the lady cannot
come and has sent them to tell us so."

"Four of them!" Barrington said.

He did not move. These men were not lackeys, they were gentlemen.
Barrington wondered whether they had chosen this secluded spot to settle
some private quarrel of last night's making.

"Scented danger and gone," said one.

Another shook his head and stared into the depths of the wood before
him with such a keen pair of eyes that Barrington believed he must be
seen.

"Not a man to run from danger," he said, "unless mademoiselle were
strangely deceived."

The remark decided Barrington's course of action. He stepped forward
followed by Seth, who tied up the horses again and then took up a
position behind his master.

"Are you seeking me, gentlemen?"

"If your name be Monsieur Barrington," the man with the keen eyes
answered.

"It is."

The four men bowed low and Barrington did the same.

"My companion thought we were too late," said the spokesman, "but I had
a different opinion. We are four gentlemen devoted to Mademoiselle St.
Clair, and she has charged us with a commission."

"You are very welcome unless you bring bad news," said Barrington.

"For you it may be," was the answer with a smile. "Mademoiselle will not
need you to escort her to Paris."

Barrington had not sought such an honor. Until the moment he had
fastened her mask, touching her hair and touched by her personality, he
would rather have been without the honor; now he was disappointed,
angry. She had found another escort and despised him. She was as other
women, unreliable, changeable, inconstant.

"You bring some proof that mademoiselle has entrusted you with this
message."

"This," was the answer, and the man held up the little iron star.

"I am not greatly grieved to be relieved of such a responsibility,
gentlemen," said Barrington, with a short laugh. "Perhaps you will tell
mademoiselle so."

"Pardon, but monsieur hardly understands. For some purpose monsieur came
to Beauvais with an attempt to deceive mademoiselle with this little
iron trinket. It is not possible to let such a thing pass, and it is
most undesirable that monsieur should be allowed to have the opportunity
of again practicing such deceit. Mademoiselle listened to him, feigned
to be satisfied with his explanation, in fact, met deceit with deceit.
My opinion was that half a dozen lackeys should be sent to chastise
monsieur, but mademoiselle decided otherwise. You were too good