"No, no; there might be murder! I never mix myself with things of that
kind, on principle; your plan will not do. There might be a much safer
chance of more swag in a very different sort of scheme. I hear that the
pictures in that ghostly long room I crept through are worth a mint of
money. Now, pictures of great value are well known, and there are
collectors abroad who would pay almost any price for some pictures, and
never ask where they came from; hide them for some years perhaps, and not
bring them forth till any tales that would hurt us had died away. This
would be safe, I say. If the pictures are small, no one in the old house
need be disturbed. I can learn from some of the trade what pictures
Darrell really has that would fetch a high price, and then look out for
customers abroad. This will take a little time, but be worth waiting
for."

"I will not wait," said Jasper, fiercely; "and you are a coward. I have
resolved that to-morrow night I will be in that man's room, and that man
shall be on his knees before me."

Cutts turned sharply round on his saddle, and by the aid of the moonlight
surveyed Losely's countenance. "Oh, I see," he said, "there is more than
robbery in your mind. You have some feeling of hate--of vengeance; the
man has injured you?"

"He has treated me as if I were a dog," said Jasper; "and a dog can
bite."

Cutts mused a few moments. "I have heard you talk at times about some
rich relation or connection on whom you had claims; Darrell is the man, I
suppose?"