retic."

"Who has lodged this information against me?"

"Triboulet. That is, he procured the duke's signature to the writ."

"And you think the duke a party to this farce, my Lord?" said the fool,
with assumed composure. "It has not occurred to you that before the
day is over all the village will be laughing at the spectacle of their
commandant--pardon me--being led by the nose by a jester?"

The officer's sun-burned face became yet redder; he frowned, then
glanced suspiciously at Triboulet, whose reputation was France-wide.

"This man was the duke's fool," screamed the dwarf, "and was imprisoned
by order of the king. His companion who is here with him was formerly
jestress to the princess. She is a sorceress and bewitched the
monarch. Then her fancy seized upon the heretic, and, by her dark art,
she opened the door of the cell for him. Together they fled; she from
the court, he from prison."

The commandant looked curiously from the hunchback to the accused. If
this were acting, the dwarf was indeed a master of the art.

"Besides, his haste to leave the village," eagerly went on Triboulet.
"Why was he dressed at this hour? Ask the landlord if he did not seem
unduly hurried?"

At this appeal the innkeeper, who had been an interested spectator, now
became a not unwilling witness.

"It is true he seemed hurried," he answered. "When he first came down
he ordered breakfast. I happened to mention the duke was at the
chateau, whereupon he lost his appetite with suspicious suddenness,
called for his horses, and was for riding off with all haste."

From the commandant's expression this testimony apparently removed any
doubts he may have entertained. Above the heads of the troopers massed
in the doorway the duke's _plaisant_ saw Jacqueline, standing on the
stairs, with wide-open, dark eyes fastened upon him. Involuntarily he
lifted his hand to his heart; across the brief space glance melted into
glance.

Persecuted Calvin maid--had not her fate been untoward enough without
this new disaster? Had not the king wrought sufficient ill to her and
hers in the past? Would she be sent back to the court; the monarch?
For himself he had no thought, but for her, who was nobler even than
her birthright. He had been thrice a fool who had not heeded
portentous warnings--the sight of Triboulet, the clamor of the
troopers--and had failed to flee during the night. As he realized the
penalty of his negligence would fa