iles
to return, unseen, to France. As gypsies, we travelled with the gypsies.
I have been a strolling player, and as a strolling player I helped to pay
my way. Before we left Madrid I wrote you those letters. As a result of
all this delicate diplomacy, here I am, and here you are."

Cocardasse still was puzzled. "But our letters spoke of the service of
Gonzague?"

Lagardere laughed as he answered the riddle. "Because, dear dullards, I
want you to enter the service of Gonzague. If I return to France to right
a wrong, I know the risk I run and the blessing of you two devils to help
me."

Each of the two bravos extended his right hand. "Any help we can give,"
protested Cocardasse--"is yours," added Passepoil.

Lagardere clasped the extended hands confidently. "I take you at your
words. Gonzague is at the fair yonder in attendance upon the king. You
may get a chance to approach him. He can hardly refuse you his favor."

"Hardly," said Cocardasse, grimly, and--"hardly," echoed Passepoil, with
a wry smile.

Lagardere rose to his feet. "Go now. I shall find means to let you know
of my whereabouts and my purposes later. Till then--"

"Devotion!" cried Cocardasse.

"Discretion!" cried Passepoil, and each of the men saluted Lagardere with
a military salute. Then the two bravos, linking arms, crossed the bridge
together and made for the fair, conversing as they went of the wonderful
chance that had brought Lagardere back to Paris and their own
good-fortune in having been able to prove themselves innocent of
complicity in the murder of Nevers.

When they were gone, Lagardere walked slowly up and down beneath the
trees, reflecting deeply. He had gained one point in the desperate game
he had set himself to play. He had found two adherents upon whose hands,
whose hearts, and whose swords he could count with confidence, and he
felt that he had succeeded, in a measure, in planting adherents of his
own in the enemy's camp. But he had another point in his desperate game
to win that morning. He had written a letter, he had requested a favor,
he had made an appointment. Immediately on arriving in the neighborhood
of Paris he had caused a letter to be despatched to the king's
majesty--not to the king direct, indeed, but to the king's private
secretary, whom Lagardere knew by repute to be an honorable and loyal
gentleman, who could be, as he believed, relied upon, if he credited the
letter, to keep it as a secret between himself an