"Here, you're always putting on the pace too much, Dick," said the little man. "A fellow wants a little time. He's on, you see if he isn't. My respects to you, Mr Barnes. Hah! nice flavoured drop of gin that." "You see, you know the house well," continued the tall man. "Often been, of course?" "Oh, yes; had many a glass of wine there, when poor Charles was alive." "Rather a bit of mystery, that," said the little man. "I put that and that together, and I set it down that he was trying the job on his own account, and muffed it." The shabby man shuddered, and took a hearty draught of his gin and water. "There would be only us three in the game," said the tall man softly, "and it would be share and share alike. Why, if we worked it right, it would set you up. Might take a pub on it." "Eh?" said the shabby man. "I say you might take a pub--and drink yourself to death," was added aside. The little man winked at his tall companion, unobserved by the other, who looked dreamy. "Bars at all the lower windows, eh?" "Yes, yes. You couldn't get in there," was the quick reply. "More ways of killing a cat than by hanging it. Look here, my lads, there's a stable to let in the mews at the back." The shabby man looked up quickly. "I had a look at it to-day. Any one could easily get to that window looking on the leads." "But that's the window where--" "Well, dead men tell no tales, and they don't get in the way. That's the place." "Oh, no," said the shabby man. "Bah! you're not afraid. I tell you it would be as easy as easy. You can give me a plan of the place, and all about it, and--why, it's child's play, my lad, and won't hurt anybody. Take everything out of that stable, and have a cart in the coach-house. I say--touch that bell again, old man--you are not going to let a fortune slip through your fingers, I know." The three occupants of the corner soon after rose to go, halting half-way down the street, where the tall man said:-- "There's half a sovereign to keep the cold out till then. Twelve o'clock, mind, punctual." The shabby man slouched away, while the little fellow rubbed his hands. "There's half a ton of it there," he whispered. "Think he'll stand to it?" "No fear, now we've got him over his fright. By jingo, I'm only afraid of one thing." "What's that?" "That some one else will be on the job." CHAPTER TWENTY. ASLEEP OR AWAKE? It was a painful, and, Paul Capel thought, a degrading position; but he blamed his passion, telling himself that it was his duty to watch her, in this sleep-walking state, lest ill should befall. How thoroughly awake she seemed to be. Her every act was that of a person perfectly herself, and eager to find something that was hidden. Softly and quickly she examined the cabinet, opening drawer after drawer, and taking out one after the other, to see whether there was a concealed cavity behind.