dovick stumbled over a jug which some careless
relative had apparently left lying about the courtyard. It crashed to
the tesserae, spattering Ludovick's legs and sandals with a liquid
which later proved to be extremely red wine.

"There's someone outside!" the uncle declared, half-rising.

"Nonsense!" Corisande said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I didn't
hear anything."

The uncle looked dubious, and Ludovick thought it prudent to withdraw
at this point. Besides, he had heard enough. Corisande--his Corisande--was
an integral part of the conspiracy.

He lay down to sleep that night beset by doubts. If he told the
Belphins about the conspiracy, he would be betraying Corisande. As a
matter of fact, he now remembered, he _had_ already told them about
the conspiracy and they hadn't believed him. But supposing he could
_convince_ them, how could he give Corisande up to them? True, it was
the right thing to do--but, for the first time in his life, he could
not bring himself to do what he knew to be right. He was weak, weak--and
weakness was sinful. His old Belphin teacher had taught him that, too.

As Ludovick writhed restlessly upon his bed, he became aware that
someone had come into his chamber.

"Ludovick," a soft, beloved voice whispered, "I have come to ask your
help...." It was so dark, he could not see her; he knew where she was
only by the glitter of the jewel on her neck-chain as it arced through
the blackness.

"Corisande...." he breathed.

"Ludovick...." she sighed.

Now that the amenities were over, she resumed, "Against my will, I have
been involved in the family plot. My uncle has invented a secret weapon
which he believes will counteract the power of the barriers."

"But I thought you devised it!"

"So it _was_ you in the courtyard. Well, what happened was I wanted to
gain time, so I said I had a secret weapon of my own invention which I
had not perfected, but which would cost considerably less than my
uncle's model. We have to watch the budget, you know, because we can
hardly expect the Belphins to supply the components for this job.
Anyhow, I thought that, while my folks were waiting for me to finish
it, you would have a chance to warn the Belphins."

"Corisande," he murmured, "you are as noble and clever as you are
beautiful."

* * * * *

Then he caught the full import of her remarks. "_Me!_ But they won't
pay any attention to me!"

"How do yo