itterness of defeat.

I had just begun a dignified rebuke, for Michael's language was
inexcusable, when it flashed upon me that we had been, indeed, duped.

"Ah," I cried, in my fury, "of course we were taken in! Of course his
son was the lame hostler, the very prize we expected to bag! O Lord!
what will we say to my lady? We are precious sharp! I ought to have
known better. That stuff he told us! Langlois, pshaw, Berri--pouf! A
Berri never married a Langlois, and I might have remembered that Gluck
wasn't assassinated by a jealous duke. What shall we do?"

We all stood in the middle of the road, gazing stupidly at the lame dog
that gave us the clue. Then Arnold timidly suggested:--

"Hadn't we better go back to the inn?"

Instantly our horses' heads were turned and we galloped madly back on
our old tracks. Not a word was uttered until we reined up in front of
the lonely house, which looked more haunted by daylight than it did the
night before.

"What did I tell you?" suddenly cried Michael.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Over there, you blind bat!" he said, coarsely and impatiently; and
pulling out his pistol he fired thrice, and a low, melodious sound
followed the reports of his weapon. When the smoke cleared away I saw
that he had hit an old harpsichord which stood against a tree, facing
the house.

"The ghost!" we yelled, and then we laughed consumedly. But the shots
that winged the old-fashioned instrument had a greater result. The fat
host appeared on the edge of the forest, and he waved a large napkin as
a flag of truce. With him was the lame hostler.

"Mercy, gentlemen, mercy, we beseech you!" he cried, and we soon
surrounded both and bound them securely.

"You will pay dearly for the trick you put upon us, my man," said
Michael, grimly, and, walking our horses, we went by easy stages toward
the castle, towing our prisoners along.

When I fetched the lame man to my lady, her face glowed with joy, and
her Parisian eyes grew brilliant with victory.

"So you tried to escape?" she cruelly asked of the poor, cowering
wretch. "You will never get another chance, I'll warrant me. Go, let the
servants put you to work in the large music room first. Begin with the
grands, then follow with the uprights. Thank you, gentlemen both, for
the courage and finesse you displayed in this desperate quest. I'll see
that you are both suitably rewarded." I fancied that Michael regarded
me sardonically, but he held his pe