his very moment she may be counting the hours till he should
arrive!--What have I done?"

[Illustration: "'AND NOW SHE WILL WAIT FOR HIM IN VAIN!'"]

"You, Monsieur? It's not your fault if he chose to get into a quarrel
with you. He must have valued his business highly if he dared risk it in
a fight."

"Of course he thought from my manner that he could have his own way with
me. There would be no loss of time--his horses needed rest, for greater
speed in the long run. He knew what he was about--there's no doubt of
his haste. 'Come to me at once. My life and honour depend on you alone.'
And while she waits and trusts, I step in and cut off her only
hope!--not this poor young fellow's life alone, but hers also, Nicolas!
It mustn't be so--not if I can any way help it. I see now what I am
called upon to do."

"What is that, Monsieur Henri?" asked Nicolas despairingly.

"To carry out this gentleman's task which I have interrupted--to go in
his stead to the assistance of this lady, whoever and wherever she may
be!"

CHAPTER III.

WHERE THE LADY WAS

"Very well, Monsieur," said Nicolas after a pause, in a tone which meant
anything but very well. "But first you will have enough to do to save
yourself. This gentleman will soon be missed. He was in haste to go on,
as you say. His servant will be wondering why he delays, and the
landlord will become curious about his bill."

"Yes, but I must think a moment. Where is this poor lady? Who is the
gentleman? There may be another letter--a clue of some sort."

I hurriedly examined the young man's pockets, but found nothing written.
His purse I thought best to leave where it was: to whom, indeed, could I
entrust it with any chance of its being more honestly dealt with than by
those who should find the body? The innkeeper and the gentleman's
servant, with their claims for payment, would see to that. But I kept
the lady's note.

"Well," said I, "I must have a talk with the valet. I must find out
where this gentleman was going, for that must be the place where the
lady is."

"But the valet doesn't know where the gentleman was going. He was
talking to me about that in the stables."

"That's very strange--not to know his master's destination."

"He knows very little of his master's affairs: he was hired only
yesterday, at Sable. The gentleman was staying at the inn there.
Yesterday he engaged this man, and said he was going to travel on at the
end of the week. But th