I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. "And
now to business. I am not minded to talk all day. I was saying that
I marvel at your temerity, and more particularly at your having laid
information against Monsieur de Lavedan, and having come here to arrest
him, knowing, as you must know, that I am interested in the Vicomte."

"I have heard of that interest, monsieur," said he, with a sneer for
which I could have struck him.

"This act of yours," I pursued, ignoring his interpolation, "savours
very much of flying in the face of Destiny. It almost seems to me as if
you were defying me."

His lip trembled, and his eyes shunned my glance.

"Indeed--indeed, monsieur--" he was protesting, when I cut him short.

"You cannot be so great a fool but that you must realize that if I tell
the King what I know of you, you will be stripped of your ill-gotten
gains, and broken on the wheel for a double traitor--a betrayer of your
fellow-rebels."

"But you will not do that, monsieur?" he cried. "It would be unworthy in
you."

At that I laughed in his face. "Heart of God! Are you to be what you
please, and do you still expect that men shall be nice in dealing with
you? I would do this thing, and, by my faith, Monsieur de Eustache, I
will do it, if you compel me!"

He reddened and moved his foot uneasily. Perhaps I did not take the best
way with him, after all. I might have confined myself to sowing fear in
his heart; that alone might have had the effect I desired; by visiting
upon him at the same time the insults I could not repress, I may have
aroused his resistance, and excited his desire above all else to thwart
me.

"What do you want of me?" he demanded, with a sudden arrogance which
almost cast mine into the shade.

"I want you," said I, deeming the time ripe to make a plain tale of it,
"to withdraw your men, and to ride back to Toulouse without Monsieur
de Lavedan, there to confess to the Keeper of the Seals that your
suspicions were unfounded, and that you have culled evidence that the
Vicomte has had no relations with Monsieur the King's brother."

He looked at me in amazement--amusedly, almost.

"A likely story that to bear to the astute gentlemen in Toulouse," said
he.

"Aye, ma foi, a most likely story," said I. "When they come to consider
the profit that you are losing by not apprehending the Vicomte, and can
think of none that you are making, they will have little difficulty in
believing you."

"But what of this