"Put it back this instant. Worse and worse, my good friend. Don't you know that just now there is a police activity respecting foreigners, and that two have been arrested only yesterday on no charge but that of having weapons about their persons? I don't know what the devil you had best do." "I can return to the Hill of Ludgate--eh?" "Pity to lose the game; they won't let you back again," said Longcluse. "What shall I do?" said Lebas, keeping his hand now in his pocket on his treasure. Longcluse rubbed the tip of his finger a little over his eyebrow, thinking. "Listen to me," said Longcluse, suddenly. "Is your brother-in-law here?" "No, Monsieur." "Well, you have some London friend in the room, haven't you?" "One--yes." "Only be sure he is one whom you can trust, and who has a safe pocket." "Oh, yes, Monsieur, entirely! and I saw him place his purse so," he said, touching his coat, over his heart, with his fingers. "Well, now, you can't manage it here, under the gaze of the people; but--_where_ is best? Yes--you see those two doors at opposite sides in the wall, at the far end of the room? They open into two parallel corridors leading to the hall, and a little way down there is a cross passage, in the middle of which is a door opening into a smoking-room. That room will be deserted now, and there, unseen, you can place your money and dagger in his charge." "Ah, thank you a hundred thousand times, Monsieur!" answered Lebas. "I shall be writing to the Baron van Boeren to-morrow, and I will tell him I have met Monsieur." "Don't mind; how is the baron?" asked Longcluse. "Very well. Beginning to be not so young, you know, and thinking of retiring. I will tell him his work has succeeded. If he demolishes, he also secures. If he sometimes sheds blood----" "_Hush!_" whispered Longcluse, sternly. "There is no one," murmured little Lebas, looking round, but dropping his voice to a whisper. "He also saves a neck sometimes from the blade of the guillotine." Longcluse frowned, a little embarrassed. Lebas smiled archly. In a moment Longcluse's impatient frown broke into a mysterious smile that responded. "May I say one word more, and make one request of Monsieur, which I hope he will not think very impertinent?" asked Monsieur Lebas, who had just been on the point of taking his leave. "It mayn't be in my power to grant it; but you can't be what you say--I am too much obliged to you--so speak quite freely," said Longcluse. So they talked a little more and parted, and Monsieur Lebas went on his way. CHAPTER V. A CATASTROPHE.