"Look here, Scarlett," he said. "Do you know what has become of the
crown jewels of France?"
"No," I said.
"Well, I'll tell you. You know, of course, that the government is
anxious; you know that Paris is preparing to stand siege if the
Prussians double up Bazaine and the army of Châlons in the north. But
you don't know what a pitiable fright the authorities are in. Why,
Scarlett, they are scared almost to the verge of idiocy."
"They've passed that verge," I observed.
"Yes, they have. They have had a terrible panic over the safety of
the crown jewels--they were nervous enough before the robbery. And
this is what they've done in secret:
"The crown jewels, the bars of gold of the reserve, the great
pictures from the Louvre, the antiques of value, including the Venus
of Milo, have been packed in cases and loaded on trains under heavy
guard.
"Twelve of these trains have already left Paris for the war-port of
Lorient. The others are to follow, one every twenty-four hours at
midnight.
"Whether these treasures are to be locked up in Lorient, or whether
they are to be buried in the sand-dunes along the coast, I don't know.
But I know this: a swift cruiser--the _Fer-de-Lance_--is lying off
Paradise, between the light-house and the Ile de Groix, with steam up
night and day, ready to receive the treasures of the government at the
first alarm and run for the French possessions in Cochin-China.
"And now, perhaps, you may guess why Buckhurst is so anxious to hang
around Paradise."
Of course I was startled. Speed's muttered information gave me the
keys to many doors. And behind each door were millions and millions
and millions of francs' worth of plunder.
Our eyes met in mute interrogation; Speed smiled.
"Of course," said I, with dry lips, "Buckhurst is devil enough to
attempt anything."
"Especially if backed by Mornac," said Speed.
Suddenly the professional aspect of the case burst on me like a shower
of glorious sunshine.
"Oh, for the chance!" I said, brokenly. "Speed! Think of it! Think
how completely we have the thing in hand!"
"Yes," he said, with a shrug, "only we have just been kicked out of
the service in disgrace, and we are now going to be fully occupied in
running away from the police."
That was true enough; I had scarcely had time to realize our position
as escaped suspects of the department. And with the recognition of my
plight came a rush of hopeless rage, of bitter regret, and
soul-sickening disappointment.
So this was the end of my career--a fugitive, disgraced, probably
already hunted. This was my reward for faithful service--penniless,
almost friendless, liable to arrest and imprisonment with no hope of
justice from Emperor or court-martial--a banned, ruined, proscribed
outcast, in blind flight.
"I've thought of the possibility of this," observed Speed, quietly.
"We've got to make a living somehow. In fact, I'm to let--and so are
you."