nized the stately figure and fearless look of the Bourgeois
confronting Le Gardeur. The triumph of the Friponne was at hand. De Pean
rubbed his hands with ecstasy as he called out to Le Gardeur, his
voice ringing above the din of the crowd, "Achevez-le! Finish him, Le
Gardeur!"

Angelique sat upon her horse fixed as a statue and as pale as marble,
not at the danger of the Bourgeois, whom she at once recognized, but out
of fear for her lover, exposed to the menaces of the crowd, who were all
on the side of the Bourgeois.

Le Gardeur leaped down from his horse and advanced with a terrible
imprecation upon the Bourgeois, and struck him with his whip. The brave
old merchant had the soul of a marshal of France. His blood boiled at
the insult; he raised his staff to ward off a second blow and struck Le
Gardeur sharply upon the wrist, making his whip fly out of his hand. Le
Gardeur instantly advanced again upon him, but was pressed back by the
habitans, who rushed to the defence of the Bourgeois. Then came the
tempter to his ear,--a word or two, and the fate of many innocent lives
was decided in a moment!

Le Gardeur suddenly felt a hand laid upon his shoulder, and heard a
voice, a woman's voice, speaking to him in passionate tones.

Angelique had forced her horse into the thick of the crowd. She was no
longer calm, nor pale with apprehension, but her face was flushed redder
than fire, and her eyes, those magnetic orbs which drove men mad, blazed
upon Le Gardeur with all their terrible influence. She had seen him
struck by the Bourgeois, and her anger was equal to his own.

De Pean saw the opportunity.

"Angelique," exclaimed he, "the Bourgeois strikes Le Gardeur! What an
outrage! Can you bear it?"

"Never!" replied she; "neither shall Le Gardeur!"

With a plunge of her horse she forced her way close to Le Gardeur, and,
leaning over him, laid her hand upon his shoulder and exclaimed in a
voice choking with passion,--

"Comment, Le Gardeur! vous souffrez qu'un Malva comme ca vous abime de
coups, et vous portez l'epee!" "What, Le Gardeur! you allow a ruffian
like that to load you with blows, and you wear a sword!"

It was enough! That look, that word, would have made Le Gardeur
slaughter his father at that moment.

Astonished at the sight of Angelique, and maddened by her words as much
as by the blow he had received, Le Gardeur swore he would have revenge
upon the spot. With a wild cry and the strength and agility o