y know how to proceed with you," complained the young
Frenchman. "Once you did me a great service. You taught me to live and
that to die by my own hand was cowardice. Monsieur, you taught me how
to be a man."

"And you have remembered the lesson?" Dave inquired, with the same
expressionless face.

"I at least know," the Frenchman returned, "that a man should remember
and serve his friends."

"Then you have been serving me?"

"I have been working hard, swallowing insult and stifling my sense of
decency as far as possible, in order that I might serve you and prove
myself worthy to be your friend," replied Surigny, with such
earnestness that Darrin now found himself staring in open-eyed
astonishment at the young nobleman.

"Perhaps you are going to try to offer me particulars of how you have
been preparing to serve me," Dave said with a shrug.

"Monsieur," cried the Frenchman, as if in sudden desperation, "are you
prepared to accept my word as you would wish your own to be accepted?"

"Wouldn't that be asking considerable of a comparative stranger?"

"Then answer me upon your own honor, Monsieur Darrin," the Count of
Surigny appealed eagerly. "Do you consider me a gentleman or--a
rascal?"

Ensign Dave opened his lips, then paused. He was now asked to speak on
his own honor.

His pallor giving way to a deep flush, Surigny suddenly opened his
lips to speak again.

"Monsieur Darrin," he urged, his voice quavering, "do me the honor to
look in my eyes. Study me from the viewpoint of an honest man. Tell
me whether you will believe what I have to say to you. Do not be too
quick. Take time to think."

As Dave found himself gazing into the depths of the other's eyes, and
as he studied that appealing look, he felt his contempt for Surigny
rapidly slipping away.

"Now, speak!" begged M. le Comte de Surigny. "Will you believe what I
am about to tell you, as one man of honor speaks to another?"

For an instant Ensign Dave hesitated. Then he answered quickly:

"Yes; I will believe you, Monsieur le Comte."

"In doing so, do you feel the slightest hesitation?"

"Naturally," rejoined Darrin, a slight smile parting his lips, "I am
assailed by some doubts as to whether I am wise in doing so, but I
will believe what you have to say to me. I prefer to believe you to
be, of your own choice, a man of honor."

Surigny uttered a cry of delight. Then he went on:

"Perhaps, Monsieur Darrin, you will even be willing to set me