gain. They had been standing just outside
the door, half-crazed with grief. They entered, followed by Aubry, who,
though accustomed to such scenes, was deeply moved. It was to him that
she turned first.

"I thank you for all your kindness," she said to him. "On my arrival at
the prison, I confided a cross to your keeping."

"Here it is. I return it to you, citoyenne."

"Keep it, my friend; it will remind you of a prisoner to whom you showed
compassion, and who will pray for you."

"Oh, citoyenne, I could have done no less!" faltered the poor man.

Then Dolores turned to Antoinette and Philip. Their despair verged upon
madness. That of Antoinette was violent, and vented itself in moans and
tears; that of Philip was still more terrible, for the wretched man
seemed to have grown ten years older in the past few hours.

"Farewell, my dear friends," said Dolores, cheerfully. "Do not mourn.
Try to think that I am going on a journey, and to a country where you
will soon come to join me. In its relations to life, death is nothing
more."

But, while she was thus endeavoring to console them, her own tears
mingled with theirs. She took them both in her arms, and clasped them to
her heart in a close embrace.

"Love each other always, and do not forget me."

These were her last words of counsel.

Coursegol approached. Philip opened his arms.

"Coursegol," said he, "you are a man and an old soldier. Death has no
terrors for you; you will lose none of your calmness. Take good care of
her to the last, will you not?"

"That she might not be compelled to go alone was why I resolved to die
with her," replied Coursegol, simply.

"Dolores, give me your blessing."

It was Antoinette who spoke.

"Yes, my sister, I bless thee!"

And Dolores extended her hand over the grief-stricken head of her
friend.

"En route! en route!"

This cry was uttered by a stentorian voice. The moment of parting had
come. One last kiss was exchanged.

"Farewell, farewell! We shall meet again in Heaven!"

And Dolores tore herself from their clinging arms. Coursegol followed
her, but not so quickly that he failed to see Antoinette swoon with a
cry of heart-broken anguish, and Philip spring forward to support her. A
cart was awaiting the victims in the court-yard of the prison. The
twelve who were doomed to death took their places in it with their hands
bound behind their backs. A number of soldiers on horseback and some on
foot acted as an es