ould not then find the child. Seven leagues is not
far from the coast. He might slip through your fingers."

"And my colleague Heron, being disappointed, would inevitably send you
to the guillotine."

"Quite so," rejoined the prisoner placidly. "Methought, sir, that we.
had decided that I should lead this little expedition? Surely," he
added, "it is not so much the Dauphin whom you want as my share in this
betrayal."

"You are right as usual, Sir Percy. Therefore let us take that as
settled. We go as far as Crecy, and thence place ourselves entirely in
your hands."

"The journey should not take more than three days, sir."

"During which you will travel in a coach in the company of my friend
Heron."

"I could have chosen pleasanter company, sir; still, it will serve."

"This being settled, Sir Percy. I understand that you desire to
communicate with one of your followers."

"Some one must let the others know... those who have the Dauphin in
their charge."

"Quite so. Therefore I pray you write to one of your friends that you
have decided to deliver the Dauphin into our hands in exchange for your
own safety."

"You said just now that this you would not guarantee," interposed
Blakeney quietly.

"If all turns out well," retorted Chauvelin with a show of contempt,
"and if you will write the exact letter which I shall dictate, we might
even give you that guarantee."

"The quality of your mercy, sir, passes belief."

"Then I pray you write. Which of your followers will have the honour of
the communication?"

"My brother-in-law, Armand St. Just; he is still in Paris, I believe. He
can let the others know."

Chauvelin made no immediate reply. He 'paused awhile, hesitating. Would
Sir Percy Blakeney be ready--if his own safety demanded it--to sacrifice
the man who had betrayed him? In the momentous "either--or" that was to
be put to him, by-and-by, would he choose his own life and leave
Armand St. Just to perish? It was not for Chauvelin--or any man of his
stamp--to judge of what Blakeney would do under such circumstances, and
had it been a question of St. Just alone, mayhap Chauvelin would have
hesitated still more at the present juncture.

But the friend as hostage was only destined to be a minor leverage for
the final breaking-up of the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel through the
disgrace of its chief. There was the wife--Marguerite Blakeney--sister
of St. Just, joint and far more important hostage, whose v