f what was believed to be his handiwork had been passed from hand to
hand, and travelled far before they had been challenged, and their
journeys summarily ended in the cabinet of our chief. Bob was known as
a gambler, too, and more than once had he been watched and shadowed
because of some ill deed connected with his name; we had seen his
face, and his picture adorned the rogues' gallery. Delbras, however,
was likely to give us some trouble; we had seen him, it is true, but
it was only a fleeting glimpse, with the possibility that he was at
the moment cleverly disguised.

Of Delbras we knew, first, that he was and had been for years the
occasional partner or confederate of the counterfeiter, and presumably
a counterfeiter also; next, that he was set down in the records of the
London police as 'dangerous'; and last, that he had crossed the ocean,
leaving Paris, which had grown 'too hot to hold him,' and was avowedly
_en route_ for the World's Fair, it was thought upon mischief intent.

This last item came to our chief direct from the French police,
together with the information that two or three diamond robberies
which had occurred in the French capital during the previous winter
were laid at his door, although it had been thus far impossible to
bring the thefts home to him.

Concerning Greenback Bob--the fellow was known to us by no other
name--we felt quite sanguine; we had seen him, we had his photograph
and his full description according to the Bertillon system, and, once
seen, he would hardly be lost to sight again, or so we flattered
ourselves. Delbras we must identify through Bob, or as we best could;
and the third member of the 'gang'--well, a great deal must be left to
chance, as usual.

This much we knew of Delbras: he was 'handsome, educated, familiar
with the ways of good society, and not an easy bird to catch.' This
from the French police _commissaire_.

'A pinchbeck gentleman, eh!' had been Dave Brainerd's scornful comment
upon hearing this. 'The worst set to deal with; I'd rather tackle a
straight out-and-outer any day.'

Recalling this speech of Dave's brought my thoughts back to the old
question, 'Where was he?' And then the dialogue at my elbow aroused my
flagging attention, and brought it back to my rustic acquaintance and
the smug personage at his side.

'Wal, now, I hadn't thought of that, but now't you mention it, 'twas a
good idee; and they wouldn't change it to the eatin'-house?'

'Not t