“See here. I already have stolen what you want,” cried Justine. “You said it was worth a thousand dollars. I copied even every mark on the hidden papers, and, I went over it a dozen times, while the new nurse was with her. Madame was insensible, and, I had time to work in safety. What will you give me, now?”
She was not listened too, for with a ferocious joy, Vreeland leaped up, crying, “My God! I have her now. They are all in the hollow of my hand.”
He had glanced over the list of names written there, and a row of figures with some characters added, which seemed to glow before him in living flame.
He drew the Frenchwoman to his side, and there dashed off a check to his own order and carefully indorsed it.
“There’s your money, you jewel,” he gasped. “Listen. To-night, when she comes back, or to-morrow night, if she is again under the nurse’s watch, you must steal that envelope again. I will be waiting outside the Circassia, and stay all of both nights till I get the original paper that you copied. Put a simple sheet of blank paper back in the envelope and close it up. Sew it up again in the same place in her corset.
“We will leave that to be stolen by the nurse, Martha Wilmot. She will know what to do with it.
“She clears out of here for Europe in a few days. She will keep well out of Mrs. Willoughby’s way. And, so the Madame will think that she has been robbed by our sly, English friend. I will pay the nurse well and help her away. But that original paper must come to me.
“Be sure to leave Mrs. Willoughby’s garments where the nurse could easily reach them—no one shall suspect you. I’ll hold you safe—it is our own secret. Alberg will, of course, raise a devil of a row about the nurse clearing out, and robbing him, but only after she is gone.”
“And my mistress. Mon Dieu! But, how I fear her!” faltered the trembling Justine.
“Nonsense. The woman comes down here to-day. She will get her orders from me. You can put this blank envelope with its paper filling back in the corset, so that Mrs. Willoughby will feel that something is there. And, now, about tapping her telephone and telegraph wires.”