d deal to know his record," remarked the patroon,
contemplatively. "You should be pretty well acquainted with the
personnel of the army?"

"It includes everybody nowadays," replied the diplomat. "I have a
large acquaintance, but I am not a directory. A person who knows
everybody usually knows nobody--worth knowing! But it seems to me I
did know of a Saint-Prosper at the military college at Saumur; or was
it at the _Ecole d'application d'etat-major_? Demmed scapegrace, if I
am not mistaken; sent to Algiers; must be the same. A hell-rake
hole!--full of German and French outcasts! Knaves, adventureres, ready
for plunder and loot!"

Here the count, after this outburst, closed his eyes and seemed almost
on the point of dropping off, but suddenly straightened himself.

"Let's get the cards, or the dice, Mauville," he said, "or I'll fall
into a doze. Such a demmed sleepy climate!"

Soon the count was shuffling and the land baron and he were playing
bezique, but in spite of the latter's drowsiness, he won steadily from
his inattentive companion, and, although the noble visitor had some
difficulty in keeping his eyes open, what there was of his glance was
vigilantly concentrated on his little pile of the coin of the realm.
His watchfulness did not relax nor his success desert him, until
Mauville finally threw down the cards in disgust, weary alike of such
poor luck and the half-nodding automaton confronting him; whereupon
the count thrust every piece of gold carefully away in his pocket,
absently reached for his hat, drawled a perfunctory farewell and
departed in a brown study.

The count's company, of which he had enjoyed a good deal during the
past forty-eight hours, did not improve Mauville's temper, and he bore
his own reflections so grudgingly that inaction became intolerable.
Besides, certain words of his caller concerning Saint-Prosper had
stimulated his curiosity, and, in casting about for a way to confirm
his suspicions, he had suddenly determined in what wise to proceed.
Accordingly, the next day he left his rooms, his first visit being to
a spacious, substantial residence of stone and lime, with green
veranda palings and windows that opened as doors, with a profusion of
gauzy curtains hanging behind them. This house, the present home of
the Marquis de Ligne, stood in the French quarter, contrasting
architecturally with the newer brick buildings erected for the
American population. The land baron was ushered into