uld not advise you to do so," Harry replied. "I would only
suggest, that after seeing Mademoiselle de St. Caux once, you
should lead her to believe that you have decided upon making for
the frontier, and she will therefore have the happiness of believing
that you are safe, while you are still near and watching over her."

"That is all very well," Victor said; "but what opinion would she
have of me if she thought me capable of deserting her in that way?"

"You would represent that you were obeying the duke's orders; and
besides, if you did suffer in her opinion it would be but temporarily,
for when she learned the truth, that you had only pretended to
leave in order that her position might be the safer and that her
mind might be relieved, she could only think more highly of you.
Besides, if necessary, you could at any time again present yourself
before her."

"Your counsel is good, Monsieur Sandwith, and I will, at anyrate
for a time, follow it. As you say, I can at anytime reappear.
Where are you lodging? I will take a room near, and we can meet
and compare notes and act together."

Harry gave him his address.

"You have only to walk upstairs to the top story. My room is the
one directly opposite the top of the stairs."

"I will call on you to-morrow morning," Victor said. "I will ride
my horse a few miles back and turn him loose in some quiet place,
and buy at the first village a blouse and workman's pantaloons."

"I think," Harry said, "that would be unwise, count; it would look
strange in the extreme for a gentleman dressed as you are to make
such a purchase. You might be at once arrested, or a report of the
circumstance might be sent into Paris and lead to your discovery.
If you will wait here for half an hour I will go back and buy you
the things you want at the first shop I come to and bring them out
to you. Then you can ride back and loose the horse as you propose;
but I should advise you to hide the saddle and bridle, as well as
the clothes you are now wearing, most carefully. Whoever finds your
horse will probably appropriate it and will say nothing about it,
so that all clue to your movements will be lost, and it will be
supposed that you have ridden to the frontier."

"Peste, Monsieur Sandwith! You seem to have a head ready for all
emergencies. I know what a high opinion the marquis had of you,
and I perceive that it is fully justified, and consider myself as
fortunate indeed in having you for a fri