ion that would not have dishonoured a rose-petal, I permitted
myself to pinch her dainty cheek. She slapped mine in return, and in
this pleasant manner we became acquainted.

"Sweet Jeanneton," quoth I with a laugh, "that was mightily ill-done! I
did but pinch your cheek as one may pinch a sweet-smelling bud, so that
the perfume of it may cling to one's fingers."

"And I, sir," was the pert rejoinder, "did but slap yours as one may
slap a misbehaving urchin's; so that he may learn better manners."

Nevertheless she was pleased with my courtly speech, and perchance also
with my moustachios, for a smile took the place of the frown wherewith
she had at first confronted me. Now, if I had uttered glib pleasantries
in answer to her frowns, how many more did not her smiles wring from me!
I discoursed to her in the very courtliest fashion of cows and pullets
and such other matters as interesting to her as they were mysterious
to me. I questioned her in a breath touching her father's pigs and
the swain she loved best in that little township, to all of which she
answered me with a charming wit, which would greatly divert you did I
but recall her words sufficiently to set them down. In five minutes
we had become the best friends in the world, which was attested by the
protecting arm that I slipped around her waist, as I asked her whether
she loved that village swain of hers better than she loved me, and
refused to believe her when she answered that she did.

Outside two men were talking, one calling for a farrier, and when
informed that the only one in the village was absent and not likely to
return till noon, demanding relays of horses. The other--probably the
hostler--answered him that the Connetable was not a post-house and
that no horses were to be had there. Then a woman's voice, sweet yet
commanding, rose above theirs.

"Very well, Guilbert," it said. "We will await this farrier's return."

"Let me go, Monsieur!" cried Jeanneton. "Some one comes."

Now for myself I cared little who might come, but methought that it was
likely to do poor Jeanneton's fair name no benefit, if the arm of
Gaston de Luynes were seen about her waist. And so I obeyed her, but not
quickly enough; for already a shadow lay athwart the threshold, and in
the doorway stood a woman, whose eye took in the situation before we had
altered it sufficiently to avert suspicion. To my amazement I beheld the
lady of the coach--she who had saved me from the mo