ething. It meant beyond
any doubt that the Mexican and the Frenchman would combine, Rodrigo for
his life, Dupin to rescue Jacqueline.

The Missourians held council in Daniel's sanctum. To restore the
captives to Dupin had been Driscoll's intention from the first. But now
it was a question of trading them against Rodrigo. Dupin must know the
American offer before he and Rodrigo should attack. Driscoll proposed
for himself alone the errand to the Tiger's camp. Rising to his feet, he
left his protesting friends without a word further. But he had to pass
through the front room first, to get the cape coat hanging there. It
was, in fact, his own. The two girls were seated before the fire,
Jacqueline still in revery, Berthe nervously agitated from the late
racket of battle. Daniel Boone had laid before them a ranchman's supper
with tropical garnishing, but it was untouched. Driscoll nodded, crossed
the room, took the coat from its nail, and started for the outer door as
he drew it on.

"Snubbing--an acquaintance," spoke an impersonal little voice, "is
cheap."

He stopped, waited.

"Of a gentleman, I reckon you'd say," he interrupted uneasily. "Maybe
not, but a ruffian's got his instincts too. When he's afraid of hurting
someone, he hides himself."

"I was mistaken," she said gravely, with that quaintest inflection of
the English he had ever heard, "yes, mistaken. He mais--but it is just
that the complaint. You hurt more by _not_ speaking."

"But there's nothing to say," he faltered. "I'm just going to Old
Tige's--to Dupin's camp, and get him to come here for you."

"Monsieur, monsieur, you fight for your captives only--only to give them
up?"

"That's not the question. You can overtake the Empress yet. Dupin
will----"

"But it is not that I want to overtake empresses at all. I--Berthe,
would you mind carrying back these supper things?--I," she continued,
when they were alone, "have no wish to go back to Paris. I shall return
to the City."

Again the liaison with Maximilian, he thought bitterly. And Charlotte
away! It was infamous. However, he had no right to be concerned.

"Very well," he said, "then Dupin can take you to the City, or wherever
you wish."

"Ma foi, what trouble to be rid of your prisoners, monsieur, and after
two battles too!"

"That's got nothing to do with it."

She meant, though, to have him confess that she had had a great deal to
do with it. She was taken with the self-cruel fancy to lay