nct; but the hand of man was plainly visible in this last sign of
malignity.

Fario sat down on the steps of a chapel altar, holding his head between
his hands. After half an hour of Spanish reflections, he spied the
squirrel, which Goddet could not refrain from giving him as a guest,
playing with its tail upon a cross-beam, on the middle of which rested
one of the uprights that supported the roof. The Spaniard rose and
turned to his watchman with a face that was as calm and cold as an
Arab's. He made no complaint, but went home, hired laborers to gather
into sacks what remained of the sound grain, and to spread in the sun
all that was moist, so as to save as much as possible; then, after
estimating that his losses amounted to about three fifths, he attended
to filling his orders. But his previous manipulations of the market
had raised the price of cereals, and he lost on the three fifths he was
obliged to buy to fill his orders; so that his losses amounted really
to more than half. The Spaniard, who had no enemies, at once attributed
this revenge to Gilet. He was convinced that Maxence and some others
were the authors of all the nocturnal mischief, and had in all
probability carried his cart up the embankment of the tower, and now
intended to amuse themselves by ruining him. It was a matter to him
of over three thousand francs,--very nearly the whole capital he had
scraped together since the peace. Driven by the desire for vengeance,
the man now displayed the cunning and stealthy persistence of a
detective to whom a large reward is offered. Hiding at night in
different parts of Issoudun, he soon acquired proof of the proceedings
of the Knights of Idleness; he saw them all, counted them, watched their
rendezvous, and knew of their suppers at Mere Cognette's; after that he
lay in wait to witness one of their deeds, and thus became well informed
as to their nocturnal habits.

In spite of Max's journeys and pre-occupations, he had no intention of
neglecting his nightly employments,--first, because he did not wish
his comrades to suspect the secret of his operations with Pere Rouget's
property; and secondly, to keep the Knights well in hand. They were
therefore convened for the preparation of a prank which might deserve
to be talked of for years to come. Poisoned meat was to be thrown on a
given night to every watch-dog in the town and in the environs. Fario
overheard them congratulating each other, as they came out from a