fe."

The crowd hushed by a common impulse.

"You all know me, brothers," he cried, "my record for the Revolution, my
passion for liberty--Liberty, Liberty, Liberty! It has been my dream
under the stars, my labour under the sun, my love and my desire. I was,
as all know, a patriot proscribed and condemned to death before the
Revolution began. I was of the first at the hanging of Foulon, at the
sacking of Reveillon, and at the walls of the Bastille. I was wounded in
the stand against the Dragoons of Lambesc, and all know my scars in the
battles of the North. I name these things only to prove the claim of
this woman to civic rights. By her pity she saved my life in the old
days, at the last moment before my breaking on the wheel. Imagine to
yourselves that moment. Ask how I can feel other than gratitude and
devotion to my benefactress. In the evil days of the aristocrats she was
a friend of the poor. I present her now to you when it is in our power
to confer liberty upon her who set at liberty, life upon her who saved
life. I, the child of the Revolution, pray this as my right; she claims
it also for herself as a heroine of civic virtue. Give your suffrages."

"Vive la Tour! vive the citizeness!" resounded in shouts through the
hall. Once more the Admiral rang his bell, and silenced followed.

"Yes, citizeness," he said, addressing her, "your courage is French
courage, your virtue French virtue, and the good heart of the nation
sees in you a daughter of the people. Incarnating the spirit of the
race, be welcome at the tables of fraternity, and accept the homage of
all hearts."

At a motion of his hand the secretary hastily filled in her certificate,
and Dominique, without waiting for his own, hurried her away. Even as
they left they heard Wife Gougeon scream--

"Death to the aristocrat!"

They hastened across the Place de Greve, but had not yet reached the
corner of the street beyond, when in the dusk Cyrene heard the sound of
rushing wheels, felt herself choked by a gag from behind, and was pushed
helpless by rough hands into a coach and driven away. Behind her she
heard a sound of scuffle and the voice of Dominique cry aloud in
anguish--

"They have finished me!"

"Be quiet, my lady," spoke the voice of Abbe Jude.

She knew no more till she woke in darkness.

CHAPTER L

JUDGMENT DAY

Germain, left alone in the house, bolted the door, returned with
trembling limbs to the room above and threw hims