written in a very poor English and the other in a
very elegant French, the woman Roberta, Marquise of Grez and Bye,
trembled with fear of a discovery of her woman's estate while that
daredevil Robert Carruthers raged within and also turned with a deadly
hatred and distrust of the greatest gentleman that _le bon Dieu_
had ever given to him to know. It was as I say, and for this reason:
In the letters were announcements of the arrival of the Lieutenant,
Count Edouard de Bourdon, on that Tuesday which the Madam Whitworth
had mentioned. They were written with great ceremony to my Uncle, the
General Robert Carruthers, as Secretary of the State of Harpeth, to
give to him that information to be conveyed to His Excellency, the
Gouverneur Faulkner, in due form though he already had that
information.

"They make into a fool my revered Uncle, the General Robert
Carruthers, who would keep his State and the Gouverneur of that State
from dishonor!" I exclaimed to myself in my rage. "And this woman
thinks to play with the life of French soldiers as she has with that
same Gouverneur Faulkner, does she? No, there is Roberta, Marquise of
Grez and Bye, who is a soldier of her Republique by appointment from
the great Capitaine, the Count de Lasselles, to both watch and further
the interests of France, whom she must meet in combat first!"

And as I said these words to myself I made a rapid writing of both
papers and with them asked admittance to the room of that false
Gouverneur Faulkner, who had just dismissed the good men who had come
to thank him for his mercy shown to that poor creature Timms.

"Walk right in, sir," said old Cato to me as he gave a low bow of very
great courtesy. Then he looked with eyes of great keenness into my
stormy face. "Make a cross on the floor with that hoodoo in your shoe,
little mas', ef you git in danger or need of luck," he whispered to
me, coming very close. And as he directed I so performed at the very
entrance of the audience chamber of the great Gouverneur of the State
of Harpeth. Then, with a fine relief on his face, good Cato flung open
the door and announced me with great ceremony.

In that room I found my Uncle, the General Robert, and the Gouverneur
Faulkner in deep consultation and they both turned towards me with
anxiety in their faces.

"What did you make of the letters, boy?" asked my Uncle, the General
Robert, with keen anxiety. The great Gouverneur was silent and for the
first time sin