ate of prostration.

"What has gone wrong with you?" asked Andre kindly.

"I have come to bid you farewell; I am going to shoot myself in half an
hour."

"Have you gone mad?"

"Not in the least," answered Gaston, passing his hand across his
forehead in a distracted manner; "but those infernal bills have turned
up. I was just leaving the dining-room, after having treated the
governor to my company, when the butler whispered in my ear that
there was a man outside who wanted to see me. I went out and found a
dirty-looking old scamp, with his coat collar turned up round the nape
of his neck."

"Did he say that his name was Tantaine?" exclaimed Andre.

"Ah! was that his name? Well, it doesn't matter. He told me in the most
friendly manner that the holder of my bills had determined to place them
in the hands of the police to-morrow at twelve o'clock, but that there
was still a way for me to escape."

"And this was to take Rose out of France with you," said Andre quickly.

Gaston was overwhelmed with surprise.

"Who the deuce told you that?" asked he.

"No one; I guessed it; for it was only the conclusion of the plan
which they had initiated when you were induced to forge Martin Rigal's
signature. Well, what did you say?"

"That the idea was a ridiculous one, and that I would not stir a yard.
They shall find out that I can be obstinate, too; besides, I can see
their little game. As soon as I am out of the way they will go to the
governor and bleed him."

But Andre was not listening to him. What was best to be done? To advise
Gaston to go and take Rose with him was to deprive himself of a great
element of success; and to permit him to kill himself was, of course,
out of the question.

"Just attend to me," said he at last; "I have an idea which I will tell
you as soon as we are out of this house; but for reasons which are too
long to go into at present it is necessary for me to get into the street
without going through the door. You will, therefore, go away, and as the
clock strikes twelve you will ring at the gateway of 29, Rue de Laval.
When it is opened, ask some trivial question of the porter; and when
you leave, take care that you do not close the gate. I shall be in the
garden of the house and will slip out and join you."

The plan succeeded admirably, and in ten minutes Gaston and Andre were
walking along the boulevards.

CHAPTER XXXII.

M. LECOQ.

The Marquis de Croisenois lived in a fine new h