re."

Whereupon they carried him up stairs, and along a passage, to a small
room at the farther end, and laid him on a bed just as he was. Having
struck a light, Andre was about to leave the room, when he was detained
by the other.

"Look here," said Seppi, taking some money from his pocket. "I am going
away again to-morrow morning before daybreak, and may not be back until
the day after. Here is payment for our supper and night's lodging. My
friend will stay here, and you must not on any account allow him to go
away till I come back. Give him anything he asks for; but keep an eye on
him, for he is not right in his head, and must either have some one
always with him, or be locked in his room. I can't take him with me in
the morning, and so I have brought him here, where I know he will be in
good hands. You will promise to attend to what I have told you, Andre?"

"Your instructions shall be attended to," replied the other, slipping
the gold coin which Seppi tendered him into his pocket. "You shall have
no reason to complain."

"That's well. When I come back you shall have another gold piece if I
find everything right. And look here: only bolt the outer door to-night
instead of locking it, or else leave the key in the lock, so that I can
get away in the morning without waking anybody."

The man promised to attend to that also, and quitted the apartment. When
he was gone, Seppi bolted the room door, and gazed at his unconscious
companion with a malicious scowl.

"Fool!" said he, "I made you a fair offer when I proposed to go halves
with the money; but as you were idiot enough to decline, so much the
better for me. When you wake in the morning you'll be sorry you let the
chance slip."

[Illustration: "HE UNBUCKLED THE MONEY-BELT."]

Thus muttering to himself, he unbuckled the money-belt that was round
the waist of the sleeping man, and fastened it securely round his own.
He then abstracted Walter's passport and the other papers that were in
his pockets, without arousing him.

"He lies there like a dead dog," thought the drover; "and, with the dose
I gave him, is not likely to trouble any one till morning."

Waiting impatiently for more than an hour, until every one was in bed
and the house silent, Seppi quitted the room on tiptoe, locked the door
on the outside, and crept noiselessly along the passage and down the
stairs. Andre had not forgotten to leave the outer door unlocked, and
pushing back the bolt with th