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"What is it?" I inquired

"Horsee," he answered shortly "A troop, by the sound"

And then, in confir and rattle of hoofs on the flags of the courtyard below The old servant stood wringing his hands in helpless terror, and wailing, "Monsieur, monsieur!"

But the Vicohed with intense relief; and in a wondering voice "They are not troopers," he announced "They have more the air of a coe--pardieu, two carriages!"

At once the memory of Rodenard and my followers occurred to ht not see me, and that thus he would probably be sent forth empty-handed with the news that his master was neither arrived nor expected

But in that surmise I went too fast Ganymede was of a tenaciousthat naught was known of the Marquis de Bardelys at Lavedan, my faithful henchman announced his intention to remain there and await me, since that was, he assured the Vicomte, my destination

"My first impulse," said Lavedan, when later he came to tell me of it, "was incontinently to order his departure But upon considering the 's favour stands that monstrous libertine Bardelys, I deeeous retinue His steward--a flabby, insolent creature--says that Bardelys left the them follow to-day Curious that we should have no news of him! That he should have fallen into the Garonne and drowned hiood fortune to be hoped for"

The bitterness hich he spoke of ratulation that I had resolved to accept the role of Lesperon Yet, reood friends, his manner left me nonplussed What cause could he have for this animosity to the son? Could it be merely my position at Court that made me seem in his rebel eyes a natural enemy?

"You are acquainted with this Bardelys?" I inquired, by way of drawing hiruffly "An honest, upright gentleman"

"And the son," I inquired timidly, "has he none of these virtues?"

"I know not what virtues he may have; his vices are known to all the world He is a libertine, a ga's favourites, and that his nificent'" He uttered a short laugh "A fit servant for such a master as Louis the Just!"