rel that you were!"

CHAPTER L.

CATASTROPHES.

The two men started to their feet, looking at each other as they had
looked when Fate and their crimes first brought them together. Yes, it
was Sanselme, who had simply changed the letters in his name and become
Maslenes, who now spoke to his former associate with such contempt.

And it was Benedetto who sneered and laughed in the face of the man whom
at Toulon he had almost hated. They neither of them spoke, but in their
faces a strange transformation took place. Sanselme, first so bold,
almost arrogant, by degrees began to hang his head, while Benedetto
looked more and more triumphant.

"Let us sit down and reason together," he said.

"And why?" answered Sanselme, drearily. "You and I have nothing in
common."

"I don't know that!"

"Listen to me for one moment. Our respective positions must be
distinctly defined. Fate brought us together--Fate separated us. Neither
you nor I desire to awaken all these terrible memories. I now bid you
forget my very existence--"

He stopped short. Benedetto had laid his hand on his shoulder.

"And suppose I do not wish to be forgotten by you?" he said, slowly.

Sanselme started and looked at him with a terrified expression.

"I desire quite the contrary, in fact. I wish you to recall every
circumstance of our former acquaintance, up to that night at Beausset--"

"For Heaven's sake, say no more!"

"I must, for I need a witness to authenticate certain facts. And that
witness must be yourself."

"You forget, I fancy, that were I to reveal the truth the scaffold would
be your end!"

"Ah! that is my affair, Sanselme. You have but to answer my questions
truly. I rely on you, for really," sneered Benedetto, "you have quite
the air of an honest man. You remember. Do you remember the night of the
24th of February, 1839?"

"Am I dreaming?" murmured Sanselme, hiding his face. "Can he really ask
such a question?"

"Do you remember the little house behind the church?"

"Yes, yes, I remember."

"A certain person of my acquaintance had a little business to attend to
in that house. He was successful, and he carried off a million."

"I know nothing about that!" cried Sanselme, eagerly. And then with a
gesture of loathing, he added, "I never saw any of the money."

"I dare say. You were extremely disinterested! I took the money and
meant to get away with it quietly, but accident defeated this plan."

"For God's sake, s