to the moment
when her letter had been handed to him by Seth.

"Your letter gave me an idea, mademoiselle. To help you I must become an
inmate of this house. Yesterday Seth brought me here, posing as a
wealthy eccentric relative anxious to place me in safety. I am a little
mad, and there is no knowing what folly I might commit were I allowed to
continue at liberty. My stay here is likely to be a long one, and my
relatives care little what they pay so long as I am out of their hands.
You may guess perhaps that Dr. Legrand asked few questions with such a
golden bribe before him. Now, mademoiselle, what do you know of this
Raymond Latour?"

"Nothing."

"But--"

"Nothing at all," Jeanne answered. "I have heard him spoken of as being
one of the leaders of the Revolution. To my knowledge I have never seen
him."

"Has Lucien Bruslart never mentioned him?"

"As we drove here that morning he said that this Latour was one of the
most bitter antagonists of aristocrats, and that he would do all in his
power to capture me. Lucien said this was the chief reason for bringing
me to this place of safety. I must tell you, Monsieur Barrington, that
on leaving you that morning, we got into a coach and drove straight
here. My coming had already been arranged for. I did not go to Lucien's
apartments at all. He did not seem inclined to trust either you or the
Marquis de Lafayette."

"He was justified perhaps in not trusting me on so slight an
acquaintance. I do not blame him. Still, I am much puzzled by his
subsequent actions, and the fact remains that while Lucien Bruslart has
done little for you, or so at least it appears, this man Latour most
certainly risked his life to get you out of the Abbaye prison."

"Yes; I do not understand it," said Jeanne; and then after a pause she
went on, "You read all my letter?"

"A dozen times," Barrington answered.

"Does it not help you to understand something?"

"Mademoiselle, you ask me a difficult question. I answer it directly,
and in spite of the fact that it must pain you, only because of the
seriousness of your position. I have never trusted Lucien Bruslart. I
believe he has played you false from first to last in this affair. I
believe he sent for you to come to Paris; how else could your coming
here have been arranged for? Honestly, I have tried to drive these
thoughts out of my mind as treacherous and unworthy, but your letter
seems only to confirm them. How is it your fees to thi