"As I expected--curse her! What new devilment has she been up to?" "Sure I did kape a civil eye on her, as yez told me to, and a bit ago she met a Dutchman on the beach, an' it's a grand plot tha be afther organizin'. The loikes av the Dutchman he ha wanted to ba sindin' a tiligraph missage to Philadelphia for tha detectives, an tha gal she did till him for a V she would stale a horse forninst your pasture an' be carryin' the missage for him hersilf, whereat he forked over the cash, and she skipped, bedad!" His honor listened, his face growing purple with passion. "May all the furies seize that obstinate and meddlesome little wretch!" he hissed. "She seems determined to ruin me. No amount of whippings have ever served to make her like other girls. Why didn't you stop her, Pat?" "Sure, it was yersilf as told me to be doin' naught else but watchin' her." "True, I had forgotten. She has probably gone so far that it would be next to useless to attempt to overhaul her now. Do you think you could mount a horse and overtake her, Pat?" "Bedad, no. It's sorry a horse I can ride, yer honor." "Then ascertain from the ostler the location of the pasture, and when she returns capture her. I'll give you ten dollars for the job." "Bad 'cess to me if I don't do it. An' what shall I be doin' to her after I cotch 'er?" "Then take her to the old mansion on the bluff and wait until I come." "Och! howly murther, I'll not go in where the skelegon is--nary a time!" "Nor need you. What time intervenes between your arrival and mine you can spend outside. But look sharp she don't escape you." "Sure, it's mesilf as will ba doin' that same!" Then Grogan executed a grotesque bow and took his departure toward the stable, while Greyville turned toward the countess. "The devil will be to pay now. As I suspected, that Dutchman is a spy, and having suspicioned or ferreted out some knowledge concerning the league, has sent for his fellow watch-dogs. In less than two days we shall be in the clutches of the law, unless we make a break for liberty at once." "Oh! there is no particular reason for hurry. When we find there is danger, we can easily escape," the countess said, calmly. "How? If we wait until their arrival, it will be too late." "By no means. My steamboat lies out but a short distance, and we can board it and sail for _la belle_ France, in defiance." "What! without unloading?" "Bah! what are a few thousand dollars to life? Besides, the goods will sell again, for full value, at Havre." CHAPTER XI. A FATHER'S BRUTALITY. After the departure of Silly Sue, Fritz sunned himself until his garments were dried; then rising, he began to cast about him for something to eat. "I don'd know better I go back mit der tavern, or not!" he mused. "I dinks dot vas an onhealthy blace, und yet I vould like somedings to ead, very bad."