evison, who made to admire her. He say, did Nugent, that Louise, whom
as a boy in Brittany I love, will meet Levison on the marsh, and that he
will persuade her to fly with him to London, where Levison will leave
her in disgrace. Messieurs, I was mad--my brain was hot like
fire--Nugent he gave me the place and time of meeting, and I was there
first--with my knife--that was all."

The tragedy in the concluding words was dramatic; even more so the
silence that followed. The sergeant, good man, felt that the next move
was with him, but he was single-handed, and had not bargained for having
to convey two murderers to the station when he consented to accompany
Mr. Mallory to The Hut. He coughed nervously to attract the attention of
his two prospective prisoners, who seemed to have no eyes for any one
but each other. Nugent, with his head twisted round, was looking up at
Legros; Legros, behind the chair, was looking down at Nugent, his
nostrils twitching strangely. The Frenchman, with innate politeness,
understood, and obeyed the policeman's claim on his attention, turning a
mild and friendly gaze on him.

"You know, you'll have to come along with me, both of you, after this,"
said the sergeant haltingly. "You won't give any trouble, Legros?" It
did not occur to his mind that the gentleman would otherwise than "go
quietly."

"Oh, yes," Legros answered gently. "We shall both of us give you nothing
of the trouble, monsieur. I myself, Pierre Legros, will see that this
wolf in the clothes of the sheep will go from this apartment with
complacence the most profound."

Nugent essayed to rise, unsteadily, to his feet, but Legros shot out a
brown hand on to his shoulder, and firmly pressed him back into a
sitting posture.

"Stay there, _chien_, till you have the orders to move," he snarled.

The eyes of the master of the house glittered balefully. "Really,
sergeant, if you persist in coupling us in this absurd charge, I must
ask your protection against this man," he protested. "I was going to
ring the bell for my servant to arrange matters before leaving; perhaps
you will kindly do it for me."

In answer to the summons Sinnett appeared, furtively scanning his
employer's face for some sign of his wishes other than what he might
hear in words. A quick look of intelligence passed between them, though
Nugent's request sounded simple enough.

"There has been a stupid misunderstanding, Sinnett, which will entail my
going with Serg