in truth, it was a summons.

Like lightning the dwarf shot in between, and a sword flashed up at De
la Riviere's breast.

"I saved your father's life, but I will take yours, if you step farther,
dear Seigneur," he said coolly.

Valmond had not stirred, but his face was pale again.

"That will do, Parpon," he said quietly. "Monsieur had better go," he
added to De la Riviere, "or even his beloved law may not save him!"

"I will put an end to this," cried the other, bursting with anger.
"Come, gentlemen," he said to his companions, and turned away.

Medallion paused, then came to Valmond and said: "Your Excellency, if
ever you need me, let me know. I'd do much to prove myself no enemy."

Valmond gave him his hand courteously, bowed, and, beckoning a soldier
to take his horse, walked towards his tent. He swayed slightly as he
went, then a trembling seized him. He staggered as he entered the door
of the tent, and Parpon, seeing, ran forward and caught him in his arms.
The little man laid him down, felt his pulse, his heart, saw a little
black stain on his lips, and cried out in a great fear:

"My God! The black fever! Ah, my Napoleon!"

Valmond lay in a burning stupor; and word went abroad that he might die;
but Parpon insisted that he would be well presently, and at first would
let no one but the Little Chemist and the Cure come in or near the tent.

CHAPTER XIII

The sickness had come like a whirlwind: when it passed, what would be
left? The fight went on in the quiet hills--a man of no great stature
or strength, against a monster who racked him in a fierce embrace. A
thousand scenes flashed through Valmond's brain, before his eyes, while
the great wheel of torture went round, and he was broken, broken-mended
and broken again, upon it. Spinning--he was for ever spinning, like a
tireless moth through a fiery air; and the world went roaring past. In
vain he cried to the wheelman to stop the wheel: there was no answer.
Would those stars never cease blinking in and out, or the wind stop
whipping the swift clouds past? So he went on, endless years, driving
through space, some terrible intangible weight dragging at his heart,
and all his body panting as it spun.

Grotesque faces came and went, and bright-eyed women floated by,
laughing at him, beckoning to him; but he could not come, because of
this endless going. He heard them singing, he felt the divine notes in
his battered soul; he tried to weep for the h