voices as they met midway and challenged came at intervals to his
ears. It must be hard on ten o'clock. Or, no, there was the bell of St.
Peter's proclaiming the half-hour after nine.

He was ashamed to return to the house, yet he must return; and
by-and-by, reluctantly and doggedly, he set his face that way. The wind
and rain had cooled his brow, but not his brain, and he was still in a
fever of resentment and shame when his lagging feet brought him to the
house. He passed it irresolutely once, unable to make up his mind to
enter and face them. Then, cursing himself for a poltroon, he turned
again and made for the door.

He was within half a dozen strides of it when a dark figure detached
itself from the doorway, and stumbled down the steps. Its aim seemed to
be to escape, and leaping to the conclusion that it was Gentilis, and
that some trick was being prepared for him, Claude sprang forward. His
hand shot out, he grasped the other's neck. His wrath blazed up.

"You rogue!" he said. "I'll teach you to lie in wait for me!" And
shifting his grasp from the man's neck to his shoulder, he turned him
round regardless of his struggles. As he did so the man's hat fell off.
With amazement Claude recognised the features of the Syndic Blondel.

The young man's arm fell, and he stared, open-mouthed and aghast, the
passion with which he had seized the stranger whelmed in astonishment.

The Syndic, on the other hand, behaved with a strange composure.
Breathing rather quickly, but vouchsafing no word of explanation, he
straightened the crumpled linen about his neck, and set right his coat.
He was proceeding, still in silence, to pick up his hat, when Claude,
anticipating the action, secured the hat and restored it to him.

"Thank you," he said. And then, stiffly, "Come with me," he continued.

He turned as he spoke and led the way to a spot at some distance from
the house, yet within sight of the door; there he wheeled about. "I was
coming to see you," he said, steadfastly confronting Claude. "Why have
you not called upon me, young man, in accordance with the invitation I
gave you?"

Claude stared. The Syndic's matter-of-factness and the ease with which
he ignored what had just passed staggered him. Perhaps after all Blondel
had come for this, and had been startled while waiting at the door by
the quickness of his approach. "I--I had overlooked it," he murmured,
trying to accept the situation.

"Then," the Syndic answered s