o think she did not survive in the
hands of savages."

The hidden causes which work out results never worked out a result more
improbable. I lay silent, and De Chaumont said,

"Do you remember the night you disappeared from the Tuileries?"

"I remember it."

"You remember we determined not to let the Marquis de Ferrier see
Napoleon. When you went down the corridor with Eagle I thought you were
luring him. But she told us afterward you were threatened with arrest,
and she helped you out of the Tuileries by a private stairway."

"Did it make any stir in the palace?"

"No. I saw one man hurrying past us. But nobody heard of the arrest
except Eagle."

"How did she get out?"

"Out of what?"

"The queen's closet."

"She was in the garden. She said she went down the private stairway to
avoid the gendarme. She must have done it cleverly, for she came in on
the arm of Junot and the matter was not noticed. There stood my
emergency facing me again. You had deserted. What made you imagine you
were threatened with arrest?"

"Because a gendarme in court dress laid his hand on my shoulder and told
me I was to come with him."

"Well, you may have drawn the secret police upon you. You had been
cutting a pretty figure. It was probably wise to drop between walls and
get out of France. Do you know why you were arrested?"

"I think the groundless charge would have been an attack upon Napoleon."

"You never attacked the emperor!"

"No. But I had every reason to believe such a charge would be sworn
against me if I ever came to trial."

"Perhaps that silly dauphin story leaked out in Paris. The emperor does
hate a Bourbon. But I thought you had tricked me. And the old marquis
never took his eyes off the main issue. He gave Eagle his arm, and was
ready to go in and thank the emperor."

"You had to tell him?"

"I had to tell him."

"What did he say?"

"Not a word. All the blood seemed to be drawn out of his veins, and his
face fell in. Then it burned red hot, and instead of good friend and
benefactor, I saw myself a convict. His big staring blue eyes came out
of a film like an owl's, and shot me through. I believe he saw
everything I ever did in my life, and my intentions about Eagle most
plainly of all. He bowed and wished me good-night, and took her out of
the Tuileries."

"But you saw him again?"

"He never let me see him again, or her either. I am certain he forbade
her to communicate with us. They did not go b