into the darkness, and I saw his hand close on the hilt
of his knife. I caught his arm.

"No, no Monsieur; not that. You must not seek a quarrel, for I am not
afraid--truly I am not; you will listen--"

There was a voice speaking in the office room behind, the closing of a
door, and the scraping of a chair as someone sat down. My words
ceased, and we stood silent in the shadow, my grasp still on De
Artigny's arm.

CHAPTER V

THE ORDER OF LA BARRE

I did not recognize the voice speaking--a husky voice, the words
indistinct, yet withal forceful--nor do I know what it was he said.
But when the other answered, tapping on the desk with some instrument,
I knew the second speaker to be La Barre, and leaned back just far
enough to gain glimpse through the opening in the drapery. He sat at
the desk, his back toward us, while his companion, a red-faced,
heavily-moustached man, in uniform of the Rifles, stood opposite, one
arm on the mantel over the fireplace. His expression was that of
amused interest.

"You saw the lady?" he asked.

"In the receiving line for a moment only; a fair enough maid to be
loved for her own sake I should say. Faith, never have I seen
handsomer eyes."

The other laughed.

"'Tis well Madame does not overhear that confession. An heiress, and
beautiful! Piff! but she might find others to her liking rather than
this Cassion."

"It is small chance she has had to make choice, and as to her being an
heiress, where heard you such a rumor, Colonel Delguard?"

The officer straightened up.

"You forget, sir," he said slowly, "that the papers passed through my
hands after Captain la Chesnayne's death. It was at your request they
failed to reach the hands of Frontenac."

La Barre gazed at him across the desk, his brows contracted into a
frown.

"No, I had not forgotten," and the words sounded harsh. "But they came
to me properly sealed, and I supposed unopened. I think I have some
reason to ask an explanation, Monsieur."

"And one easily made. I saw only the letter, but that revealed enough
to permit of my guessing the rest. It is true, is it not, that La
Chesnayne left an estate of value?"

"He thought so, but, as you must be aware, it had been alienated by
act of treason."

"Ay! but Comte de Frontenac appealed the case to the King, who granted
pardon, and restoration."

"So, 'twas rumored, but unsupported by the records. So far as New
France knows there was no reply from Versaille