She is the only relative I have, monsieur. But"--and his tone grew
wistful--"there is one other to whom I would have you bear a message."
He raised his hand by a painful effort to the level of his breast.
Strength failed him, and he sank back. "I cannot, monsieur," he said in
a tone of pathetic apology. "See; there is a chain about my neck with
a locket. Take it from me. Take it now, monsieur. There are some papers
also, monsieur. Take all. I want to see them safely in your keeping."

I did his bidding, and from the breast of his doublet I drew some loose
letters and a locket which held the miniature of a woman's face.

"I want you to deliver all to her, monsieur."

"It shall be done," I answered, deeply moved.

"Hold it--hold it up," he begged, his voice weakening. "Let me behold
the face."

Long his eyes rested on the likeness I held before him. At last, as one
in a dream--

"Well-beloved," he sighed. "Bien aimee!" And down his grey, haggard
cheeks the tears came slowly. "Forgive this weakness, monsieur," he
whispered brokenly. "We were to have been wed in a month, had I lived."
He ended with a sob, and when next he spoke it was more labouredly, as
though that sob had robbed him of the half of what vitality remained.
"Tell her, monsieur, that my dying thoughts were of her. Tell--tell
her--I--"

"Her name?" I cried, fearing he would sink before I learned it. "Tell me
her name."

He looked at me with eyes that were growing glassy and vacant. Then he
seemed to brace himself and to rally for a second.

"Her name?" he mused, in a far-off manner. "She is--Ma-de-moiselle de
------"

His head rolled on the suddenly relaxed neck. He collapsed into
Rodenard's arms.

"Is he dead?" I asked.

Rodenard nodded in silence.

CHAPTER IV. A MAID IN THE MOONLIGHT

I do not know whether it was the influence of that thing lying in a
corner of the barn under the cloak that Rodenard had flung over it, or
whether other influences of destiny were at work to impel me to rise
at the end of a half-hour and announce my determination to set out on
horseback and find myself quarters more congenial.

"To-morrow," I instructed Ganymede, as I stood ready to mount, "you will
retrace your steps with the others, and, finding the road to Lavedan,
you will follow me to the chateau."

"But you cannot hope to reach it to-night, monseigneur, through a
country that is unknown to you," he protested.

"I do not hope to reach it to-n