g a long series of exhaustive
arguments designed to prove it your duty to leave your jewels where
they are, in all their noble insecurity. This in the firm belief that
to plead with you long enough to adopt this course will result in your
going and doing otherwise out of sheer..."

"Perversity, monsieur?"

"Humanity, madame!"

Eve de Montalais laughed the charming, low-keyed laugh of a happily
diverted woman.

"But spare yourself, monsieur. I surrender at discretion: I will do as
you wish."

"Truly? Rather than listen to my discourse, you actually agree to
remove your jewels to a safe place?"

"Even so, monsieur. As soon as you are able to get about, and the
Chateau de Montalais lacks a guest, I will leave Louise to take care of
madame ma mere for a few days while I journey to Paris--"

"Alone?"

"But naturally."

"Taking your jewels with you?"

"Why else do I go?"

"But, madame, you must not--"

"And why?"

"You, a woman! travel alone to Paris with a treasure in jewels? Ah, no!
I should say not!"

"Monsieur is emphatic," Eve suggested demurely.

"Monsieur means to be. Rather than let you run such a risk I would
steal the jewels myself, convey them to Paris, put them in safe
keeping, and send you the receipt."

"What a lot of trouble monsieur would save me, if he would only be so
kind as to do as he threatens."

"And how amusing if he were arrested en route," Duchemin supplemented
with a wry smile.

"I am quite confident of your ability to elude the police, monsieur."

"Do I hear you compliment me?"

"If you take it so..."

"But suppose you were not confident of my good will?"

"Impossible."

"Madame is too flattering; one is sure she is too wise to put so great
a temptation in the way of any man."

"Monsieur is the reverse of flattering; he implies that one does not
know where one can repose trust."

"I must warn madame there are those in this world who would call her
faith misplaced."

"Doubtless. But what of that? Am I to distrust you because others might
who do not know you so well?"

"But--madame--you can hardly claim to know me well.

"Listen, my friend." Eve de Montalais flicked away her cigarette and
sat forward, elbows on knees, hands laced, her level gaze holding his.
"It is true, our acquaintance is barely three weeks old; but you do
injustice to my insight if you assume I have learned nothing about you
in all that time. You have not been secretive with me. The mask yo