ss, to do so. But, unfortunately, it is after hours for
showing the ramparts, the interior of the towers, the dungeons, and so
on, which are really the attractions of the wonderful, old restored
mediaeval city. I have been here before. I know the _gardien_, and might,
if I were in the party, induce him to make an exception in your favour.
Still, as it is, the best I can do will be to write a note and ask him
to take you through."

Jimmy laughed, or I should say, chortled. "I should think a _banknote_
would appeal to the _gardien's_ intelligence better than any other
kind," said he, "and I will see that he gets it."

"I advise you not to do that, sir," I remarked quietly. "The _gardien_
here isn't that sort of man at all. He would be mortally offended if you
tried to bribe him, and would certainly refuse to do anything for you."

"I'm sure a letter would be of very little use," said Miss Randolph. "I
think we must manage to have you with us somehow, Brown. Couldn't we
hire a man to look after the car?"

"I shouldn't like to take the risk," said I. "And remember, miss, we are
in hiding."

"_I_ don't want to see the old thing," protested Aunt Mary. "I've gone
through so much to-day I feel a thousand years old. I'm not going to
climb any hills or see any sights. I want my dinner."

"I think we'd better get on," advised Sherlock. "Not much fun poking
about in a lot of old ruins in the dark."

"They're not ruins, and it isn't dark," said Miss Randolph. "Look at the
sky! The moon's coming up this minute. If you don't want to see the
_cite_, Jimmy, you might just as well sit here in the car while the rest
of us go."

"I shall sit with him," announced Aunt Mary. "And if you _must_ go on
this wild goose chase, do for pity's sake hurry back, or we shall be
frozen."

I began to fear that the scheme would fall through, with so much against
it, but Miss Randolph kept to her resolution despite the moving picture
of her relative's suffering.

"Oh yes, we will hurry back. We shan't be long," she said cheerfully,
"we" meaning herself and her courier _mecanicien_. "You can't be cold in
your furs; it's very early yet; you had a good tea; and Brown and I will
whisk you off to some dear little village inn in time for an eight
o'clock dinner."

I knew we should do nothing of the kind, but mine not to reason why,
mine but to do or die--with her.

I daresay, my dear Montie, that even to you "Carcassonne" expresses
nothing in par