e. "Never, _monseigneur_."

"Why do you call me that?" said Saltash.

She coloured at the abrupt question. "It suits you."

He made his monkeyish grimace, and suddenly dropped his eyes to the
blue-veined wrist in his grasp. "Are you happy, _mignonne_?" he asked
her, still obviously in jesting mood.

Toby's eyes dropped also. She mutely nodded.

"The truth, Nonette?" His look flashed over her; his tone was imperious.

She nodded again. "I always tell you--the truth."

He began to laugh. "_Mais vraiment_! I had not thought that likely. Then
you do not want to leave me--yet?"

"Leave you!" Her eyes came up to his in wide amazement. "I!"

"We have been married three days," he reminded her, with comically
working brows. "And I--have I not already begun to leave you--to neglect
you?"

"I--I--I never expected--anything else," stammered Toby, suddenly
averting her face.

He patted her cheek with careless kindliness. "How wise of you, my dear!
How wise! Then you are not yet--sufficiently _ennuyee_ to desire to leave
me?"

"Why--why do you ask?" questioned Toby.

There was a species of malicious humour about him that made her uneasy.
Saltash in a mischievous mood was not always easy to restrain. He did not
immediately reply to her question, and she turned with a hint of panic
and tightly clasped his arm.

"It is--you who are--_ennuye_!" she said, with piteous eyes upraised.

He flicked her cheek with his thumb, his odd eyes gleaming. "Not so,
_Miladi_ Saltash! For me--the game is just begun. But--should you desire
to leave me--the opportunity is yours. A knight has arrived to the
rescue--a very puissant knight!"

"A knight!" gasped Toby, trembling. "Ah! Tell me what you mean!"

His look was openly mocking. "A knight in gaiters!" he told her
lightly. "A knight who bears--or should bear--a horsewhip in place of
a sword--that is, if I know him aright!"

"Jake!" she gasped incredulously.

He laughed afresh. "Even so! Jake! Most worthy--and most obtrusive! What
shall we do with him, lady mine? Slay him--or give him a feed and send
him home?"

She stared at him, aghast. "You--you--you are joking!" she stammered.

"I always joke when I am most serious," Saltash assured her.

"Oh, don't!" She clung closer to his arm. "What shall we do? He--he can't
do anything, can he? We--we--we really are married, aren't we?"

Saltash's most appalling grimace fled like a hunted goblin across his
face. "Married? Heavens, chi