ed, thinking of Madame Coutance and
Marie. "Is anything the matter there? Are the ladies in danger?"

"No, no," he answered impatiently. "No one will harm them. They are
as safe as at Aunay. It is of your cousin. He calls for you,
monsieur; he is dying--and alone! Come with me, monsieur, quick! I
must return at once; he may be dead!"

"A truce to this mummery," I said sternly. "What new trick is this?
Do you imagine I am to be trapped a second time? My cousin is dead and
buried; the Abbe himself told me."

Pillot gazed at me in blank despair. His face was white, his lips
twitched nervously, his words came with a sob.

"It is false, monsieur, false. I deceived the Abbe as I deceived all
for my master's sake. I spread about the story of his death; I tricked
De Retz because he could not be trusted. To save his own life he would
have thrown your cousin to the wolves. It is each for himself,
nowadays, monsieur. I wormed out their plots: they could not deceive
Pillot. De Retz is a clever schemer, but the biggest rogues make
mistakes. He believed my tale, and so did Conde. Only one man besides
myself and M. de Lalande knew the truth, and I was obliged to trust
him. As to your cousin I have guarded him against all comers; I have
nursed him day and night; I have tricked the soldiers, but now the end
is come. Prince and priest are welcome to the secret now."

"But what do you wish me to do?" I asked suspiciously.

"To soothe your cousin's last moments, monsieur; to close his eyes in
death. He calls for you always."

If Pillot was playing a part, he was indeed a superb actor. Yet still
I hesitated, so intense was the distrust with which in these days each
regarded his neighbour.

"Do you doubt me, monsieur?" he asked. "Do I plead for the dying in
vain? This is no trick. Why should I deceive you? We have been on
opposite sides, but we have played the game fairly. I have even gone
out of my way to serve you. It was I who sent the note warning you
against our own trap."

"And saved my life after I had blundered into it!"

The dwarf watched my face as if his own life depended on my decision.

"Pillot," I said at length, "I will trust you. But, if you deceive me,
so surely as you stand there I will run you through with my sword."

"Monsieur is welcome in any case," he answered, "if only he will come
at once."

CHAPTER XXI

The Death of Henri.

Many a time I had left the house in th