and her boyish voice had an intrepid
ring. "I will come with you as I am."

"Then, in God's name, let us be going."

They moved together towards the door, with never another glance for the
Dowager where she stood, patting the head of the hound that had risen
and come to stand beside her. In silence she watched them, a sinister
smile upon her beautiful, ivory face.

Then came a sound of feet and voices in the anteroom. The door was flung
violently open, and a half-dozen men with naked swords came blundering
into the room, Marius bringing up the rear.

With a cry of fear Valerie shrank back against the panelled wall, her
little hands to her cheeks, her eyes dilating with alarm.

Garnache's sword rasped out, an oath rattled from his clenched teeth,
and he fell on guard. The men paused, and took his measure. Marius urged
them on, as if they had been a pack of dogs.

"At him!" he snapped, his finger pointing, his handsome eyes flashing
angrily. "Cut him down!"

They moved; but mademoiselle moved at the same moment. She sprang before
them, between their swords and their prey.

"You shall not do it; you shall not do it!" she cried, and her face
looked drawn, her eyes distraught. "It is murder--murder, you curs!" And
the memory of how that dainty little lady stood undaunted before so much
bared steel, to shield him from those assassins, was one that abode ever
after with Garnache.

"Mademoiselle," said he, in a quiet voice, "if you will but stand aside
there will be some murder done among them first."

But she did not move. Marius clenched his hands, fretted by the delay.
The Dowager looked on and smiled and patted her dog's head. To her
mademoiselle now turned in appeal.

"Madame," she exclaimed, "you'll not allow it. You'll not let them
do this thing. Bid them put up their swords, madame. Bethink you that
Monsieur de Garnache is here in the Queen's name."

Too well did madame bethink her of it. Garnache need not plague himself
with vexation that his rash temper alone had wrought his ruin now. It
had but accelerated it. It was just possible, perhaps, that suavity
might have offered him opportunities; but, for the rest, from the moment
that he showed himself firm in his resolve to carry mademoiselle to
Paris, his doom was sealed. Madame would never willingly have allowed
him to leave Condillac alive, for she realized that did she do so he
would stir up trouble enough to have them outlawed. He must perish here,
a