eld the watch in his hand.

"You, Gabord," he went on, "you are a man to obey orders--eh?"

Gabord hesitated a moment as if waiting for Lancy to speak, and then
said, "I was not in command. When I was called upon I brought him
forth."

"Excuses! excuses! You sweated to be rid of your charge."

Gabord's face lowered. "M'sieu' would have been in heaven by this if I
had'nt stopped it," he broke out angrily.

Doltaire turned sharply on Lancy. "I thought as much," said he, "and
you would have let Gabord share your misdemeanor. Yet your father was a
gentleman! If you had shot monsieur before seven, you would have taken
the dungeon he left. You must learn, my young provincial, that you are
not to supersede France and the King. It is now seven o'clock; you will
march your men back into quarters."

Then turning to me, he raised his cap. "You will find your cloak more
comfortable, Captain Moray," said he, and he motioned Gabord to hand
it to me, as he came forward. "May I breakfast with you?" he added
courteously. He yawned a little. "I have not risen so early in years,
and I am chilled to the bone. Gabord insists that it is warm in your
dungeon; I have a fancy to breakfast there. It will recall my year in
the Bastile."

He smiled in a quaint, elusive sort of fashion, and as I drew the cloak
about me, I said through chattering teeth, for I had suffered with the
brutal cold, "I am glad to have the chance to offer breakfast."

"To me or any one?" he dryly suggested. "Think! by now, had I not come,
you might have been in a warmer world than this--indeed, much warmer,"
he suddenly said, as he stooped, picked up some snow in his bare hand,
and clapped it to my cheek, rubbing it with force and swiftness. The
cold had nipped it, and this was the way to draw out the frost. His
solicitude at the moment was so natural and earnest that it was hard to
think he was my enemy.

When he had rubbed awhile, he gave me his own handkerchief to dry my
face; and so perfect was his courtesy, it was impossible to do otherwise
than meet him as he meant and showed for the moment. He had stepped
between me and death, and even an enemy who does that, no matter what
the motive, deserves something at your hands.

"Gabord," he said, as we stepped inside the citadel, "we will breakfast
at eight o'clock. Meanwhile, I have some duties with our officers here.
Till we meet in your dining-hall, then, monsieur," he added to me, and
raised his cap.

"You