your pure reputation
as a woman might receive a wound that would never heal."

A bitter smile wreathed the lady's lips as she replied: "Could any wound
that I might receive increase the burden on my heart?" She laughed
harshly, then asked suddenly: "Perhaps you are afraid the colonel will
think I am the mysterious lady of the Nameless Castle?"

Count Vavel's face reddened to the roots of his hair.

Again the lady laughed, then said apologetically: "Pardon me, but the
idea amused me. But, to return to Colonel Barthelmy, he is going very
shortly to Italy with his regiment; therefore, I need not care what
fables he thinks of me--or repeats. The few persons whose opinion I care
for will not believe him; as for the others--pah! Come, your hand on it!
Let us perpetrate this joke. If _I_ am willing to run the risk, you
surely need not hesitate."

And yet he hesitated.

"Don't speak of this plan of yours as a mischievous trick, baroness," he
said earnestly. "It is a great, a noble sacrifice--so great, indeed,
that living woman could not perform a greater--to be willing to blush
with shame while innocent. She who blushes for her love does not suffer;
but to flush with shame out of friendship must be a torture like that
endured by martyrs."

"Very well, then; let it be a sacrifice--as you will! I am a willing
victim! I owe you a debt of gratitude; I want to pay it. Now go and
order the carriage; I will wait here for you."

Every drop of blood in his body rebelled against his accepting this
offer. A woman rescue a strong man from a threatened danger! And at what
a risk!

"Well," a trifle impatiently exclaimed the baroness, as he still
lingered, "are n't you going to fetch your cloak? I am ready for the
drive."

Without another word the count turned and strode toward the castle.

Marie was satisfied with the excuse he made for not taking her with him
as usual: he said he had urgent business in the neighboring village, and
would have to drive there alone.

Then he ordered Henry to harness the horses to the carriage, and drive
down to the gate, where he would await him.

He found the baroness waiting for him where he had left her.

"Well," she began, when he came near enough to hear her, "have you
decided to take me with you?"

"No."

"Then you are going to take the lady?"

"No."

"Not? Then who is going with you?"

"These two pistols," replied the count, flinging back his cloak and
revealing the weapons thr