Part 14 (1/2)

There was logic in what she said And yet how could he leave her? now that he had found this perfect woo and leave her in this awful Paris, with brutes like Heron forcing their hideous personality into her sacred presence, threatening that very life he would gladly give his own to keep inviolate?

”Listen, sweetheart,” he said after awhile, when presently reason struggled back for first place in his mind ”Will you allow me to consult with my chief, with the Scarlet Pimpernel, who is in Paris at the present moment? I am under his orders; I could not leave France just now My life, my entire person are at his disposal I andwhich he has not yet unfolded to us, but which I firmly believe is framed for the rescue of the Dauphin froave an involuntary exclamation of horror

”No, no!” she said quickly and earnestly; ”as far as you are concerned, Armand, that has now become an impossibility Some one has betrayed you, and you are henceforth a marked man I think that odious de Batz had a hand in Heron's visit of this afternoon We succeeded in putting these spies off the scent, but only for a moment within a few hours--less perhaps--Heron will repent him of his carelessness; he'll come back--I know that he will come back He may leave me, personally, alone; but he will be on your track; he'll drag you to the Conciergerie to report yourself, and there your true naht If you succeed in evading him, he will still be on your track If the Scarlet Pimpernel keeps you in Paris now, your death will be at his door”

Her voice had become quite hard and trenchant as she said these last words; womanlike, she was already prepared to hate the man whose mysterious personality she had hitherto admired, now that the life and safety of Armand appeared to depend on the will of that elusive hero

”You ed ”The Scarlet Pimpernel cares for all his followers; he would never allow me to run unnecessary risks”

She was unconvinced, almost jealous now of his enthusiasm for that unknown man Already she had taken full possession of Ariven her his love She would share neither treasure with that naiance

”It is only for a little while, sweetheart,” he reiterated again and again ”I could not, anyhow, leave Paris whilst I feel that you are here, o land, of his life there, of the happiness and peace that were in store for theether,” he whispered, ”and there ill be happy together, you and I We will have a tiny house a the Kentish hills, and its walls will be covered with honeysuckle and roses At the back of the house there will be an orchard, and in May, when the fruit-blosso the trees, showers of sweet-scented petals will envelop us as alk along, falling on us like fragrant snow You will come, sweetheart, will you not?”

”If you still wish it, Aro to-morrow if she would coed She had her contract to fulfil at the theatre, then there would be her house and furniture to dispose of, and there was Aunt Marie But, of course, Aunt Marie would coet away so; and he swore that he could not leave Paris until she came with him

It seemed a terrible deadlock, for she could not bear to think of him alone in those awful Paris streets, where she knew that spies would always be tracking him She had no illusions as to the impression which she had made on Heron; she knew that it could only be a momentary one, and that Arer

At last she promised him that she would take the advice of his chief; they would both be guided by what he said Ared she would hurry on her preparations and, mayhap, be ready to join him in a week

”In the meanwhile, that cruel man must not risk your dear life,” she said ”Res to me Oh, I could hate him for the love you bear him!”

”Sh--sh--sh!+” he said earnestly ”Dear heart, you must not speak like that of the man whom, next to your perfect self, I love most upon earth”

”You think of him more than of me I shall scarce live until I know that you are safely out of Paris”

Though it was horrible to part, yet it was best, perhaps, that he should go back to his lodgings now, in case Heron sent his spies back to her door, and since he ue hope that if the mysterious hero was indeed the noble-hearted man whom Armand represented him to be, surely he would take co woe

This thought pleased her and gave her hope She even urged Aro

”When may I see you to-erous to ued

”Iyou”

”The theatre is the safest place”