have completed the job--nothing would have been
easier. Then they would have separated, and slipped away through the
crowd, before any one could interfere with them, or else have stood
their ground, and declared unanimously that they had been obliged to
attack you in self defence. It is next to impossible in such cases to
prove that the act was premeditated, and there is no redress for the
unhappy victim of such a conspiracy."

"But I am loath to believe," said the brave, generous young baron, "that
any gentleman could be capable of such an utterly base and unworthy act
as this--what, send a set of hired ruffians to foully assassinate his
rival! If he is not satisfied with the result of our first encounter, I
am willing and ready to cross swords with him again and again, until
one or the other of us is slain. That is the way that such matters are
arranged among men of honour, my good Herode!"

"Doubtless," replied the tyrant, dryly, "but the duke well
knows--despite his cursed pride--that the result of another meeting with
you could not but be disastrous to himself. He has tried the strength
of your blade, and learned by bitter experience that its point is sharp.
You may be sure that he hates you like the very devil, and will not
scruple to make use of any means whatever to revenge himself for his
defeat at your hands."

"Well, if he does not care to try my sword again, we could fight on
horseback with pistols. He could not accuse me of having any advantage
of him there."

Talking thus the two had reached the Quai de l'Ecole, and there a
carriage just missed running over de Sigognac, though he did his best to
get out of its way. As it was, only his extremely slender figure saved
him from being crushed between it and the wall, so close did it come to
him--notwithstanding the fact that there was plenty of room on the other
side, and that the coachman could easily have avoided the foot passenger
he actually seemed to pursue. The windows of the carriage were all
closed, and the curtains drawn down, so that it was impossible to tell
whether it had any inmates or not--but if de Sigognac could have peeped
within he would have seen, reclining languidly upon the luxurious
cushions, a handsome young nobleman, richly dressed, whose right arm was
supported by a black silk scarf, arranged as a sling. In spite of the
warm red glow from the crimson silk curtains, he was very pale, and,
though so remarkably handsome, his face wore