ithout explaining to themselves her
meaning.

"The first of you to whom Madame d'Hauteserre speaks to-night at table
after the Benedicite, shall be my husband. But neither of you must
practise fraud or induce her to answer a question."

"We will play fair," said the younger, smiling.

Each kissed her hand. The certainty of some decision which both could
fancy favorable made them gay.

"Either way, dear Laurence, you create a Comte de Cinq-Cygne--"

"I believe," thought Michu, riding behind them, "that mademoiselle will
not long be unmarried. How gay my masters are! If my mistress makes her
choice I shall not leave; I must stay and see that wedding."

Just then a magpie flew suddenly before his face. Michu, superstitious
like all primitive beings, fancied he heard the muffled tones of a
death-knell. The day, however, began brightly enough for lovers, who
rarely see magpies when together in the woods. Michu, armed with his
plan, verified the spots; each gentleman had brought a pickaxe, and the
money was soon found. The part of the forest where it was buried was
quite wild, far from all paths or habitations, so that the cavalcade
bearing the gold returned unseen. This proved to be a great misfortune.
On their way from Cinq-Cygne to fetch the last two hundred thousand
francs, the party, emboldened by success, took a more direct way than
on their other trips. The path passed an opening from which the park of
Gondreville could be seen.

"What is that?" cried Laurence, pointing to a column of blue flame.

"A bonfire, I think," replied Michu.

Laurence, who knew all the by-ways of the forest, left the rest of the
party and galloped towards the pavilion, Michu's old home. Though the
building was closed and deserted, the iron gates were open, and traces
of the recent passage of several horses struck Laurence instantly. The
column of blue smoke was rising from a field in what was called the
English park, where, as she supposed, they were burning brush.

"Ah! so you are concerned in it, too, are you, mademoiselle?" cried
Violette, who came out of the park at top speed on his pony, and pulled
up to meet Laurence. "But, of course, it is only a carnival joke? They
surely won't kill him?"

"Who?"

"Your cousins wouldn't put him to death?"

"Death! whose death?"

"The senator's."

"You are crazy, Violette!"

"Well, what are you doing here, then?" he demanded.

At the idea of a danger which was threatening her cousi