasure ot the monastery, at the northern rjoint of the isle of Tombelaine, that is still there, and, although the entrance may now be obstructed, it is easy to find th°> place, by following the crosses that are cut upon tho rock, and the eleventh cross on starting from the point that faces the mountain marks the place that leads to the staircase of the subterranean cave.'" Chateaubrun had stopped, and Sartilly, agitated and hesitating, seemed to be waib ing for his friend to speak. " It is perfectly clear," said the Captain, at last. " What had we better do, then .'" asked tho Viscount. " Start immediately for Tombelaine, and that without losing a single day." " Start for Tombelaine ! Do you think we will find there now the treasure of the Abbe of Mont Saint Michel V" "No, certainly not; and if I had that ridiculous idea, here is enough to remove il. Listen to the sequel of page J 19 ; it is a very instructive page : * Fifty years later, the treasure of the monastery was tians ported to the Abbu, with great ceremony, on the 2Sth of October, 1465 ; and it has always remained there since, although very much reduced at present, in consequence ot the wai'S of the last century, particularly 1 the religious war?.' Well, il i.i owdont tho treasure is no longer there ; buh the cavern is." " I have lived in that country, and 1 have been very often to Tombelaino, but I never heard any one speak of a subterranean cave." " That is precisely the reason, that no one knows of it, that the Marquis has chosen to put his fortune there.' '• Speak seriously, my dear Chateaubiun, I beg of you." " it is impossible for me to bo more serious, as Roger de Mensignac'a fortune is no doubt there." " Indeed, one must have a fertile imagination to believe that Roger, a man of tho world, a Parisian to the tips of his fingers, would seek a hiding-place in the remotest part of the bay of Cancale." "The Marquis was searching for a safe place to deposit his foitune, and on turning over tho leaves of his book, ea-v the pas-age we road a quarter of an hour ago, and had ! the curiosity to take a journey there to assure himself of the fact, and he made use oi it." '" All this is very plausible, "said Sartilly, slowly ; " nevertheless, I still hcitaie." '"Let me seo, ' persisted the Captain "Did not M. do Mensignac absent him3olf very frequently?" " Yes, and theso absences were nearly periodical— two or three timoa a year, at least." " And vou never knew where he went ?" "Never." " Are you familiar with the bay of Mont Saint Michel?" " My father owned property in that country, and Roger came theie in his youth. I remember going twice to tho mountain and to Tombelaine with him, during tho vacations in our last year at college." "Then, my dear Edmond, the cause is gained, as tho lawyers say, and wo have nothing more to do than to strap our trunks," " Yes, yes, it is very probablo ; aud nevertheless " " You may be sure that piobabilitics ot thia kind are certainties, and that the most scrupulous judgo would be convinced. At all event«," said the Captain, " I think M de Noreff will look closely into it." "M. do Noreff?" " Zounda ! do you think it was for the pleasure of studying this history of France that he first stole and afterward bought the famous seventh volume ? He knows now the contents of Roger's letter, and must have read page 119. I warrant you that he understood it without having recourse to s translator." " Then he is before ua and will carry of the treasure." "Yes, I think that was the sole cause ol his hurried departure " "You are right," Sartilly said!, raising his head, " and Toby must have had time to join him ; but it is impossible that the) have started already." "What is the route to Tombelaine?' asked Chateaubrun. " First, take the diligence of Saint Malo " "That takes forty hours to go sixtv leagues. M. de Noreff will not take thai routo, I am very sure." '•Afterward, the mail to Brest, whicl changes horses exactly opposite Mont Sain Michel."

"Row long a time does the journey take?" " Prom twenty-two to twenty-four hours, IJthiuk," . " And the mail leaves here at six o'clock in tho ovening ? That would be more likely the route our Russian would take ; but, nevertheless, I don't think he has gone that way." " Why don't you think so ?" "For many reasons ; but particually because, to secure his place in the mail, he must give his name and passport, and De Noreff will take particular care not to leave any trace of his journey to Normandy." _" Then what do you suppose ?" said the Viscount impatiently. "I suppose he will take fast horses; have them harnessed to his travelling car- | riage that he took with him when he left his house ; pay trebly, and arrive as quickly as the mail." "There is nothing to hinder us doing the same, and even more, to £ et ahead of him." "I do not advise it; we had better send immediately, and see if we can secure two places in the Brest mail for this evening. If we do not suceeed, it will be time enough afterwards to hire post hocses that do not travel so fast, and also might expose us to meeting Do Noreff at some of the stopping places." " That's what 1 wish to do," said Sartilly, quickly. "What for? To quarrel with him? That would be losing our time. When we have saved Mademoiselle de Mensignac'a fortune, we can kill De Noreff at our leisure. Now, the first thing to be done is to reach I Tombelaine." " My dear fciend, you alone are sensible and composed, and I leave everything to you." •'Ah, well, honestly, I think you are right," said the Captain, laughing; "and I will do my best to keep the leadership. Have you many preparations to make ?" the Captain asked. " No ; but I must pay a visit to Jeanne before starting. "Very well; it i3 now half past two o'clock ; let us go and secure our own places in the mail, and atLervvard you have time enough to pay your visit, while I go to my house to pack my trunk." Autoine came in just as the Captain finished speaking;, and said, in a low voice, " Mademoiselle Jeanne is better, and wishes you to call and pee her during the day." Sarfcilly looked at his friend, as if to ask his advice, and Chateaubrun gave him so eloquent a glance that the Viscount hesitated no longer. "I must leave this evening," he said to Antoine. " Pack my trunk for a journey of three day^,. I am going out, and will call to see Mademoiselle do Mensignac before my return." Half an hour afterward, the two friends sot out of their carriage by the Hotel des Postes, which was then, as now, an inconvenient building fronting the rue Jean Jacques Rous?eau. They went to the office, and Sartilly asked for two places for " Pontoraon." •' For Pontorson ? Impossible," said the monotonous voice of the clerk. The Viocount started, and the Captain was croing to make a remark when the clerk began again in the same tone : "For Brest, if you wish; but, until the hour we leave, we cannot rent places but for tho av hole journey." Sartilly breathed freely again, and hastened to say, while taking out his purse, "So be it, -for Brest." " You will have the second and third seats," added the clerk, while writing their namea, " Are there three places on that seat ''.'' asltcd the Captain. "Certainly. It is tho coupe,- number one was taken this morning," said the clei k, pointing out the name on his legister. ' M de Kerity, captain ot marines," As poon as they received the receipt, they hurried off. not having much time to lo?e in miking their preparations to start by .-iv o'clock. The Viscount drove to Tiocadcio, while the Captain followed him in a hack, murmuring : " 'Ti-s very singular : but I do not know an ofiicer of that name in the marine ?ervicp : however, I have been to Brest, and X have my naval register." (To be Continued .)