ridor.

"The government has kicked us out into the street," he muttered; "be
satisfied that the government didn't kick us into Biribi. And it will
yet if you don't come."

"Come? Where? I haven't any money, and now they've got my honor--"

"Rubbish!" he whispered, fairly dragging me into the hallway. "Here!
No--don't go to your rooms. Leave everything--get clear of this
rat-pit, I tell you."

He half pushed, half dragged me to the parade; then, dropping my arm,
he struck a jaunty pace through the archway, not even glancing at the
sentinels. I kept pace with him, scarcely knowing what I did.

In the Rue de Seine I halted suddenly, crying out that I must go back,
but he seized me with a growl of "Idiot! come on!" and fairly shoved
me through the colonnades of the Institute, along the quay, down the
river-wall, to a dock where presently a swift river-boat swung in for
passengers. And when the bateau mouche shot out again into mid-stream,
Speed and I stood silently on deck, watching the silver-gray facades
of Paris fly past above us under the blue sky.

We sat far forward, quite alone, and separated from the few passengers
by the pilot-house and jointed funnel. And there, carelessly lounging,
with one of his lank legs crossed over the other and a cigar between
his teeth, my comrade coolly recounted to me the infamous history of
the past week:

"Jarras put his honest, old, square-toed foot in it by accident; I
don't know how he managed to do it, but this is certain: he suddenly
found himself on a perfectly plain trail which could only end at
Mornac's threshold.

"Then he did a stupid thing--he called Mornac in and asked him, in
perfect faith, to clear up the affair, never for a moment suspecting
that Mornac was the man.

"That occurred the day you started to catch Buckhurst. And on that
day, too, I had found out something; and like a fool I told Jarras."

Speed chewed his cigar and laughed.

"In twenty-four hours Jarras was relieved of his command; I was
requested not to leave the Luxembourg--in other words, I was under
arrest, and Mornac took over the entire department and abolished the
Foreign Division 'for the good of the service,' as the _Official_ had
it next day.

"Then somebody--Mornac probably--let loose a swarm of those shadowy
lies called rumors--you know how that is done!--and people began to
mutter, and the cafes began to talk of treason among the foreign
police. Of course Rochefort took it up; of