the case which held the coronet. He opened it; and
they looked at it.

"Isn't it beautiful?" he said with a sigh.

"Marvellous!" said the Duke.

M. Gournay-Martin closed the case, and said solemnly:

"There is danger, M. Guerchard, so I am going to trust the coronet to
you. You are the defender of my hearth and home--you are the proper
person to guard the coronet. I take it that you have no objection?"

"Not the slightest, M. Gournay-Martin," said Guerchard. "It's exactly
what I wanted you to ask me to do."

M. Gournay-Martin hesitated. Then he handed the coronet to Guerchard,
saying with a frank and noble air, "I have every confidence in you, M.
Guerchard."

"Thank you," said Guerchard.

"Good-night," said M. Gournay-Martin.

"Good-night, M. Guerchard," said Germaine.

"I think, after all, I'll change my mind and go with you. I'm very
short of sleep," said the Duke. "Good-night, M. Guerchard."

"You're never going too, your Grace!" cried Guerchard.

"Why, you don't want me to stay, do you?" said the Duke.

"Yes," said Guerchard slowly.

"I think I would rather go to bed," said the Duke gaily.

"Are you afraid?" said Guerchard, and there was challenge, almost an
insolent challenge, in his tone.

There was a pause. The Duke frowned slightly with a reflective air.
Then he drew himself up; and said a little haughtily:

"You've certainly found the way to make me stay, M. Guerchard."

"Yes, yes; stay, stay," said M. Gournay-Martin hastily. "It's an
excellent idea, excellent. You're the very man to help M. Guerchard,
Duke. You're an intrepid explorer, used to danger and resourceful,
absolutely fearless."

"Do you really mean to say you're not going home to bed, Jacques?" said
Germaine, disregarding her father's wish with her usual frankness.

"No; I'm going to stay with M. Guerchard," said the Duke slowly.

"Well, you will be fresh to go to the Princess's to-morrow night." said
Germaine petulantly. "You didn't get any sleep at all last night, you
couldn't have. You left Charmerace at eight o'clock; you were motoring
all the night, and only got to Paris at six o'clock this morning."

"Motoring all night, from eight o'clock to six!" muttered Guerchard
under his breath.

"Oh, that will be all right," said the Duke carelessly. "This
interesting affair is to be over by midnight, isn't it?"

"Well, I warn you that, tired or fresh, you will have to come with me
to the Princess's to-morrow night. All Pa