er tired of
reciting the details. And think that she had sat at table with him day
by day and been unconscious of that momentous fact! Such, I make no
doubt, was what passed through her mind at the moment, and, to judge
from her expression, I should say that the excitement of beholding
the Magnificent Bardelys had for the nonce eclipsed beholding even her
husband's condition and the imminent sequestration of Lavedan.

"My business is with you, Chevalier," said I. "It relates to your
mission here."

His jaw fell. "You wish--?"

"To desire you to withdraw your men and quit Lavedan at once, abandoning
the execution of your warrant."

He flashed me a look of impotent hate. "You know of the existence of
my warrant, Monsieur de Bardelys, and you must therefore realize that a
royal mandate alone can exempt me from delivering Monsieur de Lavedan to
the Keeper of the Seals."

"My only warrant," I answered, somewhat baffled, but far from abandoning
hope, "is my word. You shall say to the Garde des Sceaux that you have
done this upon the authority of the Marquis de Bardelys, and you have my
promise that His Majesty shall confirm my action."

In saying that I said too much, as I was quickly to realize.

"His Majesty will confirm it, monsieur?" he said interrogatively, and he
shook his head. "That is a risk I dare not run. My warrant sets me under
imperative obligations which I must discharge--you will see the justice
of what I state."

His tone was all humility, all subservience, nevertheless it was firm
to the point of being hard. But my last card, the card upon which I was
depending, was yet to be played.

"Will you do me the honour to step aside with me, Chevalier?" I
commanded rather than besought.

"At your service, sir," said he; and I drew him out of earshot of those
others.

"Now, Saint-Eustache, we can talk," said I, with an abrupt change
of manner from the coldly arrogant to the coldly menacing. "I marvel
greatly at your temerity in pursuing this Iscariot business after
learning who I am, at Toulouse two nights ago."

He clenched his hands, and his weak face hardened.

"I would beg you to consider your expressions, monsieur, and to control
them," said he in a thick voice.

I vouchsafed him a stare of freezing amazement. "You will no doubt
remember in what capacity I find you employed. Nay, keep your hands
still, Saint-Eustache. I don't fight catchpolls, and if you give me
trouble my men are yonder." And