at it as he passed,
recognizing perhaps that he was as a skater on thin ice, his safety
entirely dependent upon his agility, as he made his way to the flare of
light which came from a wine shop.

The place was full and noisy, but there was a sudden silence as he
entered. He was well-known here, and every pair of eyes was fixed upon
him keenly. That he bore the scrutiny without flinching proved him to be
no coward. The attitude of the crowd in the wine shop was not
reassuring. His task was to be more difficult than he imagined, and he
rose to the occasion. With a careless nod intended to comprehend every
one in the room, and as though he perceived nothing extraordinary in the
manner of his reception, he crossed the room to a man who had suspended
his game of cards to stare at him.

"Good evening, Citizen Sabatier; you can tell me something. Was that
aristocrat taken to the Abbaye this afternoon or where?"

"To the Abbaye."

"I was going to the prison to ask, then thought I might save myself a
journey by coming here on my way. Wine, landlord--the best, and in these
days the best is bad. You were not at the taking of this aristocrat,
Sabatier?" and as he asked the question Bruslart seated himself.

"No. I had other business."

"It is a pity. Had you been there the affair would have been conducted
with more order."

"I was there, Citizen Bruslart," said a man, thrusting forward his head
truculently. "What is there to complain of?"

Bruslart looked at him, then leaned toward Sabatier and said in an
audible aside--

"A new friend? I do not seem to remember him."

"Citizen Boissin, a worthy man," said Sabatier, shortly. He knew that
the men in the wine shop were likely to follow his lead, and he was at a
loss to know how to treat Lucien Bruslart to-night.

"Ay, Boissin, that's my name, and he asks you what you have to complain
of?"

"Much, very much, citizen. It is not enough that a cursed aristocrat
uses my lodgings as a shelter while I am away from home, but a crowd of
unauthorized persons invade it and break a cabinet for which I have a
great affection. Maybe, since you were there, Citizen Boissin, you can
tell me who broke my cabinet."

"Curse your cabinet!"

"Curse you for coming to my lodgings without an invitation," said
Bruslart, quietly.

There was a shuffling of feet, a promise of quick and dangerous
excitement, but Sabatier did not move, and Bruslart's eyes, as he
quietly sipped his wine, looke