Part 25 (1/2)

”I think there is no doubt,” I told her ”I have seen him ride, Mademoiselle It would take more than a dozen men to lay hands on him

They should have known better than let him leave the house Listen, Mademoiselle! I believe you can hear him now”

My ears were quicker in those days For a minute we listened in silence, and then on the wind I heardhorse So he was co, as I kneould I kneould be methodical and accurate

”Yes, Mademoiselle,” I continued, ”my father has many accomplishments, but this time even he may be surprised Who knows, Mademoiselle? Pray step back inside the doorway until I call you”

But she did not move

”No,” said Mademoiselle, ”I prefer to stay where I am I have seen too ether”

”But surely, Madeet e have coht I do forget I have seen too much of this, too , toofor a hopeless cause I have seen threedead in our hall, and asainst his father, and all for a bit of paper which should never have been written

I hate it--do you hear et it because--” She seemed about to tell me more, and then to think better of it ”Surely you see, surely you see you cannot He is your father, Monsieur, thehere”

”Mademoiselle,” I replied, ”you are far too kind I hardly think he or I have much reason to hold our lives of any particular value, but as you have said, entleentlemen's sons their fathers Pray rest assured, Made you, be silent, for he is almost here”

I was nothard, and crashi+ng recklessly through the bushes Before I had sight of him I heard my father's voice

”Ives!” he called sharply ”Where the devil are you?”

And in an instant he was at the door, his horse breathing in hard, sobbing breaths, and he had swung from the saddle as I went forward to meet him

”Here,” he said, ”take it, and be off Those fools have run me over half the state In fact,” he continued in the calm tones I re evening I was fired on before I had passed the gate, and chased as though I carried the treasures of the Raj I have your word never to tell where you got it Never mind my reasons, or the thanks either Take it Ives It has saved me so many a dull day that it has quite repaid my trouble”

There he was, half a pace away, and yet he did not knowelse, which robbedseeirth, preparatory to ain, saw him slowly readjust his cloak, and then I took the paper he handed me and buttoned it carefully in ain and laid a hand on his withers, but still he did not ht before hiain slowly, and half faced me On the wind, far off still, but nevertheless distinct, was the sound of voices

”It is tiave them the slip five minutes back It was closer work than I had expected”

And then he started, and looked at h the darkness

”Naet here?”

But that was all He never even started His hand still rested tranquilly on the reins and he still half faced o, when his world crumbled to ruins about him? Did he alin and lose with the sa ever astonish him? There was a moment's silence, and I felt his eyes on h he would not let it finish in such a ame was in my hands

”Quite simply,” I told hiain his voice was still pleasantly conversational

”And Brutus?” he asked ”Where the devil was Brutus? Surely the age of miracles is past Or do I see before me--” he boith all his old courtesy--”another David?”

”Brutus,” I replied, ”juh a second story ”

”Indeed?” he said ”He alas ile”

”He was,” I replied ”Not five minutes after you left, Uncle Jason arrived”