in the shadow, then, at the Captain's invitation, which they dared not
disobey, they came forward into the halo of candle-light. Simultaneously
La Boulaye caught his breath, and took a step forward. Then he drew back
again until his shoulders touched the overmantel and there he remained,
staring at the newcomers, who as yet, did not appear to have observed
him.

They wore no headgear, and their scarfs were thrown back upon their
shoulders, revealing to the stricken gaze of La Boulaye the countenances
of the Marquise de Bellecour and her daughter.

And now, as they advanced into the light, Charlot recognised them too.
In the act of offering a chair he stood, arrested, his eyes devouring
first one, then the other of then, with a glance that seemed to have
grown oddly sobered. The flush died from his face, and his lips twitched
like those of a man who seeks to control his emotions. Then slowly the
colour crept back into his cheeks, a curl of mockery appeared on the
coarse mouth, and the eyes beamed evilly.

They tense silence was broken by the bang with which he dropped the
chair he had half raised. As he leaned forward now, La Boulaye read in
his face the thought that had leapt into the Captain's mind, and had it
been a question of any woman other than Zuzanne de Bellecour, the Deputy
might have indulged in the consideration of what a wonderful retribution
was there here. Into the hands of the man whose bride the Marquis de
Bellecour had torn from him were now delivered by a wonderful chance
the wife and daughter of that same Bellecour. And at Boisvert this
briganding Captain was as much to-night the lord of life and death,
and all besides, as had been the Marquis of Bellecour of old. But
he pondered not these things, for all that the stern irony of the
coincidence did not escape him. That evil look in Charlot's eyes, that
sinister smile on Charlot's lips, more than suggested what manner of
vengeance the Captain would exact--and that, for the time, was matter
enough to absorb the Deputy's whole attention.

And the women did not see him. They were too much engrossed in the
figure fronting them, and agonisedly, with cheeks white and bosoms
heaving, they waited, in their dread suspense. At last, drawing himself
to the full of his stalwart height, the Captain laughed grimly and
spoke.

"Mesdames," said he, his very tone an insult in its brutal derision,
"we Republicans have abolished God, and until tonight I have held t