wallowed, and
Jerry Belknap glanced maliciously up at the closely curtained chamber
windows, and muttered, as he began to saunter slowly up and down before
the stable door:

"Miss Wardour, you won't find it so easy to outwit an old detective,
even with the odds in your favor."

Just as the horses were being led out from the stable, a quiet-looking
young man, with a somewhat rustic air, came into the yard, and
approached the group near the carriage house.

"Who comes here?" asked the disguised Belknap, in a low tone, addressing
the coachman.

"More than I know," replied that functionary. Then laying down a
halter, just removed from the head of one of the pawing, restless
horses, he turned toward the new comer, saying, patronizingly:

"Well, my man, can we do anything for you?"

The stranger appeared somewhat abashed.

"I hope I ain't in the way, gentlemen," he said, respectfully; "I came
from Wardour with a message for Miss Constance. It's from the old lady,
and as I see the carriages are coming and the hearse, I just thought I'd
wait till the funeral was gone before I intruded."

"Oh!" said the coachman, more graciously. "Well, you won't have long to
wait, then; the time's about up, and Mr. Lamotte is never behind time."
Then he turned to Mr. Belknap.

"You must keep a close eye over the off one," he said; "he's full of
Cain; and I say, what a lucky thing it is that your clothes are dark,
and that Mrs. Lamotte won't let us wear full liveries."

"Why, yes, it's very lucky, that's so; just throw over those reins, will
you. Don't be uneasy in your mind about that horse; I'll drive 'em safe
enough; just you tell me when to start."

Ten minutes later, all that remained of John Burrill was borne out in
its costly casket and placed in the splendid hearse at the door.

Just as he was about to cross his own threshold, Jasper Lamotte was
confronted by a young man who pressed into his hand a slip of paper, and
whispered in his ear:

"Read it at once, sir; it's of vital importance _to you_."

Stifling an exclamation, Jasper Lamotte unfolded and glanced at the slip
of paper. It contained these words:

The man who will drive your carriage is a cursed New York
detective, who has bribed your coachman.

Don't give him the opportunity he hopes to gain for watching and
listening to yourself and son.

The bearer of this can be trusted. BELKNAP.

By the time he had mastered the meaning of the