eping and walking--working and idling--those were now my constant
thoughts. I did my best to prepare myself for every emergency that could
happen; I tried to arm myself beforehand against every possible accident
that could befall me. While I was still hard at work sharpening my
faculties and disciplining my energies in this way, an accident befell
the doctor, on the possibility of which I had not dared to calculate,
even in my most hopeful moments.

CHAPTER XI.

ONE morning I was engaged in the principal workroom with my employer. We
were alone. Old File and his son were occupied in the garrets. Screw had
been sent to Barkingham, accompanied, on the usual precautionary plan,
by Mill. They had been gone nearly an hour when the doctor sent me into
the next room to moisten and knead up some plaster of Paris. While I was
engaged in this occupation, I suddenly heard strange voices in the large
workroom. My curiosity was instantly excited. I drew back the little
shutter from the peephole in the wall, and looked through it.

I saw first my old enemy, Screw, with his villainous face much paler
than usual; next, two respectably-dressed strangers whom he appeared
to have brought into the room; and next to them Young File, addressing
himself to the doctor.

"I beg your pardon, sir," said my friend, the workman-like footman; "but
before these gentlemen say anything for themselves, I wish to explain,
as they seem strangers to you, that I only let them in after I had heard
them give the password. My instructions are to let anybody in on our
side of the door if they can give the password. No offense, sir, but I
want it to be understood that I have done my duty."

"Quite right, my man," said the doctor, in his blandest manner. "You may
go back to your work."

Young File left the room, with a scrutinizing look for the two strangers
and a suspicious frown for Screw.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves," began the elder of the two strangers.

"Pardon me for a moment," interposed the doctor. "Where is Mill?" he
added, turning to Screw.

"Doing our errands at Barkingham," answered Screw, turning paler than
ever.

"We happened to meet your two men, and to ask them the way to your
house," said the stranger who had just spoken. "This man, with a caution
that does him infinite credit, required to know our business before he
told us. We managed to introduce the password--'Happy-go-lucky'--into
our answer. This of course quieted s