a new terror.

He almost snatched the letter from his cousin's hand.

"Yes, yes, read it. Oh, mon Dieu, mon Dieu!" Herve groaned, and stamped
his feet.

The letter was written in very shaky characters, and Angelot had to hold
it under one of the candle sconces on the wall.

"My dear Comte:--

"You will receive to-morrow, I have reason to think, an Imperial
recommendation--which means a command--to give Mademoiselle your
daughter in marriage to General Ratoneau. If you see any way out of
this dilemma, I need hardly advise you to take it. You would have
been warned earlier of the danger, but circumstances have been too
strong for me. My part in the affair I hope to explain. In the
meanwhile believe in my sincere friendship, and burn this letter.

"_De Mauves_."

Angelot drew in his breath sharply. "Ah! The Prefect is good," he said.

While he read the letter, his cousin was staring at him. Slowly,
intently, yet with a sort of vague distraction, his eyes travelled over
Angelot; the plain shooting clothes, so odd a contrast in that gay
house, at that time of night, to his own elegant evening dress; the
handsome, clear-cut, eager face, the young lips set with a man's
firmness and energy.

"I thought you were in prison," said Herve.

"I escaped from the police."

"Why did they arrest you?"

"I do not know. I believe it was a private scheme of that rascal
Simon's--such things have happened."

"Tell me all--and quickly."

Angelot began to obey him, but after a few words broke off suddenly.

"Uncle Herve, what is the use of talking about me? What are you going to
do? Let us think--yes, I have a plan. If you were to call my cousin
Helene quietly out of the ball-room to change her dress, I would have
horses ready in the north wood, and I would ride with you at least part
of the way to Le Mans. There you could get a post-chaise and drive to
Paris. Place her safely in a convent, and go yourself to the Emperor--"

"And do you suppose, Angelot, that I have enough influence with the
Emperor to make him withdraw an order already given--and do you not know
that this is a favourite amusement of his, this disgusting plan of
giving our daughters to any butcher and son of a butcher who has
slaughtered enough men to please him? Your uncle Joseph told us all
about it. He said it was in the Prefect's hands--I can hardly believe
th