of the place, and all about it, and--why, it's
child's play, my lad, and won't hurt anybody. Take everything out of
that stable, and have a cart in the coach-house. I say--touch that bell
again, old man--you are not going to let a fortune slip through your
fingers, I know."

The three occupants of the corner soon after rose to go, halting
half-way down the street, where the tall man said:--

"There's half a sovereign to keep the cold out till then. Twelve
o'clock, mind, punctual."

The shabby man slouched away, while the little fellow rubbed his hands.

"There's half a ton of it there," he whispered.

"Think he'll stand to it?"

"No fear, now we've got him over his fright. By jingo, I'm only afraid
of one thing."

"What's that?"

"That some one else will be on the job."

CHAPTER TWENTY.

ASLEEP OR AWAKE?

It was a painful, and, Paul Capel thought, a degrading position; but he
blamed his passion, telling himself that it was his duty to watch her,
in this sleep-walking state, lest ill should befall.

How thoroughly awake she seemed to be. Her every act was that of a
person perfectly herself, and eager to find something that was hidden.

Softly and quickly she examined the cabinet, opening drawer after
drawer, and taking out one after the other, to see whether there was a
concealed cavity behind.

Next she knelt down before a large carved oak chest, and Capel saw how
carefully she searched that, and examined top and bottom to see whether
either was false.

This done, she walked to the bed, and stood pondering there. Crossing
to the built-up portal, she drew the curtain aside, revealing the
half-dry cement.

She shook her head, and walked to the window, where she carefully
rearranged the heavy folds there, to keep the rays of light from passing
out and betraying her task to any one who might be at the upper windows
of some house. The act displayed the working of a brain that, if
slumbering, still held a peculiar activity of an abnormal kind.

Once or twice he caught sight of Katrine's eyes, that were not as he had
seen them on that other night, wide open, and staring straight before
her, but bright, eager, and full of animation.

"She must be awake," he thought; and the idea was strengthened as he saw
her throw herself down upon a chair, and with a peculiar action of her
hands indicative of disappointment, rest her elbows on her knee, her
chin upon her clenched fists, and there she bent d