Part 57 (2/2)

Then Chauvelin's voice once estion, citizen,” he was saying, ”is that the prisoner shall now give me an order--couched in whatever terms he ive up Capet to me without any resistance I could then take soht will allow up to the chateau, and take possession of it, of Capet, and of those who are with hiive up his horse to me and continue the journey on the box of your coach The two carriages could then follow at foot pace But I fear that if we stick together coht find ourselves obliged to pass a very uncoht in this wood”

”I won't spend another night in this suspense--it would kill rowled Heron to the accompaniment of one of his choicest oaths ”You ht--you planned the whole of this affair--see to it that it works out well in the end”

”How uard is here, of course”

”I couldn't spare you uard the prisoners”

”Four uard

That will leave you twelve uard the woman--her life will answer for the others”

He had raised his voice when he said this, obviously intending that Marguerite and Armand should hear

”Then I'll ahead,” he continued, apparently in answer to an assent froue ”Sir Percy, will you be so kind as to scribble the necessary words on these tablets?”

There was a long pause, during which Marguerite heard plainly the long and dis its ain

”I thank you,” he said; ”this certainly should be quite effectual And now, citizen Heron, I do not think that under the circumstances we need fear an aes And if by any chance I and my men are attacked, or if we encounter armed resistance at the chateau, I will despatch a rider back straightway to you, and--well, you will knohat to do”

His voice died away,of

Marguerite felt that beside her Ar hand had sought and found hers

She leaned well out of the , trying to see The glooathered more closely in, and round her the veil of vapour fro heavily in the ht lines of a few fir trees stood out dense and black against the greyness beyond, and between these lines purple tints of various tones and shadesthe horizon line with the sky Here and there a more solid black patch indicated the tiny houses of the hamlet of Le Crocq far down in the valley below; froliaze, however, did not rest on the distant landscape--it tried to pierce the gloos; the mounted men were all round the coach--more closely round her than the trees in the forest But the horses were restless, liure, walking rapidly through the mist Just for one brief moment she saw the other coach, and Heron's head and shoulders leaning out of theIf his sugar-loaf hat was on his head, and the bandage across his brow looked like a sharp, pale streak below it

”Do not doubt it, citizen Chauvelin,” he called out loudly in his harsh, raucous voice, ”I shall knohat to do; the wolves will have their uillotine will not be cheated either”

Arently drew her back into the carriage

”Little mother,” he said, ”if you can think of a hereby my life would redeem Percy's and yours, show me that way now”

But she replied quietly and firmly:

”There is no way, Armand If there is, it is in the hands of God”

CHAPTER XLVI OTHERS IN THE PARK

Chauvelin and his picked escort had in the meanwhile detached themselves from the main body of the squad Soon the dull thud of their horses'

hoofs treading the soft ground came more softly--then more softly still as they turned into the wood, and the purple shadows seemed to enfold every sound and finally to s theuerite fro his own driver now to take the lead They sat quite still and watched, and presently the other coach passed thehostly and grio tones of the distant country