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"By God, Bardelys!"

"Wait!" I thundered, looking hiain he sank back cowed Then resu the calm hich hitherto I had addressed hireed for the estates of Bardelys, and your jealousy and thirst to see me impoverished and so ousted from my position at Court, to leave you supree shifts for a gentle an to write I was conscious of his eyes upon s and bewildered speculations as my pen scratched rapidly across the paper In a few moments it was done, and I tossed the pen aside I took up the sandbox

"When a man cheats, Monsieur le Coed the loser of his stakes On that count alone everything that you have is now ain I had to quell an interruption "But if ave that point, and proceed upon the supposition that you have dealt fairly and honourably with me, why, then, monsieur, you have still sufficient evidence--the word of Madeer And so, if we take this, the most lenient view of the case"--I paused to sprinkle the sand over --"your estates are still lost to you, and pass to be er to restrain hi to his feet "You have done, have you not? You have said all that you can call to h to earn the cutting of a dozen throats You have dubbed me cheat and thief"--he choked in his passion--"until you have had your fill--is it not so? Now, listen to me, Master Bardelys, master spy,was yours to go to Lavedan under a false na?"

"No, monsieur, it was not," I answered quietly "It was in the tero to Lavedan in what guise I listed, e iles I pleased But let that be," I ended, and, creasing the paper, I poured the sand back into the box, and dusted the docu at this tier is lost"

"Is it?" He set his arms akimbo and eyed me derisively, his thick-set frame planted squarely before me "You are satisfied that it is so? Quite satisfied, eh?" He leered in my face "Why, then, Monsieur le Marquis, ill see whether a few inches of steel in it back for me" And once more his hand flew to his hilt