any moment, and discovers that the whole expedition for which
he is staking his soul and life is a trick, a farce; that we
use it only as a bait to draw money from the old nobility, and
to frighten the Republic into paying us to leave them in
peace? How do we know what he might not do? He may tell the
whole of Europe. He may turn on you and expose you, and then
what have we left? It is your last chance. It is our last
chance. We have tried everything else, and we cannot show
ourselves in Europe, at least not without money in our hands.
But by naming Kalonay I have managed it so that we have only
to show the written agreement I have made with the Republic
and he is silenced. In it they have promised to pay the
Prince Kalonay, naming him in full, 300,000 francs if the
expedition is withdrawn. That agreement is in my hands, and
that is our answer to whatever he may think or say. Our word
is as good as his, or as bad; we are all of the same party as
far as Europe cares, and it becomes a falling out among
thieves, and we are equal."

Baron Barrat leaned forward and marked each word with a
movement of his hand.

"Do I understand you to say," he asked, "that you have a paper
signed by the Republic agreeing to pay 300,000 francs to
Kalonay? Then how are we to get it?" he demanded,
incredulously. "From him?"

"It is made payable to him," continued the woman, "or to
whoever brings this ring I wear to the banking-house of the
Schlevingens two weeks after the expedition has left the