“Come, come; we have no time.  Put it into your pockets.”

“But, padrone, I have not counted it!” naively.

“To-morrow, when we make camp for breakfast.  Let us hurry.”

Quickly Pietro stuffed his pockets.  Jabbering in his patois, swearing so many candles to the Virgin for this night’s work.  Then began the loading of the sacks, and these were finally dumped into the donkey-panniers.

“Now, Pietro, the shortest cut to Ajaccio.  First, your hand on your amulet, and oath never to reveal what has happened.”

Pietro swore solemnly.  “I am ready now, padrone!”

“Lead on, then,” replied Breitmann.  Impulsively he raised his hands high above his head.  “Mine, all mine!”

He wiped his face and hands, pulled his cap down firmly, lighted a cigarette, struck the rear donkey, and the hazardous journey began.

Seven men, more or less young, with a genial air of dissipation about their eyes and a varied degree of recklessness lurking at the comers of their mouths; seven men sat round a table in a house in the Rue St. Charles.  They had been eating and drinking rather luxuriously for Ajaccio.  The Rue St. Charles is neither spacious nor elegant as a thoroughfare, but at that point where it turns into the Place Letitia it is quiet and unfrequented at night.  A film of tobacco smoke wavered in and out among the guttering candles and streamed round the empty and part empty champagne bottles.  At the head of the table sat Breitmann, still pale and weary from his Herculean labors.  His face was immobile, but his eyes were lively.

“To-morrow,” said Breitmann, “we leave for France.  On board the moneys will be equally divided.  Then, for the work.”  His voice was cold, authoritative.

“Two millions!” mused Picard, from behind a fresh cloud of smoke.  He picked up a bottle and gravely filled his glass, beckoning to the others to follow his example.  At another sign all rose to their feet, Breitmann alone remaining seated, “To the Day!”

Breitmann’s lips grew thinner; that was the only sign.

Outside, glancing obliquely through the grilled window, stood M. Ferraud.  He had not seen these worthies together before.  He knew all of them.  There was not a shoulder among them that he could not lay a hand upon and voice with surety the order of the law.  Courage of a kind they all had, names once written gloriously in history but now merely passports into dubious traffics.  Heroes of boulevard exploits, duelists, card-players; could it be possible that any sane man should be their dupe?  After the strange toast he heard many things, some he had known, some he had guessed at, and some which surprised him.  Only loyalty was lacking to make them feared indeed.  Presently he saw Breitmann rise.  He was tired; he needed sleep.  On the morrow, then; and in a week the first blow of the new terror.  They all bowed respectfully as he passed out.