ns: "Man of precautions," said he, "haven't
you smelling salts or a bottle of essence with you?"

"Here!" said the young man he had addressed, pulling a flask of toilet
vinegar from his pocket.

"Good," said the other, who seemed to be the leader of the band. "Do you
finish up the matter with Master Jerome; I'll take charge of Madame de
Montrevel."

It was indeed time. The fainting fit was giving place to a violent
nervous attack; spasmodic movements shook her whole body and strangled
cries came from her throat. The young man leaned over her and made her
inhale the salts.

Madame de Montrevel presently opened her frightened eyes, and called
out: "Edouard! Edouard!" With an involuntary movement she knocked aside
the mask of the man who was supporting her, exposing his face.

The courteous, laughing young man--our readers have already recognized
him--was Morgan.

Madame de Montrevel paused in amazement at sight of those beautiful blue
eyes, the lofty brow, and the gracious lips smiling at her. She realized
that she ran no danger from such a man, and that no harm could have
befallen Edouard. Treating Morgan as a gentleman who had succored her,
and not as a bandit who had caused her fainting-fit, she exclaimed: "Ah,
sir! how kind you are."

In the words, in the tones in which she uttered them, there lay a world
of thanks, not only for herself, but for her child.

With singular delicacy, entirely in keeping with his chivalric nature,
Morgan, instead of picking up his fallen mask and covering his face
immediately, so that Madame de Montrevel could only have retained a
fleeting and confused impression of it--Morgan replied to her compliment
by a low bow, leaving his features uncovered long enough to produce
their impression; then, placing d'Assas' flask in Madame de Montrevel's
hand--and then only--he replaced his mask. Madame de Montrevel
understood the young man's delicacy.

"Ah! sir," said she, "be sure that, in whatever place or situation I see
you again, I shall not recognize you."

"Then, madame," replied Morgan, "it is for me to thank you and repeat,
'How kind you are.'"

"Come, gentlemen, take your seats!" said the conductor, in his customary
tone, as if nothing unusual had happened.

"Are you quite restored, madame, or should you like a few minutes more
to rest?" asked Morgan. "The diligence shall wait."

"No, that is quite unnecessary; I feel quite well, and am much indebted
to you."

Morgan offere