she caught a red cast in his eye,
that spoke of much dissipation. "You have been ill, Le Gardeur!" But
she knew he had been drinking deep and long, to drown vexation, perhaps,
over her conduct.

"I have not been ill," replied he; "shall I tell you the truth,
Angelique?"

"Always, and all of it! The whole truth and nothing but the truth!" Her
hand rested fondly on his; no word of equivocation was possible under
that mode of putting her lover to the question. "Tell me why you were
wicked that night!"

"Because I loved you to madness, Angelique; and I saw myself thrust from
the first place in your heart, and a new idol set up in my stead. That
is the truth?"

"That is not the truth!" exclaimed she vehemently; "and never will be the
truth if I know myself and you. But you don't know women, Le Gardeur,"
added she, with a smile; "you don't know me, the one woman you ought to
know better than that!"

It is easy to recover affection that is not lost. Angelique knew her
power, and was not indisposed to excess in the exercise of it. "Will
you do something for me, Le Gardeur?" asked she, tapping his fingers
coquettishly with her fan.

"Will I not? Is there anything in earth, heaven, or hell, Angelique, I
would not do for you if I only could win what I covet more than life?"

"What is that?" Angelique knew full well what he coveted more than life;
her own heart began to beat responsively to the passion she had kindled
in his. She nestled up closer to his side. "What is that, Le Gardeur?"

"Your love, Angelique! I have no other hope in life if I miss that! Give
me your love and I will serve you with such loyalty as never man served
woman with since Adam and Eve were created."

It was a rash saying, but Le Gardeur believed it, and Angelique too.
Still she kept her aim before her. "If I give you my love," said she,
pressing her hand through his thick locks, sending from her fingers
a thousand electric fires, "will you really be my knight, my preux
chevalier, to wear my colors and fight my battles with all the world?"

"I will, by all that is sacred in man or woman! Your will shall be my
law, Angelique; your pleasure, my conscience; you shall be to me all
reason and motive for my acts if you will but love me!"

"I do love you, Le Gardeur!" replied she, impetuously. She felt the
vital soul of this man breathing on her cheek. She knew he spoke true,
but she was incapable of measuring the height and immensity of such
a pass