ge
part belonged to Philip, and could have settled at once, without the
trouble of going upstairs to his room.

He only asked leave to go up there in order to gain time for thought.
At the head of the staircase he saw another narrower flight of stairs
descending to the back of the house. That gave him the idea of eluding
his two creditors by flight.

I have said before that Professor Riccabocca was not a wise man, or
he would have reflected that he was only postponing the inevitable
reckoning. Moreover, it would destroy the last chance of making an
arrangement with Philip to continue the combination, which thus far had
proved so profitable.

The professor did not take this into consideration, but dashed down the
back stairs, and opened the back door into the yard.

"Do you want anything, sir?" asked a maidservant, eyeing the professor
suspiciously.

"Nothing at all, my good girl," returned the professor.

"You seem to be in a hurry," she continued, with renewed suspicion.

"So I am. I am in a great hurry to meet an engagement."

"Why didn't you go out the front door?" asked the girl.

"Oh, bother! What business is it of yours?" demanded the professor
impatiently.

And, not stopping for further inquiries, he vaulted over a fence and
took his way across the fields to the station.

"Here, Sam," called the girl, her suspicions confirmed that something
was wrong, "go after that man as fast as you can!"

This was addressed to a boy who was employed at the hotel to go on
errands and do odd jobs.

"What's he done?" asked Sam.

"I don't know; but he's either run off without paying his bill, or he's
stolen something."

"What good'll it do me to chase him?" asked Sam.

"If he's cheated master, he'll pay you for catching the man."

"That's so," thought Sam. "Besides, I'll be a detective, just like that
boy I read about in the paper. I'm off!"

Fired by youthful ambition, Sam also vaulted the fence, and ran along
the foot-path in pursuit of the professor.

Lorenzo Riccabocca did not know he was pursued. He felt himself so safe
from this, on account of the secrecy of his departure, that he never
took the trouble to look behind him. He knew the way well enough, for
the fields he was crossing were level, and half a mile away, perhaps a
little more, he could see the roof of the brown-painted depot, which was
his destination. Once there, he would buy a ticket, get on the train,
and get started away from Knoxville