it by the
tone in which he spoke. She remained pensive for over a minute,
and suddenly, like a person who has finally made up her mind, she
rang.

A footman appeared.

"Do what I told you!" she ordered.

And as soon as the footman had gone, turning to M. de Tregars,

"Alas!" she said, "who would have thought that I would curse the day
when you first entered our house?"

But, whilst, she spoke, M. de Tregars noticed in the glass the
result of the order she had just given.

The footman walked into the grand parlor, spoke a few words; and at
once the man with the alarming countenance put on his hat and went
out.

"This is very strange!" thought M. de Tregars. Meantime, the
baroness was going on,

"If your intentions are to that point irrevocable, how is it that
you are here? You have too much experience of the world not to
have understood, this morning, the object of my visit and of my
allusions."

Fortunately, M. de Tregars' attention was no longer drawn by the
proceedings in the next room. The decisive moment had come: the
success of the game he was playing would, perhaps, depend upon
his coolness and self-command.

"It is because I did understand, madame, and even better than you
suppose, that I am here."

"Indeed!"

"I came, expecting to deal with M. de Thaller alone. I have been
compelled, by what has happened, to alter my intentions. It is
to you that I must speak first."

Mme. de Thaller continued to manifest the same tranquil assurance;
but she stood up. Feeling the approach of the storm, she wished
to be up, and ready to meet it.

"You honor me," she said with an ironical smile.

There was, henceforth, no human power capable of turning Marius de
Tregars from the object he had in view.

"It is to you I shall speak," he repeated, "because, after you have
heard me, you may perhaps judge that it is your interest to join me
in endeavoring to obtain from your husband what I ask, what I
demand, what I must have."

With an air of surprise marvelously well simulated, if it was not
real, the baroness was looking at him.

"My father," he proceeded to say, "the Marquis de Tregars, was once
rich: he had several millions. And yet when I had the misfortune
of losing him, three years ago, he was so thoroughly ruined, that
to relieve the scruples of his honor, and to make his death easier,
I gave up to his creditors all I had in the world. What had become
of my father's fortune? What filter ha