one who goes in or comes out from the hotel will be followed, and
they will, in the first place, find out his name and bring it to me,
after that they will follow him wherever he goes, and from time to time
let me know what he is doing."

Several days passed. The four gentlemen specially named, together
with several others, were frequently at the hotel. There was in this,
however, nothing suspicious, as Hector easily learned that they were
all vassals or close friends of the house of Vendome. On the third day,
however, he heard that at least a dozen of these gentlemen met in twos
or threes at various cabarets near the Duke of Beaufort's, and spent
the greater portion of their time there. Hector at once procured dresses
suitable for gentlemen of the middle class for the troopers, and gave
them instructions to spend the greater portion of their time at the
cabarets at which these gentlemen stopped. Their reports were that they
talked of indifferent subjects, but that they were evidently waiting for
someone, as they invariably turned a glance at the door whenever a fresh
comer entered.

The next day Hector received a note from the cardinal:

I am just starting with the Duke of Orleans for Maisons, where I shall
dine with him.

Two hours later the three troopers who had been out returned almost at
the same minute with the news that the persons they were watching had
all got up suddenly and gone out after a messenger wearing the Beaufort
cognizance had come in and spoken to them. And a few minutes later Paolo
arrived and said that the Duke of Beaufort had gone with the Count of
Beaupuis to the convent of the Capuchins, and that several horses had
been taken there.

Hector thought the matter over. "Certainly," he said to himself, "as the
cardinal's note is dated at nine o'clock, he is now some distance on his
way. As soon as the duke received notice of his having gone, he notified
his friends. It can only be on his way home that they will venture to
attack him; but even if they have that intention they will scarcely do
so if the Duke of Orleans returns with him, unless, indeed, the duke is
himself in the plot, and as none of Paolo's scouts have brought news
of any communications between Beaufort and Orleans, it is hardly likely
that it is so.

"Paolo, do you go down and watch the convent of the Capuchins. If the
Duke of Beaufort remains there with his friend--and he may doubtless be
joined by others--let me know if he