--he possessed,
too, some papers relative to the birth of the Goualeuse. Rodolph had,
then, fresh motives for persevering in his projects, and, fortunately,
his absence of mind was not observed by the Schoolmaster, who was busy
helping the Chouette.

"_Morbleu!_ What a pretty chain you have!" said Rodolph to the one-eyed
woman.

"Pretty, and not dear," answered the old creature, laughing. "It is only
a sham till my man can afford to give me a real one."

"That will depend on this gentleman, Finette. If our job comes off well,
why then--"

"It is astonishing how well it is imitated," continued Rodolph. "And
what is that little blue thing at the end?"

"It is a present from my man, which I shall wear until he gives me a
'ticker.' Isn't it, _fourline_?"

Rodolph's suspicions were thus half confirmed, and he waited with
anxiety for the reply of the Schoolmaster, who said:

"You must take care of that, notwithstanding the 'ticker,' Finette; it
is a talisman, and brings good luck."

"A talisman!" said Rodolph, in a careless tone; "do you believe in
talismans? And where the devil did you pick it up? Give me the address
of the shop."

"They do not make them now; the shop is shut up. As you see it, that bit
of jewelry has a very great antiquity,--three generations. I value it
highly, for it is a family loom," added he, with a hideous grin; "and
that's why I gave it to Finette, that she might have good fortune in the
enterprises in which she so skilfully seconds me. Only see her at work!
only see her! If we go into 'business' together, why--But let us now to
our affair in hand. You say that in the Allee des Veuves--"

"At No. 17 there is a house inhabited by a rich man, whose name is--"

"I will not be guilty of the indiscretion of asking his name. You say
there are sixty thousand francs in gold in a cabinet?"

"Sixty thousand francs in gold!" exclaimed the Chouette.

Rodolph nodded his head in the affirmative.

"And you know this house, and the people in it?" said the Schoolmaster.

"Quite well."

"Is the entry difficult?"

"A wall seven feet high on the side of the Allee des Veuves, a garden,
windows down to the ground, and the house has only the ground floor
throughout."

"And there is only the porter to guard this treasure?"

"Yes."

"And what, young man, is your proposed plan of proceeding?"

"Simple enough: to climb over the wall, pick the lock of the door, or
force open a shutter or lock. What d