at noon he requested me to ride to his estate and have an interview
with the steward as to the rents. I wondered at his sending me
so suddenly, and, feeling uneasy, rode there post-haste, saw the
steward last night, and started again on a fresh horse this morning.
This accounts for it. He knew that if I were there nothing would
have induced me to separate myself from him, while by sending me
away he left it to me to do as I thought fit afterwards, trusting
that when I found that he was already imprisoned I might follow the
counsel he had urged upon me, to make my escape from the country.
And how about the ladies, how about Marie?"

"The marquise was conveyed to prison with the marquis. The three
young ladies are all safe with their mother's old servant, Louise
Moulin; this is her address. They are in disguise as peasants, and
no suspicion will, I hope, arise as to their real position. Not
that the marquis thought it probable they would be included in
the order of arrest, but he said there was no knowing now to what
lengths the mob might go and he thought it better that they should
disappear altogether for the present. Ernest and Jules went away
in disguise with Monsieur du Tillet. After seeing the young ladies
in safety this morning I went down to see what had happened at your
father's mansion, in order to assuage Mademoiselle de St. Caux's
anxiety respecting your safety, and found, as I expected, that
the duke had been arrested, and learned that a party were inside
waiting to arrest you on your return.

"I thank you indeed," Victor said, "and most warmly. I do not
know what to do. My father is most anxious that I should cross the
frontier, but I cannot go so long as he and Marie are in danger."

"If you enter Paris as you are," Harry said, "you are certain to
be arrested. Your only chance would be to do as I have done, namely
to disguise yourself and take a small lodging, where you might live
unsuspected."

"And in that way I can see Marie sometimes," Victor said.

"You could do so," Harry agreed, in a somewhat hesitating way, "but
it would greatly add to her danger, and, were you detected, might
lead to the discovery of her disguise. Besides, the thought that
you were liable to arrest at any time would naturally heighten the
anxiety from which she is suffering as to the fate of her father
and mother."

"But I cannot and will not run away and leave them all here in
danger," Victor said passionately.

"I wo