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"And you have the letters?" she whispered, her eyeshis "You

have the letters?"

"No, but I have the thief!" Count Hannibal answered with sinister

"As I think you knew, Madame," he continued ironically, "a

while back before you spoke"

"I? Oh no, no!" and she swayed in her saddle "What--what are you--going

to do?" she muttered after a istrates will decide, at Angers"

"But he did not do it! I swear he did not"

Count Hannibal shook his head coldly

"I swear, Monsieur, I took the letters!" she repeated piteously "Punish

ure, bowed like an old woman's over the neck of her horse,

seemed to crave his mercy

Count Hannibal smiled

"You do not believe me?"

"No," he said And then, in a tone which chilled her, "If I did believe

you," he continued, "I should still punish him!" She was broken; but he

would see if he could not break her further He would try if there were

no weak spot in her aro free "Understand, Madah of your lover He has crossed my path too often You

are my wife, I am your husband In a day or two there shall be an end of

this farce and of hi lower on her breast

"He did not take theone!" Tavannes answered "You have taken