erhaps you will see the convenience of ending an
interview that promises to be fruitless. My dear Cecile, I am very
grateful to you for the key of this room. I beg that you will make my
compliments to the Citizen your uncle upon his return, and inform him of
how thoroughly you ministered to my wants."

With that and a superb air of insouciance, he made shift to go. But
fronting him she barred his way.

"Give me that paper, sclerat," she demanded imperiously. "You shall not
go until you surrender it. Give it to me or I will call Duplay."

"You may call the devil for aught I care, you little fool," he answered
her, very pleasantly. "Do you think Duplay will be mad enough to lay
hands upon a Deputy of the Convention in the discharge of the affairs of
the Nation?"

"It is a lie!"

"Why, of course it is," he admitted sweetly. "But Duplay will not be
aware of that."

"I shall tell him."

"Tut! He won't believe you. I'll threaten him with the guillotine if
he does. And I should think that Duplay has sufficient dread of the
national barber not to risk having his toilet performed by him. Now, be
reasonable, and let me pass."

Enraged beyond measure by his persiflage and very manifest contempt
of her, she sprang suddenly upon him, and caught at the lapels of his
redingote.

"Give me that paper!" she screamed, exerting her entire strength in a
vain effort to boldly shake him.

Coldly he eyed this golden-haired virago now, and looked in vain for
some trace of her wonted beauty in the stormy distortion of her face.

"You grow tiresome with your repetitions," he answered her impatiently,
as, snatching at her wrists, he made her release her hold. "Let me go."
And with that he flung her roughly from him.

A second she staggered, then, recovering her balance and without an
instant's hesitation, she sped to the door. Imagining her intent to be
to lock him in La Boulaye sprang after her. But it seemed that his
mind had been more swift to fasten upon the wiser course than had hers.
Instead, she snatched the key and closed the door on the inside. She
wasted a moment fumbling at the lock, and even as he caught her by
the waist the key slipped in, and before he dragged her back she had
contrived to turn it, and now held it in her hand. He laughed a trifle
angrily as she twisted out of his grasp, and stood panting before him.

"You shall not leave this room with that paper," she gasped, her anger
ever swelling, and now renderi