me the man that exposed me, and if any of
you people that are gathered here can help me in getting square with him
I'll be eternally grateful. My name is Eugene Maxwell."

There was only one other individual left in this collection who had not
as yet spoken, and now, although Madge fixed her eyes instantly upon
him, he remained in his chair as he was, with immovable, sphinxlike
countenance and gloomy eyes. He was a tall, spare, rather well-dressed
figure, when he rose at last in reply to her spoken request, and he
stood, half leaning upon a cane which he held in his two hands, and bent
a little toward her as he spoke.

"I haven't any name, so far as anybody knows," he said slowly, and with
distinct and deliberate enunciation. "It has pleased my friends always
to bestow a title upon me. Until to-night I have always worked alone,
and have rarely made myself known to any of the inhabitants of the
underworld, and if any of you here have ever happened to be told about
The Parson, you will know who I am."

There was a distinct stir in the room when he uttered this name or
title, for The Parson had always been more or less a mystery, and one
that was much envied by thieves generally. He was a confidence man of
the higher type; the sort of man who would go into strange cities or
villages or communities, and represent himself to be a professional man;
sometimes a minister; sometimes a priest; again a rabbi; and it was his
graft to solicit and collect contributions for charitable purposes upon
forged recommendations and letters which he had prepared in advance.

His success in this line had been enormous, and his work had always been
done in the dark and alone, until six years before this particular
occasion, having done it once too often, Nick Carter had trailed him
down and captured him.

He continued:

"I was always very successful in my line of graft until Nick Carter got
after me, and while I didn't get quite so long a term as our friend
Cuthbert, I was sent up for five years, and served four years and three
months of it. I want to say to you now that every night and every
morning of my life during those four years and three months I cursed
Nick Carter and everybody and everything that belonged to him. That's
why I'm here. I take part in this little scheme that Madge has concocted
to down that fellow with the greatest pleasure I have ever known. If you
should happen to be in want of funds any time----"

"I'll supply