ugh Guyot might be as yet, it was more than possible
that his suspicions would be aroused if she remained there much longer.

He mentioned this, and he was beginning to refer to his plan for their
escape when she thrust it aside, insisting that they must depart in
their coach, so that their treasure might also be saved.

"Be reasonable, Suzanne," he cried. "It is impossible."

A cloud of vexation swept across her averted face.

"Nay, surely not impossible," she answered. "Listen, Caron, there are
two treasures in that coach. One is in money and in gold and silver
plate; the other is in gems, and amounts to thrice the value of the
rest. This latter is my dowry. It is a fortune with which we can quit
France and betake ourselves wherever our fancy leads us. Would you ask
me to abandon that and come to you penniless, compelled thereby to live
in perpetual terror in a country where at any moment an enemy might cast
at me the word aristocrate, and thereby ruin me?"

There was no cupidity in La Boulaye's nature, and even the prospect of
an independent fortune would have weighed little with him had it not
been backed by the other argument she employed touching the terror that
would be ever with her did they dwell in France.

He stood deep in thought, his hand to his brow, thrusting back the long
black hair from his white forehead, what time she recapitulated her
argument.

"But how?" he exclaimed, in exasperation "Tell me how?"

"That is for you to discover, Caron."

He thrust his hands deep into his pockets, and set himself to pace the
chamber. And now his fingers came in contact with something foreign.
Idly he drew it forth, and it proved to be the phial Mother Capoulade
had given him, and from which he had poured the ten drops for the
Captain's sleeping potion. His eyes brightened with inspiration. Here
was a tool whose possibilities were vast. Then his brows were knit
again.

"Wait," he said slowly. "Let me think."

CHAPTER XI. THE ESCAPE

Resting his elbow on the table, and with his hand to his brow, Caron
sat deep in thought, his forefinger and thumb pressed against his closed
eyelids. From beyond the board Mademoiselle watched him anxiously and
waited. At last he looked up.

"I think I have it," he announced, rising. "You say that the men are
drinking heavily. That should materially assist us."

She asked him what plan he had conceived, but he urged that time
pressed; she should know presently; m