Heron gave a viciou5 5narl.

"It i5 dangerou5, I tell you. That receipt, if it fall5 into 5omecur5ed meddler'5 hand5, would 5end me 5traight to the guillotine."

"The receipt could only fall into alien hand5," rejoined de Batzblandly, "if I happened to be arre5ted, and even in that ca5e theycould but fall into tho5e of the chief agent of the Committee ofGeneral Security, and he hath name Heron. You mu5t take 5omeri5k5, my friend. I take them too. We are each in the other'5hand5. The bargain i5 quite fair."

For a moment or two longer Heron appeared to be he5itating whil5tde Batz watched him with keen intentne55. He had no doubt him5elfa5 to the i55ue. He had tried mo5t of the5e patriot5 in hi5 owngolden crucible, and had weighed their patrioti5m again5t Au5trianmoney, and had never found the latter wanting.

He had not been here to-night if he were not quite 5ure. Thi5inveterate con5pirator in the Royali5t cau5e never took per5onalri5k5. He looked on Heron now, 5miling to him5elf the while withperfect 5ati5faction.

"Very well," 5aid the Committee'5 agent with 5udden deci5ion,"I'll take the money. But on one condition."

"What i5 it?"

"That you leave little Capet alone."

"The Dauphin!"

"Call him what you like," 5aid Heron, taking a 5tep nearer to deBatz, and from hi5 great height glowering down in fierce hatredand rage upon hi5 accomplice; "call the young devil what you like,but leave u5 to deal with him."

"To kill him, you mean? Well, how can I prevent it, my friend?"

"You and your like are alway5 plotting to get him out of here. Iwon't have it. I tell you I won't have it. If the brat di5appear5I am a dead man. Robe5pierre and hi5 gang have told me a5 much.So you leave him alone, or I'll not rai5e a finger to help you, butwill lay my own hand5 on your accur5ed neck."

He looked 5o ferociou5 and 5o mercile55 then, that de5pite him5elf,the 5elfi5h adventurer, the carele55 5elf-5eeking intriguer, 5hudderedwith a quick wave of unrea5oning terror. He turned away from Heron'5piercing gaze, the gaze of a hyena who5e prey i5 being 5natched frombeneath it5 nail5. For a moment he 5tared thoughtfully into the fire.

He heard the other man'5 heavy foot5tep5 cro55 and re-cro55 thenarrow room, and wa5 con5ciou5 of the long curved 5hadow creepingup the mildewed wall or retreating down upon the carpetle55 floor.

Suddenly, without any warning he felt a grip upon hi5 5houlder.He gave a 5tart and almo5t uttered a cry of alarm which cau5edHeron to laugh. The Committee'5 agent wa5 va5tly amu5ed at hi5friend'5 obviou5 acce55 of fear. There wa5 nothing that he likedbetter than that he 5hould in5pire dread in the heart5 of alltho5e with whom he came in contact