.

"So, if you don't want to know what drove me from New Orleans you do
want to know what brought me here? I think that perhaps you could
guess if you had heard as much as other men know about my grandfather,
Bellaire _le Beau Diable_, as men called him. It is the quest of gold,
his gold, which has brought me, and with me Marc and Captain Sefton."

Drennen frowned, shaking his head slowly.

"You won't need to seek such things now, Ygerne," he said with quiet
conviction in his tone. "Surely you know the type of men these two
are? Will you cut loose from them, dear?"

The fine lines of her dark eyebrows curved questioningly.

"Because you have found gold, much gold," she returned, "must I come to
you penniless, like a beggar?"

Before he could answer she spoke again, flushed with that quick temper
which was a part of her.

"They would be glad enough, both of them, if I drew out now! But I
won't do it! It is mine, all mine, and I am going to find it! They
shall have their shares, as I promised them: ten per cent each. And I,
Sir Midas, will not be suspected then of falling in love with you as I
am doing because you are rich and I have nothing!"

"Then," said Drennen, "if you are not to be turned aside can I help?
Will you tell me about it, Ygerne?"

"Yes and yes," she answered eagerly. "I'll tell you and you can help.
Here is the story: When Napoleon was overthrown my grandfather, Paul
Bellaire, was a boy of eighteen. But already Napoleon's eye had found
him and he was Captain Bellaire. That title suited him better than his
inherited one of Count. Already men called him _le Beau Diable_. Then
Napoleon went down before Wellington and Paul Bellaire had to shift for
himself under difficult circumstances. But he didn't flee from France
as did so many. He twirled his young mustaches and went to Paris.

"Louis, _le Desire_, had at length got his desire and was King Louis
XVIII. Now that the lion was in his cage Louis roared. The young
Captain Bellaire, going everywhere that entertaining society was to be
found, managed to keep out of Louis's hands. One night, while he was
being sought in one end of the kingdom, he danced _en masque_ in the
palace of the king. The most celebrated beauty of the court was the
Lady Louise de Neville. Perhaps a little because she was the beauty
she was, perhaps more because she was the king's ward, Paul Bellaire
paid her his court.

"The king had a husband for her but