e revenge."

Crochard's eyes were gleaming now, and there was no smile upon his lips.
Instead there was in his face a deadly earnestness, a fierce hatred,
before which Pachmann shrank a little.

"She shall have it!" cried a voice from the bed, where Vard had been
bending forward, drinking in every word. "She shall have it!"

"You hear?" said Crochard, and then he smiled again. "Ah, my dear
Admiral, it was a mistake to insist upon that test! It could have been
made, just as well, upon some old hulk of your own--and then France
would have had nothing for which to exact vengeance! I pity you; for it
is you and you alone, who have brought this retribution to your
country. From first to last, you have behaved like a fool in this
affair. It was you who betrayed her!"

"I?" stammered Pachmann. "I? In what way? By what means?"

"By means of the hundred-franc note with which you paid your reckoning
at Toulon. That was careless, Admiral; it was not like you. You should
have carried gold, not paper--that would have told no secrets. But bank
notes are numbered. And then, when you gave our friend here a packet of
similar notes--I do not see how you could expect to escape, after that!"

Pachmann struck his forehead heavily with his open hand.

"So it was that!" he groaned. "So it was that! Yes, I was a fool!"

There was pity in the gaze which Crochard bent upon him. He could guess
what this good German suffered at that moment.

"That was not your fault," he said, "so much as that of the person who
supplied you with those notes, after getting them directly from the Bank
of France. But, at this end of the journey, how clumsy you were! All
that haste, all that circling--and for nothing!"

"You followed us, then?"

"Why no!" laughed Crochard. "I had no need to follow you. I had only to
be at your consulate at seven o'clock."

Pachmann could only stare.

"The appointment was made on the open deck," said Crochard; "I was
expecting it, and my ears are sharp! Well I was there at that hour, as
well as M. Webster--and you led me straight here! That was careless!
That was clumsy! After that, you deserved to fail!"

"How did you enter here?" asked Pachmann, hoarsely. "My men--are they--"

"They are on guard below, no doubt. But their eyes are not so keen as
yours nor their ears so sharp--and then my imitation of the Prince's
voice and manner was very good. I admit I kept my face somewhat in the
shadow. They passed me without que