ommanded the guard which had brought me to the camp.

'Well, mademoiselle, what luck?' he asked excitedly, clanking towards
us.

For answer Sibylle shook her head.

'Ah, I feared as much, for the Emperor is a terrible man. It was brave,
indeed, of you to attempt it. I had rather charge an unshaken square
upon a spent horse than ask him for anything. But my heart is heavy,
mademoiselle, that you should have been unsuccessful.' His boyish blue
eyes filled with tears and his fair moustache drooped in such a
deplorable fashion, that I could have laughed had the matter been less
serious.

'Lieutenant Gerard chanced to meet me, and escorted me through the
camp,' said my cousin. 'He has been kind enough to give me sympathy in
my trouble.'

'And so do I, Sibylle,' I cried; 'you carried yourself like an angel,
and it is a lucky man who is blessed with your love. I trust that he
may be worthy of it.'

She turned cold and proud in an instant when anyone threw a doubt upon
this wretched lover of hers.

'I know him as neither the Emperor nor you can do,' said she. 'He has
the heart and soul of a poet, and he is too high-minded to suspect the
intrigues to which he has fallen a victim. But as to Toussac, I should
have no pity upon him, for I know him to be a murderer five times over,
and I know also that there will be no peace in France until he has been
taken. Cousin Louis, will you help me to do it?'

The lieutenant had been tugging at his moustache and looking me up and
down with a jealous eye.

'Surely, mademoiselle, you will permit me to help you?' he cried in a
piteous voice.

'I may need you both,' said she. 'I will come to you if I do. Now I
will ask you to ride with me to the edge of the camp and there to leave
me.'

She had a quick imperative way which came charmingly from those sweet
womanly lips. The grey horse upon which I had come to the camp was
waiting beside that of the hussar, so we were soon in the saddle.
When we were clear of the huts my cousin turned to us.

'I had rather go alone now,' said she. 'It is understood, then, that I
can rely upon you.'

'Entirely,' said I.

'To the death,' cried Gerard.

'It is everything to me to have two brave men at my back,' said she, and
so, with a smile, gave her horse its head and cantered off over the
downland in the direction of Grosbois.

For my part I remained in thought for some time, wondering what plan she
could have in her head by whi