ond smiled.

"I can assure you that I need no such tokens," he said. "The
thanks that I have received, from you both, are infinitely more
grateful to me than any amount of rings and jewels."

"And now, my friend," Philip de la Vallee went on, "my own burning
desire is to go to de Tulle, as soon as I have accompanied the
baron and Anne to their home; first, to publicly chastise this
villain noble; and then, of course, to fight him. Naturally, I
have said nothing of this to the baron, but I feel, after what has
happened, that in you I shall find an adviser, and a sympathizer."

"I sympathize with you, most heartily, Philip, and in your place
should feel the same impulse; and yet, it would not be wise to
give way to it. I say this on the ground that he is a notoriously
good swordsman, and that, instead of your taking vengeance upon
him, he might kill you.

"I feel that that argument would not have any influence with you
personally, but, taking your position with regard to Mademoiselle
de Pointdexter, it should have great weight. You can judge, from
what you would have felt yourself, had you been aware of her
disappearance, what she would feel, did she hear of your death in
this quarrel. Were you her brother, I should say that you would be
right--nay, that it would be your duty to endeavour to punish the
outrage against the honour of your family. Were you openly
betrothed to her, you would again have the right to punish her
abductor; but, not being either her brother or her betrothed,
neither reason nor public opinion would justify your doing so.
Moreover, did you fight with him and kill him, you would incur the
gravest resentment of the king; for, in fact, you would be
impugning his justice, which has considered banishment from court
to be a sufficient punishment for his offence. Not only was he a
favourite of the king's, but he belongs, I understand, to a
powerful family; who would, you may be sure, use their influence
with the king to bring about your punishment, for the breach of
the decree against duelling, and you would be fortunate if you
escaped a long imprisonment."

The other was silent.

"I feel that you are right," he said, at last, "but, indeed, it is
hard that I should not be able to avenge this outrage upon the
lady who is to be my wife. I may tell you that, as soon as we
return home, our formal betrothal is to take place, and ere long
our marriage will be celebrated; but I shall feel lowered, in my