ontempt at it he flung it on the table in front of De
Lorgnac, who had joined us, saying as he did so:

"There are De Ganache's letters. I had almost forgotten them."

The packet had fallen on the table, almost under De Lorgnac's eyes. Half
unconsciously he let his glance rest upon it, and then a strange
expression came into his face, and holding up the letters, he asked Le
Brusquet, with apparent unconcern:

"You have not looked at the writing, have you?"

"Not I! I dare swear 'tis some woman. Nothing else would be tied with
red ribbon and scented with musk. Throw the thing away. It is too thick
with memories of that traitor. My God! I did not think earth held so
foul a villain."

But Lorgnac took no notice of his last words, only the hand holding the
packet began to shake a little as he said slowly:

"As it happens, I know the writing well. It is a woman's hand------"

Both Le Brusquet and I turned on him, the same thought in our hearts.

"_She_!" I said, and half rising from my seat; but with an exclamation Le
Brusquet snatched the packet from De Lorgnac's hand. In a moment the
letters were opened, and he was reading them with feverish haste. There
were four letters in all, and when he had done he looked at us, and there
was the light of hope in his eyes.

"Speak, man!" And I gripped him by the arm. "I cannot bear this longer!"

"It is God's providence," he said solemnly as he grasped my hand.
"Orrain, take heart! We win! Read these--and you too, Lorgnac! When
you have read we must to the Queen at once."

CHAPTER XXIX

LA VALENTINOIS AND I

Monsieur de Crequy, his back to the light, stood in the embrasure of a
window, deeply engaged in examining his features in a small hand-glass
which he held daintily before him. The survey seemed to please
monsieur, for he showed his teeth in a simper of satisfaction, and
began to curl his black moustache between the forefinger and thumb of
his disengaged hand. So engrossed was he that he never observed me
coming up to him, and it was not until I was at his elbow that he
suddenly realised my presence.

"_Morbleu_!" and he hastily slipped the glass in his pocket, "wherever
did you spring from?"

"Not through the window, I assure you. I but came in the ordinary way.
Madame, I suppose, is within?" And I pointed to a closed door in front
of us.

Crequy nodded. "Yes; reposing after the fatigues of the day, and will
have none but a Chevalier