e Porte Neuve. If you succeed--Listen
to me, you fellows. You will deliver mademoiselle into Monsieur's hands,
or answer to me for it. If any one touches her little finger--well,
trust me!"

"That's understood," we answered, saluting together.

"Mademoiselle need have no doubts of them," Vigo said. "Felix is M. le
Comte's own henchman. And Gilles is the best man in the household, next
to me. God speed you, my lady. I am here, if they turn you back."

We went boldly round the corner and up the street to the gate. The
sentry walking his beat ordered us away without so much as looking at
us. Then Gilles, appointed our spokesman, demanded to see the captain of
the watch. His errand was urgent.

But the sentry showed no disposition to budge. Had we a passport? No, we
had no passport. Then we could go about our business. There was no
leaving Paris to-night for us. Call the captain? No; he would do nothing
of the kind. Be off, then!

But at this moment, hearing the altercation, the officer himself came
out of the guard-room in the tower, and to him Gilles at once began his
story. Our mother at St. Denis had sent for us to come to her dying bed.
He was a street-porter; the messenger had had trouble to find him. His
young brother and sister were in service, kept to their duties till
late. Our mother might even now be yielding up the ghost! It was a
pitiful case, M. le Capitaine; might we not be permitted to pass?

The young officer appeared less interested in this moving tale than in
the face of mademoiselle, lighted up by the flambeau on the tower wall.

"I should be glad to oblige your charming sister," he returned, smiling,
"but none goes out of the city without a passport. Perhaps you have one,
though, from my Lord Mayenne?"

"Would our kind be carrying a passport from the Duke of Mayenne?" quoth
Gilles.

"It seems improbable," the officer smiled, pleased with his wit. "Sorry
to discommode you, my dear. But perhaps, lacking a passport, you can yet
oblige me with the countersign, which does as well. Just one little
word, now, and I'll let you through."

[Illustration: "IT DESOLATES ME TO HEAR OF HER EXTREMITY."]

"If monsieur will tell me the little word?" she asked innocently.

He burst into laughter.

"No, no; I am not to be caught so easy as that, my girl."

"Oh, come, monsieur captain," Gilles urged, "many and many a fellow goes
in and out of Paris without a passport. The rules are a net to stop big
fish