study, and rapidly extracted the balls
from the revolver.

"Thank Heaven!" she murmured: "this peril is averted, and M. Verduret
will now perhaps have time to prevent a murder. I must send Cavaillon to
tell him."

She hurried into the bank, and sent the clerk with a message, telling
him to leave it with Mme. Alexandre, if M. Verduret had left the hotel.

An hour later, Mme. Fauvel ordered her carriage, and went out.

M. Fauvel jumped into a hackney-coach, and followed her.

"God grant that M. Verduret may reach there in time!" cried Nina to
herself, "otherwise Mme. Fauvel and Raoul are lost."

XXIV

The moment that the Marquis of Clameran perceived that Raoul de Lagors
was the only obstacle between him and Madeleine, he swore that the
obstacle should soon be removed.

That very day he took steps for the accomplishment of his purpose. As
Raoul was walking out to Vesinet about midnight, he was stopped at a
lonely spot, by three men, who asked him what o'clock it was; while
looking at his watch, the ruffians fell upon him suddenly, and but for
Raoul's wonderful strength and agility, would have left him dead on the
spot.

As it was, he soon, by his skilfully plied blows (for he had become a
proficient in fencing and boxing in England), made his enemies take to
their heels.

He quietly continued his walk home, fully determined to be hereafter
well armed when he went out at night.

He never for an instant suspected his accomplice of having instigated
the assault.

But two days afterward, while sitting in a cafe, a burly, vulgar-looking
man, a stranger to him, interrupted him several times while talking,
and, after making several rough speeches as if trying to provoke a
quarrel, finally threw a card in his face, saying its owner was ready to
grant him satisfaction when and where he pleased.

Raoul rushed toward the man to chastise him on the spot; but his friends
held him back, telling him that it would be much more gentlemanly to run
a sword through his vulgar hide, than have a scuffle in a public place.

"Very well, then: you will hear from me to-morrow," he said scornfully
to his assailant. "Wait at your hotel until I send two friends to
arrange the matter with you."

As soon as the stranger had left, Raoul recovered from his excitement,
and began to wonder what could have been the motive for this evidently
premeditated insult.

Picking up the card of the bully, he read:

W. H. B. JACOBSON. F