Part 51 (1/2)

He had expected to hear not only those words, but also the grounding of arms and the brief command to halt He had expected to see before his of the uniforhly pushed back into his lodging preparatory to the search beingof irons on his wrists

Instead of this, it was a quiet, dry voice that said without undue harshness:

”In the name of the people!”

And instead of the uniforms, the bayonets and the scarlet caps with tricolour cockades, he was confronted by a slight, sable-clad figure, whose face, lit by the flickering light of the tallow candle, looked strangely pale and earnest

”Citizen Chauvelin!” gasped Arhtened at this unexpected apparition

”Himself, citizen, at your service,” replied Chauvelin with his quiet, ironical manner ”I am the bearer of a letter for you from Sir Percy Blakeney Have I your permission to enter?”

Mechanically Ar the other man to pass in He closed the door behind his nocturnal visitor, then, taper in hand, he preceded him into the inner roohting lion had been brought to his knees Now it lay wrapped in gloo Armand's face and the white frill of his shi+rt

The young man put the taper down on the table and turned to his visitor

”Shall I light the lamp?” he asked

”Quite unnecessary,” replied Chauvelin curtly ”I have only a letter to deliver, and after that to ask you one brief question”

From the pocket of his coat he drew the letter which Blakeney had written an hour ago

”The prisoner wrote this in my presence,” he said as he handed the letter over to Armand ”Will you read it?”

Armand took it fro forward he held the paper near the light, and began to read He read the letter through very slowly to the end, then once again fro to do that which Chauvelin had wished to do an hour ago; he was trying to find the innerwhich he felt must inevitably lie behind these words which Percy had written with his own hand

That these bare words were but a blind to deceive the enemy Armand never doubted for a uerite would have been herself Never for a moment did the suspicion cross his mind that Blakeney was about to play the part of a coward, but he, Arht by instinct to know exactly what his chief intended, what he hts flew back to that other letter, the one which Marguerite had given him--the letter full of pity and of friendshi+p which had brought hiht at one tiain And suddenly one sentence in that letter stood out so clearly before his eyes that it blurred the actual, tangible ones on the paper which even now rustled in his hand

But if at any time you receive another letter from me--be its contents what they may--act in accordance with the letter, but send a copy of it at once to Ffoulkes or to Marguerite

Now everything seemed at once quite clear; his duty, his next actions, every word that he would speak to Chauvelin Those that Percy had written to hiraven on his memory

Chauvelin had waited with his usual patience, silent and i man read Nohen he saw that Armand had finished, he said quietly:

”Just one question, citizen, and I need not detain you longer But first will you kindly give me back that letter? It is a precious document which will for ever remain in the archives of the nation”

But even while he spoke Armand, with one of those quick intuitions that come in moments of acute crisis, had done just that which he felt Blakeney would wish him to do He had held the letter close to the candle A corner of the thin crisp paper iht fire, and before Chauvelin could utter a word of anger, or ration, the flames had licked up fully one half of the letter, and Armand had only just time to throw the remainder on the floor and to stamp out the blaze with his foot

”I am sorry, citizen,” he said calmly; ”an accident”

”A useless act of devotion,” interposed Chauvelin, who already had smothered the oath that had risen to his lips ”The Scarlet Pimpernel's actions in the present h the foolish destruction of this docuto deny them that publicity which you seem to desire for thereat deal allant English gentle of France--in exchange for his own life and freedom Methinks that even his worst ene to a career of adventure, and a reputation for bravery unequalled in Europe But no , I must help citizen Heron with his final preparations for his journey You, of course, citizen St Just, will act in accordance with Sir Percy Blakeney's wishes?”

”Of course,” replied Armand