drid, and got off without a
scratch. That says a good deal for his skill, I'm thinking."

Saldagno and Pinto were silent. They looked curiously at Pepe, but they
nodded their heads approvingly.

Thus each of the bravos had his eager tale to tell, and would have told
more but that Cocardasse waved them into silence with his large hand.
"There is only one Lagardere," he said, and looked as if the subject were
ended.

AEsop yawned. "I should like to meet your Lagardere."

Cocardasse eyed him ironically. "Sword in hand?" he questioned. "When
that day comes, pray for your soul."

AEsop shrugged his shoulders, and with an air of indifference produced a
watch and consulted its dial. "Friends," he said, "this is the hour fixed
for the arrival of Monsieur Peyrolles, and I think I hear footsteps in
the passage."

Instantly the Gascon seemed animated by a hurried purpose. He sprang to
Staupitz's side, and, catching him by the shoulder, shook him vehemently.
"We must be well paid to face the thrust of Nevers. Let me bargain for
you. Back me up, and those that are alive to-night will have money in
pocket to-morrow."

III

A BUYER OF BLADES

Staupitz and his companions seemed to place implicit confidence in the
superior diplomatic powers of their Gascon comrade, and to have been
seriously impressed by the gravity of his statement concerning the thrust
of Nevers, so death-dealing, so unwardable, so almost magically fatal,
for they readily agreed to his proposition. Places were rapidly found for
Cocardasse and Passepoil at the table. AEsop returned to his seat and his
little sinful book. It was deepening dusk by now, but the hunchback knew
his Aretino by heart, and the open page was a pretence. So he mused by
the window, and sat nursing his knee moodily. Those at the table seemed
busy drinking, and heedless of all things save drink, when the side-door
of the room, that led through the kitchen to the yard, opened, and the
man they were expecting entered. It was characteristic of the man to make
his appearance so slyly, surreptitiously, sidling, and roundabout, where
another would have stepped in direct. At the heels of the new-comer
tiptoed Martine, swinging, for precaution against the thickening dusk, a
dingy lantern whose provision of fish-oil emitted a pitiful light that
scarcely bettered the growing blackness. This lantern the girl set upon
the head of an empty barrel that stood in a corner, and its fitful,
shive