aircase, but Armand was as quick as I, and as I mounted the first
step he pulled me back.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, and his tone was stern and
peremptory.

"To seek for Raoul. Quick, let me go, or I shall be too late."

In reply he tightened his hold on my arm, exclaiming, "It is utterly
useless, Albert, the staircase will be down in a few seconds, you will
only throw your life away."

I begged and prayed him to release me, but he clung the more
strenuously for my appeals, till at last I struggled like a madman to
get loose. The steadfast fellow, however, kept his grip, and I could
not fling him off.

In the very midst of the struggle came the sound of a terrific crash,
and a broad tongue of flame leaped up to the roof of the building.
Then Armand freed my arms; against my will he had saved me from a
terrible death--the staircase had fallen in bodily.

"Poor Raoul!" exclaimed my companion sorrowfully, but the lump in my
throat prevented me from making any reply. I could only stand and
stare at the burning debris which formed the funeral pile of my gallant
comrade.

CHAPTER XIX.

I Lose all Trace of Henri.

By this time the flames had attracted a number of people, who ran from
all directions to gaze at the spectacle. Armand brought me back to my
senses by saying, "We must make sure of Peleton, Albert, or he will
escape."

"Humphreys will guard him while you fetch a coach," I said, "then drive
him straight to Conde."

"And you?"

"I shall stay here till--till----"

"I understand. We will escort this fellow to the Hotel de Conde, and
then return."

My passion had exhausted itself by now; I could only stand bewailing
the loss of my trusty friend. Meanwhile the crowd increased; soldiers
appeared on the scene; men dashed buckets of water on the fire; some
seized burning pieces of wood and flung them into the street where they
could do no more mischief.

I toiled with the rest, and gradually we got the flames under, but
there was no sign of Raoul's body. One man we found was quite dead,
and no one recognised him. What had become of the others? Some had
dashed down the stairway in front of me, but I had left Raoul and
Henri, Pillot and his companion, nearly at the top. Where were they,
if not buried beneath the smouldering debris of the fallen staircase?

Presently a roar of excitement came from the people behind me, and
glancing towards the astrologer's house I beheld a man, ha