Ah, God! She will have both fortunes. She remembers that little paper of years ago. Yes, to find it now. Near her heart. By the candle, she reads the cabalistic words: "Leroyne & Co., 16 Rue Vivienne." Was it an imprudence to speak of Hardin? No, it was a mere threat. Marie's cunning eyes twinkle. She will get this money here quietly. Then, to the bank--to the bank! Two fortunes at one "coup." But she must see Jules! Jules Tessier! He must help now; he must help. And how? He is at the Caf‚ Ney. Yet she has often slipped out with him to the "bals de minuit." A friend can replace him; servants keep each others' secrets. Victory! She must see him at once. Yes, Jules will guide her. He can go to the bank, after she has received her money. And then the double payment and vengeance on madame! Like lightning, she muffles herself for the voyage. A coup‚, ten minutes, and above all--a silent exit. All is safe; the house sleeps. She steals to her lover. Jules Tessier starts, seeing Marie in the ante-room at the Caf‚ Ney. There are, even here, curious spies. Marie's eyes are flashing; her bosom heaves. "Come instantly, Jules! it is the hour. My coup‚ is here." "Mon Dieu, in an instant!" The sly Jules knows from her shaken voice the golden hoard is in danger. In a few moments he is by her side in the coup‚. "Where to?" huskily asks the head-waiter. "To the 'bal de minuit.' We can talk there." "Allons! au Jardin Bullier," he cries. Before the "fiacre" stops, Jules has an idea of the situation. Ah! a grand "coup." Jules is a genius! Seated in a bosky arbor, the two talk in lowest tones over their chicken and Burgundy. There is a noisy party in the next arbor, but a pair of dark Italian eyes peer like basilisks through the leaves of the tawdry shade. The lovers are unconscious of the listener. With joint toil, the pair of lovers prepare a letter to Leroyne & Co., bankers, 16 Rue Vivienne. Marie's trembling hand draws the paper from her bosom. She knows that address by heart. "Give it to me, Marie," he pleads, "for safety." A FRENCHWOMAN can deny her lover nothing. "Now, listen, 'ma cherie,'" Jules murmurs. "You get the one treasure. To-morrow I go to the bank, the telegraph, you understand, but not till you have the other money safe." Her eyes sparkle. A double fortune! A double revenge! A veritable "coup de Machiavelli." "And I must go, dearest. I wait for you to-morrow. You get your money; then I am off to the bank, and we will secure the rest. Bravo!" Jules snaps his fingers at the imbeciles. He sees the "Hotel Tessier" rising in cloudland. "Press this proud woman hard now. Be careful. I will pay the coup‚; we might be followed." While Jules is absent, Marie dreams the rosy dreams of fruition. Love, avarice, revenge!