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From Chatellerault there caain s that for asilence, broken only by the Count's restless walking to and fro At last "Why are you silent,voice

"Helas, ht be thus with you; and, if I put the question, it was in the hope that I rong"

"But he, uish "What of him?"

"Believe me, mademoiselle, if it lay in uilty, if only that I ret, foul hypocrite that he was!

"Oh, no, no!" she cried, and her voice was of horror and despair "You do not mean that--" She stopped short; and then, after a pause, it was the Count who finished the sentence for her

"I mean, mademoiselle, that this Lesperon must die!"

You will marvel that I let her suffer so, that I did not break down the partition with entleuish he was causing her But I had a ed upon

Again there was a spell of silence, and at last, when Mademoiselle spoke, I was a at the strength and courage of one so frail and childlike to behold

"Is your determination, indeed, irrevocable, monsieur? If you have any pity, will you not at least let ?"

"It would avail you nothing As I have said, the Languedoc rebels are in my hands" He paused as if to let those words sink well into her understanding; then, "If I were to set him at liberty, ht, bribing his jailers to keep silent and binding him by oath to quit France at once and never to betray h treason Thus alone could the thing be done, and you will see,in his words--an intangible suggestion that he uely alluded

"I understand, --"I understand that it would be too much to ask of you"