But what if Gilbert and Cora should escape, and make their way to the Free States of America?
He was almost mad with fury as this thought arose to his brain. Immediately upon his arrival in New Orleans, he dispatched a messenger for his confederate and evil counselor, Silas Craig, and at nine o'clock the two men were seated opposite to each other at a well furnished breakfast table.
Augustus was terrified at beholding the change which the last twelve hours had wrought in the appearance of the attorney.
His face was almost ghastly in its corpse-like hue; purple circles surrounded his bloodshot eyes, and his lips were black and dry, like those of a sufferer in the worst stage of fever.
Throughout the weary night he had never ceased to pace up and down the narrow space in his office, pondering upon his interview with Pauline Corsi.
The whole scaffolding of his life had fallen away, leaving him well-nigh crushed amongst the ruins.
The dark labyrinth of crime was closing upon his steps, and he knew not the end which lay before him.
But Augustus Horton was ignorant of the darker crimes which had left their foul stain upon the lawyer's life. He knew him to be an unscrupulous rogue, and associated with him because he was useful.
The first step taken by the two men was to communicate with the police, informing them of the abduction of Cora, and offering a large reward for the apprehension of the fugitives.
This done, Silas Craig told his employer of the advertisement which had been inserted in that day's paper, the advertisement which cleared the character of Paul Lisimon, and described the whole affair of the robbery as a practical joke.