ank this poor girl, and reward her, ay, though I share every doit in
my purse with her. Do not you?"

"Parbleu."

"Where shall we find her?"

"Mayhap the alderman will tell us. We must go to him first."

The alderman received them with a most singular and inexplicable
expression of countenance. However, after a moment's reflection, he wore
a grim smile, and finally proceeded to put interrogatories to Gerard,
and took down the answers. This done, he told them that they must
stay in the town till the thieves were tried, and be at hand to give
evidence, on peril of fine and imprisonment. They looked very blank at
this.

"However," said he, "'twill not be long, the culprits having been taken
red-handed." He added, "And you know, in any case you could not leave
the place this week."

Denys stared at this remark, and Gerard smiled at what he thought the
simplicity of the old gentleman in dreaming that a provincial town of
Burgundy had attraction to detain him from Rome and Margaret.

He now went to that which was nearest both their hearts.

"Your worship," said he, "we cannot find our benefactress in the town."

"Nay, but who is your benefactress?"

"Who? why the good girl that came to you by night and saved our lives at
peril of her own. Oh sir, our hearts burn within us to thank and bless
her; where is she?"

CHAPTER XXXVI

"In prison, sir; good lack, for what misdeed?"

"Well, she is a witness, and may be a necessary one."

"Why, Messire Bailiff," put in Denys, "you lay not all your witnesses by
the heels I trow."

The alderman, pleased at being called bailiff, became communicative.
"In a case of blood we detain all testimony that is like to give us leg
bail, and so defeat justice, and that is why we still keep the women
folk. For a man at odd times hides a week in one mind, but a woman, if
she do her duty to the realm o' Friday, she shall undo it afore Sunday,
or try. Could you see yon wench now, you should find her a-blubbering
at having betrayed five males to the gallows. Had they been females,
we might have trusted to a subpoena. For they despise one another.
And there they show some sense. But now I think on't, there were other
reasons for laying this one by the heels. Hand me those depositions,
young sir." And he put on his glasses. "Ay! she was implicated; she was
one of the band."

A loud disclaimer burst from Denys and Gerard at once.

"No need to deave me," said the alderman. "Here 'tis