The White Lie
e opened cautiously, when they found themselves in the big salon, a spacious, luxuriantly-furnis
e entertained lavishly upon the money secretly supplied to him from Berlin, h
f bric-à-brac; but so much booty had they already obtained that the pair only selected tw
struction; therefore drawing his knife, he slashed quickly at a big ottoman covered with old rose silk damask, cutting it ac
"The Eel" at his elbow. "
ply. "And, by Heaven! if the spy m
r stole forth on the
tained glass which lit the great staircase the moon shone, its rays striking straight a
rt he placed his fingers upon the door-handle, and, turning it, without raising the slightest click
of any sleeper, he switched on his little electric lamp, finding
ight of the torch, arriving at the concl
t upon the bed, and also drawn his sharp knife across the carpet, severing it
on did not sleep o
ith "The Eel" holding the little lamp, he commenced to attack the fastening with his skeleton keys. At such work he was an expert, for in three minutes the door stood open, and they found themselves standing in a small place, almost
ations of surprise when
e's no time to lose. Let's get at them. I hope this is the key. I suppose he preferred to k
ed it critically by the light of the lamp. Then he exam
nd if so, we shall each be richer by
e Baron, Ralph!" whispered
him! I've been here b
hat you alleged
re now we are acting as patriots, not as common b
ompanion, as he bent beside him and watched him draw
make of safe-Ralph first turned it to the right. Then he turned the key, which w
oor came slowly open; but suddenly, at the same instant, a
h that they did not move. But next
s all up! Across the garden and over th
ightning. Along the corridor through the room by which th
ere, and loud cries were being raised of "Thieves! Assassins! Thieves!" while somebody fired thr
the wall wherein was the Baron's secret exit, and, scaling the wa
he Baron and his servants. Twice were revolvers emptied to attract the police, and then the hub
t was an easy job, after all. I never expected the spy to have an a
"The Eel." "It will be growing light soon, a
nnocent little thing," he laughed, jeeringly. "I suppose s
ld chap," said the other.
ed where women are concerned. A woman will be your ruin
ward, in the directi
ll let himself in with his key. Their movements were stealthy; but, nevertheless, Mother Brouet, in suspic
boys! Some
eyes open, and if anybody calls, we're not receiving visitors-you und
the coins with her c
and the head, adorned
e, and Ansell noiselessly unlocked the door o
it, the dirty plates still upon the table, and the at
aught the letter ly
ing it up, glancing at the superscri
en, crushing the paper in his hand fiercely, he
too. I'm freer without her; but, by Heaven! I'll ma
d Carlier, starting
es
after what you said to her
her said. "It don't concern yo
has she
on't care. You, however, seem to
an maltreated," repl
etter into his jacket pocket and tossing away his cap, while Adolphe re-boun
ting a candle, for the lamp was now very dim, and pr
ss, after which Ralph Ansell produced from his pockets the jewel
e fine stones sparkled-diamonds, emeralds, and rubies-as "The American
sand francs for them, if we pretend we're not hard up. He went back t
" laughed "The Eel" wit
es and carefully counting them, one by one. There were seventy-five blue and pink notes of the
allowed another
fe," he remarked. "But we were fortunate in getting a
rden," Adolphe said. "I d
ave gone down, I assure you," declar
r the affair at the Austrian Ambassador's, when a stranger offered poor Bonnemain twenty thousand francs t
aid Ansell, as he proceeded to divide the bank-notes, plac
t comes to a division of the spoils, but Ansell claimed a d
ding argument of no avail, he shrugged his shoulders and accepted the inevit
e-eh?" asked A
as "The Eel" thrust a thousand pound
ould never have brought off such a coup. Now this stuff," he added, indic
companion. "But half sh
ther, and both lifted the tumblers of wine
I feel," excla
Then we'll go out and wire to that old scoundrel, Levy," urged An
the my hand first.
m," said the other,
n a nail, and, unwrapping his injured hand, enter
his host, whose face, at the moment,
cket pocket, and it came int
embered that the man in the room beyond had
his breath. "What business is it
ed suddenly, and the old woman from below, who acted as concierg
missary is asking for you. Quick! Get away, or you'll be caught
closing the door after her, while the wa