Thereafter came a wondrous peace, solacing her, calming her, wrapping her
round. Once she stirred, and was conscious of a quiet hand holding hers,
lulling her to a more assured restfulness. And so at last she slipped
into the quiet of a deep slumber, and the throbbing anxiety sank utterly
away.

When she opened her eyes again it was in answer to her husband's voice.
She awoke quite naturally to find him bending over her.

"We are at Valpre," he said.

She sat up quickly. "Why, I have been asleep!"

"Yes," he said. "And you will be the better for it. Noel has gone to
secure a conveyance. The place is crammed, as you know. You are feeling
all right?"

Again for a moment she felt his scrutiny, and her heart quickened under
it. But she mustered a smile.

"Yes, quite. You will let me come with you, Trevor? You won't go on
first?"

"I shall not leave you," he said.

He gave her his hand to descend from the train, and she clung to it while
they threaded their way through the noisy, gesticulating crowd that
thronged the platform.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she found herself at last in the
ramshackle _fiacre_ which Noel by strenuous effort had managed to
commandeer. The din bewildered her. But for her husband's protecting
presence she would have felt like a lost child.

As they rumbled away over the stones of Valpre he spoke. "We are in time,
Chris."

Her heart gave a great throb. "Are we? But how do you know?"

"Everyone is talking of him," he said quietly. "And I gather that he has
been arrested."

"Oh, Trevor!" she breathed in dismay.

"Max is with him," he reminded her. "I don't think they would get rid of
him very easily. We shall know more when we get there."

They clattered on to the _plage_, and the cold sea wind blew in upon
them.

Noel snuffed it appreciatively. "Smells decent, anyway. Wonder if they're
still running the same old show. I say, Chris, do you remember the Goat?"

Chris did. With her face to the dark sea and the sound of its waves in
her ears, she recalled the old light-hearted days and the shrill
admonitions of Mademoiselle Gautier. How often had she prophesied
disaster for her charge among the rocks of Valpre! Chris smiled a little
piteous smile. Ah, well!

The _fiacre_ jerked and jolted over the stones. They left the _plage_
behind and came to a standstill with a violent swerve.

"Now what?" said Noel.

They seemed to have come suddenly upon a crowd of people. Late t