CHAPTER XXVII.
HAL IN PERIL.
Hal was unable to tell just what caused the great crash as, after releasing his hold on the window in the cellar of the house to which he had followed Duval he went down into space. His feet struck a projection of some kind, and the crash followed.
The lad struck the floor in a heap. Although he felt sure that the crash must have aroused everyone in the house, he lay perfectly still, listening. Above he could hear the sounds of footsteps, and directly a door, which he judged to be the door into the cellar from above, opened.
The head of Duval appeared in the doorway. In his hand he held a flashlight, and Hal could make him out plainly. A second face peered over his shoulder, and Hal recognized it instantly as that of the Apache's chief lieutenant, who had accosted them in the den.
"What was it?" asked the lieutenant.
"I don't see anything," was the reply.
At that moment a furry shape calmly ascended the stairs and stopped at
Duval's feet. It was a black cat, which stopped to lick his right paw.
Duval stooped down and examined him. Then he arose with a laugh.
"Mon Dieu!" he exclaimed. "It was the cat. He must have upset the jars of jelly and preserves. See, he is covered with it."
"By Jove! This is luck," muttered Hal to himself. "The cat must have been sleeping among them when I knocked them down."
He made no move, and directly the two men and the cat disappeared and the door closed with a bang.
Hal waited a few minutes, and then arose slowly to his feet. While Duval had held the flashlight, the lad had taken in his surroundings, and now he cautiously approached where he knew the stairway to be. His outstretched hand touched the rail and his foot found the lowest step. He ascended silently.
The knob turned under his hand, and the door swung back without even a creak. Inside was perfect blackness.
Hal closed the door softly behind him and stole along what seemed to be a long hall. He went very slowly, and finally his outstretched hand touched an obstruction. He felt it over carefully, and his hand touched a knob. It was another door.
Hal placed his ear to the floor and listened. There was no sound from beyond. He arose and tried the knob. The door opened and the light flashed into the lad's eyes, almost blinding him.
He paused uncertainly, and then, not being accosted, stepped in and closed the door behind him. His eyes were used to the light by this time, and he looked quickly about him. He was in a bedroom.
The sound of voices came from the room beyond and approaching footsteps. The lad looked quickly about for a place of concealment, and the best that offered itself was the bed. Under this he dived swiftly and silently.
And none too soon. Duval and his lieutenant, followed by the black cat, came into the room, and sat down. Hal breathed silently.
"Well," said Duval, "everything is fixed. The money will be paid to us to-morrow night. Then we can take a ship for America, where we can enjoy the luxuries it will bring us."
"I'll be glad when it's all over," said his lieutenant. "This is ticklish business. You were lucky to get in with the Apaches."
"Rather," drawled his chief. "My height and general appearance, together with the fact that the former chief always wore a mask, have served us well. I wonder what the Apaches would do to us if they knew how I disposed of their real chief?"
His lieutenant laughed heartily.
"It would be no laughing matter if they were to find it out," said Duval.
"Perhaps not; still it is funny," was the reply.
The black cat jumped into Duval's lap, and he stroked it and talked to it. Then the animal began to claw at him.
"What's the matter, kitty?" asked Duval.
The animal cried and continued to claw at him.
"He wants to get down," said the other.
Duval released his hold on the cat, which immediately jumped to the floor and walked under the bed, to where Hal lay. The lad saw the animal coming, and reached out a friendly hand, thinking to keep it quiet.
But the cat's back bristled. Its tail grew to huge proportions, and it snarled and spat at him angrily.
"What do you suppose is the matter with the cat?" asked Duval.
"Sounds like he had found a dog under the bed," was the reply.
The hissing and snarling continued.
"Something wrong," said Duval. "Might as well have a look."
He dropped to his knees and peered under the bed, to where Hal was now defending himself against the attacks of the cat, which was striking at him with his sharp claws.
"See anything?" asked Duval's lieutenant.
