ng
with the Chevalier. Well, he is out of the game."

"Do you know what brought him here?" veering into a new channel to lull
the vicomte's caution. She had an idea.

"I do; but it would not sound pleasant in your ears."

"He followed . . ."

"A woman?" with quick anticipation. "I do not say so. I brought him
into our conversation merely to prove to you that I was more in your
confidence than you dreamed of."

Madame drew her fingers across her brow.

"Does any one else know that you have this paper?" Madame manoeuvered
her chair, bringing it as close as possible to the table. Less than
three feet intervened between her and the vicomte.

"You and I alone are in the secret, Madame."

"If I should call for help?"

"Call, Madame; many will hear. But this paper, and the general fear of
Mazarin since the Fronde, and the fact that I have practically
obliterated my signature by scratching a pen across it . . . Well, if
you think it wise."

Her arms dropped upon the table, and the despair on her face deceived
him. "Monsieur, this is unmanly, cruel!"

"All is fair in love and war. My love compels me to use force. What
if this document had fallen into D'Herouville's hands? He would have
gone about it less gently."

Madame bent her head upon her arms, and the candles threw a golden
sparkle into her hair. The vicomte's heart beat fast, and his hand
stole forth and hovered above that beautiful head but dared not touch
it. Presently madame looked up. There were tears in her eyes, but the
vicomte did not know that they were tears of rage.

"Think, Madame," he said eagerly; "is a dungeon more agreeable to you
than I am, and would not a dungeon be worse than death?"

Madame roughly brushed her eyes. "You speak of love; I doubt your
sincerity."

"I love you so well that I would kill D'Herouville and De Saumaise and
Du Cevennes, all of them, rather than that one of them should possess
the right to call you his."

"But can you not see how impossible life with you would be after this
night? I should hold you in perpetual fear."

"I will find a way to overcome that fear."

"But each time I look at you would recall this humiliating moment. I
am a proud woman, Monsieur, and I suffer now from humiliation as I
never suffered before;" all of which was true. "I am a Montbazon; it
is very close to royal blood. If I were forced to marry you, you would
certainly live to regret it."

"As I said, I am willi