r master's
order. At ten minutes to ten, the duke, who was completing his
preparations, heard the sound of a motor-horn. The porter opened the
gates of the courtyard. The duke, standing at the window, recognized
d'Emboise's landaulette:

"Tell him I shall be down presently," he said to Hyacinthe, "and let
mademoiselle know."

In a few minutes, as Hyacinthe did not return, he left his room. But he
was attacked on the landing by two masked men, who gagged and bound him
before he could utter a cry. And one of the men said to him, in a low
voice:

"Take this as a first warning, monsieur le duc. If you persist in
leaving Paris and refusing your consent, it will be a more serious
matter."

And the same man said to his companion:

"Keep an eye on him. I will see to the young lady."

By that time, two other confederates had secured the lady's maid; and
Angelique, herself gagged, lay fainting on a couch in her boudoir.

She came to almost immediately, under the stimulus of a bottle of salts
held to her nostrils; and, when she opened her eyes, she saw bending
over her a young man, in evening-clothes, with a smiling and friendly
face, who said:

"I implore your forgiveness, mademoiselle. All these happenings are a
trifle sudden and this behaviour rather out of the way. But
circumstances often compel us to deeds of which our conscience does not
approve. Pray pardon me."

He took her hand very gently and slipped a broad gold ring on the girl's
finger, saying:

"There, now we are engaged. Never forget the man who gave you this ring.
He entreats you not to run away from him ... and to stay in Paris and
await the proofs of his devotion. Have faith in him."

He said all this in so serious and respectful a voice, with so much
authority and deference, that she had not the strength to resist. Their
eyes met. He whispered:

"The exquisite purity of your eyes! It would be heavenly to live with
those eyes upon one. Now close them...."

He withdrew. His accomplices followed suit. The car drove off, and the
house in the Rue de Varennes remained still and silent until the moment
when Angelique, regaining complete consciousness, called out for the
servants.

They found the duke, Hyacinthe, the lady's maid and the porter and his
wife all tightly bound. A few priceless ornaments had disappeared, as
well as the duke's pocket-book and all his jewellery; tie pins, pearl
studs, watch and so on.

The police were advised without del