"Man under the bed," replied Duval quietly. "Get out your gun and get on the other side of the bed."
His lieutenant obeyed with alacrity, and each, with a revolver in his hand, looked cautiously under the bed. Then Duval stretched forth a hand and, seizing the cat by the tail, dragged it forth. At the same time he called out:
"Come out from under there!"
Hal saw that resistance, between two fires as he was, would be useless.
"All right," he called back.
He crawled forth slowly, but before he emerged he drew his two revolvers from his pocket and dropped them beneath the bed. He was thoughtful enough to realize that, should he manage to regain his freedom, the guns under the bed would come in handy.
The lad got slowly to his feet and faced the two criminals.
Both started back in surprise at sight of his face. They recognized him immediately.
"Choteau!" cried Duval.
His lieutenant also exclaimed aloud.
"What are you doing here?" demanded the Apache chief sternly.
"I just wanted to see where you lived," replied Hal quietly.
"Why?"
"Well, there has been so much talk about you, your being a gentleman, and all that, that I wanted to satisfy my curiosity."
"Well, your curiosity is satisfied. What now?"
"Nothing," said Hal briefly.
"I suppose you know," said Duval, "that now you have seen me without my mask you will never leave this house alive."
"I suppose that is your idea," said Hal.
"You'll find that I have the right idea."
"Tell us your real object in coming here," said Duval's lieutenant.
"I have told you," replied Hal.
"That," said the lieutenant, "is a lie. It's too absurd. I guess I'll search you."
He proceeded to do so while Duval kept Hal covered. There was not much to be found—but one thing that Hal feared he would discover and which he realized he should have dropped with the revolvers under the bed.
His searcher found it, drew it forth, and, with an exclamation of triumph, held it up for Duval to see.
It was the police whistle General Gallieni had given him.
"So!" he exclaimed. "A police spy, eh! I thought so."
Hal shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, you have me," he said. "What are you going to do with me?"
The two men laughed.
"I guess you won't be as much surprised at what we are going to do as the manner in which we are going to do it," replied Duval, with an evil leer.
"How?" asked his lieutenant. "Water?"
"Right," was his chief's reply. He turned to Hal. "This house," he explained, "is on the very bank of the River Seine. Perhaps you have skirmished about in the rear?"
Hal shook his head negatively.
"Well, such is the case. In the cellar is a neat little room of four solid walls—no windows. There is a slight crack at the bottom, and through this, by a contrivance of my own, I can let in the waters of the river. The door is solid, and, once locked in, you cannot get out. I believe that this is a fitting death for a police spy. What do you think?"
Again Hal shrugged his shoulders.
"One way is as good as another," he said briefly. Duval turned to his companion with a laugh.
"Quite a brave man we have here, eh?"
"Quite," returned the other. "However, I guess he'll change his tune when the water gets up to his neck."
"Right you are," was the reply. "But what do you say? Shall he not sup with us first?"
"A good idea!" exclaimed his lieutenant.
Hal had been thinking rapidly. The men still held their revolvers in their hands, but they no longer covered him. Taking advantage of this fact, Hal suddenly dived under the bed and his two automatics were once more in his hand.
But the two men were after him in an instant. Before he could turn and bring his weapons to bear they had him covered, while Duval cried out:
"Come out from there, or I'll put a hole through you."
Hal realized that he could not hope to dispose of his two enemies, so quickly shoving the two revolvers into his clothes, he once more emerged and got to his feet.
"What are you, an ostrich?" demanded Duval, with a slight smile. "Think if you get your head out of sight you are safe?"
Hal made no reply, but he felt considerably more comfortable with his two automatics reposing safely at hand.
"Well, we might as well give the doomed a little bite to hold him up," said Duval, with a smirk. "You guard him now while I see what the pantry has to offer. Keep him covered with your gun, for he is desperate and may jump you."
"I'll guard him, all right," was the reply.
"Good! Of course, it is easy enough to shoot him, but I would rather have him swim a while first."