t woman, pulling off his
hood and throwing aside the rest of his disguise. But I am a fool to
endanger you that way. Oh my darling, you who saved my life, is it not
rather to comfort you at times like this that I live?" and he knelt and
kissed her hand.

"Dearest," she answered softly, "you make my life happy in the very
midst of horrors."

"I am unworthy of your love," he returned mournfully, rising to his
feet.

"You say that too often; but have not the old reasons lost their force?
Even here we could make a home. Let us defer our marriage no longer."

"We cannot marry," he said slowly.

She thought he spoke of the prohibition of Christian rites by the law,
and said--"But Dominique knows of a priest, who is hidden in a cellar at
his cousin's."

He shook his head and she read a soul of infinite sorrow in his eyes as
they rested on her face.

"It is the thought of his own death," was the interpretation that
flashed upon her.

A rap was heard.

"Come in, Dominique," said he.

The list of inmates affixed to the front of the house would have
explained Germain's disguise. It read--

"The Citizen Dominique Levesque, boarding-house keeper.

"_The Citizeness Marie Levesque, his wife._

"The Citizeness Montmorency, sempstress."

"Citizeness Levesque" was sometimes observed about the house by the
neighbours, but the family, like many others, cultivated no intercourse.
Wearing the garb only whenever absolutely necessary, he took part each
day in whatever work was obtained to support the household, and at night
went out to keep track of what was happening.

At the time of the guillotining of the Queen, he was restrained with
difficulty from throwing his life away in an insane rush upon the
murderers.

"My Lady Baroness," Dominique said, clinging to all the old delicate
form of his respect--for the faithful servitor was as chivalrous as any
knight--"I regret to report that there is a new law compelling everybody
to take out cards of civism, as they call them, at the Hotel de Ville.
During the trouble at our door a few moments ago, some of the
_Sans-culottes_ threatened to return. I consider it absolutely necessary
that Madame and I should go at once and obtain these credentials."

"Is there no way of getting them without Madame? It looks to me
dangerous," Lecour said.

"The demand must be made in person, Monsieur le Chevalier. I have
thought that question over very carefully."

"If is the most dangerous t