"Mon Dieu!" exclaimed the General. "The red ribbon of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, eh? A common thief is not usually decorated in that way. That looks like Delapine from your description. But what the deuce did that fellow want in my cellar? By the way, did you shut the door when you left?" "Pardon me for speaking, mon Général, but I did it for him," interposed Robert, "as Charles was incapable of doing anything." "I suppose it is no use my going to look for him," mused the General, "if he got in, he should have no difficulty in getting out again. Still, perhaps I had better go and see what has happened. Let the butler go to the library and wait there for me, and you, Robert, go and bring my revolver." "I think, father," interrupted Pierre, "we had better go to the cellar at once, and see whether anything has been stolen. If anything is missing we have a chance of having the thief arrested and taken to the Gendarmerie, and if it should prove to be Delapine, then hurrah for Renée, eh, mon père?" "I shall have him arrested in any case," said the General. "But," he added as Robert returned with the revolver, "let us go down to the cellar." He then poured out a full measure of cognac, and was in the act of swallowing it when he noticed Pierre taking the revolver from the valet. "No, I will take charge of that," said the General. "Oh, father, let me have it. I want so much to have a shot at him." "What are you thinking of, my son? If you shoot the intruder it's murder, but if I, a General in the army, shoot him, why, it's nothing. Allons, allons, en avant," he shouted, looking very fierce as he led the way to the cellar with revolver cocked, followed closely by Pierre and Robert, the latter carrying a candle. Arrived at the cellar, the General opened the door cautiously and looked about, but saw nothing. Suddenly Pierre slipped and bumped against Robert in the semi-darkness, knocking the candle out of the valet's hand, and leaving them without a light. Presently as their eyes became more accustomed to the gloom, the General thought he saw someone standing a few paces off, and sure enough, the form slowly assumed the features of Delapine. "Halt!" shouted the General, "If you move I fire--" and he covered the dim figure with his revolver. "What are you doing here?" he thundered. The spectre stretched out its hand and pointed at Pierre. A cold shudder went through Pierre's frame and his knees shook, but the General, doubly fortified by the glass of cognac and the revolver, felt courageous enough for anything. "Down on your knees, and hold your hands up, or I fire," yelled Duval in a terrific outburst of passion. "Do you hear me? I am going to pull the trigger," he continued as Delapine showed no signs of obeying. In their excitement both the General and his son imagined they heard Delapine speaking.