t said.

"He is dead," one of the men replied. "Your blow was enough to kill an
ox. It is the best thing for him, for assuredly he would have been hung
before nightfall for this attempt upon the life of our good American
colleague."

Cuthbert stooped down and felt the pulse of the fallen man.

"I am afraid he is dead," he said, "certainly I had no intention of
killing him. I thought of nothing but preventing him repeating his shot,
which he was on the point of doing."

"It does not matter in the least," one of the men said, "it is all one
whether he was shot by a bullet of the Versaillais, or hung, or killed
by a blow of an Englishman's fist. Monsieur le Commissaire, will you
draw up a proces-verbal of this affair?"

But the Commissary did not answer; in the confusion no one noticed that
he had not risen from his chair, but sat leaning back.

"Diable, what is this?" the Communist went on, "I believe the Commissary
is dead." He hurried round to the back of the table. It was as he said,
the shot fired as the man fell had struck him in the heart, and he had
died without a cry or a movement.

"Morbleau," another of the Communists exclaimed, "we came here to
witness a comedy, and it has turned into a tragedy."

An exclamation from Minette, who was kneeling by Arnold, called
Cuthbert's attention to her. The American had opened his eyes.

"What has happened, Minette," he asked, as she laid her head down on his
breast and burst into another fit of passionate sobbing.

"You are out of luck, Arnold," Cuthbert said, cheerfully; "a villain has
fired at you, but you have got off this time more lightly than the last,
and I think it is nothing more than a broken collar-bone, and that is
not a very serious business, you know; be quiet for a little time; we
shall have the surgeon here directly. Of course Minette is terribly
upset, for she thought for a moment that you were killed."

Arnold lay still, stroking Minette's head gently with his right hand;
gradually her sobs ceased, and Cuthbert then left them to themselves.
The two bodies had by this time been carried into another room, and one
of the delegates took his seat at the table and drew out a formal report
of the occurrences that had taken place which was signed by the others
present and by Cuthbert. A surgeon presently arriving confirmed
Cuthbert's view that the collar-bone had been broken, and proceeded to
bandage it.

As soon as it was done Arnold stood up unstead