oices. Near at hand two
persons were talking. One voice, hoarse, harsh, suppressed, was that of
a man. The other was a woman's voice.

"What does it mean?" thought Carson. "Who is here at this hour? I must
know--I'll investigate."

Cautiously he stole forward, keeping deep within the shadows. He had not
proceeded far before these words, spoken by the woman, came distinctly
to his ears:

"I cannot--I will not do it!"

An instant later a shadowy figure came rustling toward him. It was the
woman, and she was right upon him ere she discovered the silent man who
stood there beneath the trees. With a little gasp, she turned and fled
on. A patch of moonlight, shimmering through the branches, had shown him
her face.

The face of Lizette!

CHAPTER XI.

THE TRUTH.

His first impulse was to follow her. Then he stopped and stood waiting
for the man. The man did not come.

"Where is he? who is he?" speculated Berlin.

After a time Carson turned toward the house.

"She's in her room long ere this," he thought.

But close by the wall a shadow lingered, and, as he approached, this
shadow suddenly moved forward and confronted him.

"What is it you do here?" demanded the voice of Lizette. "I know you see
me. I know you hear sometheeng. Why you watch me? _Mon Dieu!_ would you
hurt a poor girl?"

Carson took a firm grip on himself and was deliberate in speaking.

"Why should I wish to hurt you?" he asked. "You have done no harm, have
you?"

"Oh, no, no, no! I haf done notheeng!"

"Then why do you fear?"

"You watch me. You follaire me."

"If you have done nothing wrong, you need not fear to be watched."

"But it is not honerable to play ze spy on a girl."

"I did not do so intentionally. I could not sleep, and I came out here
to get the air. It was wholly by chance that I ran across you. Who was
with you?"

"No one, monsieur."

"Tell me the truth," commanded Berlin, still in that calm, deliberate
tone.

"It is ze truth."

"Think again. You place me in the awkward position of contradicting a
lady. You were talking with a man."

"No."

"But I heard him."

"What deed you hear?" she fiercely demanded, as she clutched his arm.
"Tell me what deed you hear heem say?"

"Then you acknowledge there was a man?"

"Oh, what is ze use to deny! _Oui_, _oui_, zere was ze man!"

"Who is he?"

"Perhap maybe he is my lovaire. Perhap he has promised me to marry."

For one instant Berlin seemed on the poi