rl he had come to find.

Dressed all in black and thickly veiled, Mademoiselle Vseslavitch
came quickly out of the doorway and walked down the street.

Paul, who had previously taken the precaution to settle his score,
immediately rose and walked after her.

The street was so narrow and there were so many people about that he
had to follow pretty closely in order to avoid losing her. He noted
with some surprise that she walked straight ahead, as though with
studied purpose, never faltering and never so much as glancing to the
right or to the left.

Down the hill they went and so into the space about the cathedral,
where busy women had set out their wares--poultry, pottery, vegetables
and the like.

More than one head was turned to note the quick, silent passage of
Mademoiselle Vseslavitch. Hers, indeed, was a physique which could
not have escaped notice, no matter what its surroundings.

On the market-square, having a clearer view before him, Paul slackened
his pace and allowed the distance to increase between them.

Still the beautiful Russian lady walked straight ahead, as one who
follows an oft-trodden path and knows full well whither that path
leads.

She moved up the cathedral steps, and as she did so Paul saw
approaching the sombre figure of the black-bearded man whose presence
in the little street by the _Hotel de la Republique_ had aroused his
interest earlier in the morning.

But though their steps were evidently leading them to the same spot,
neither the black-bearded man nor Mademoiselle Vseslavitch made the
least sign that either was aware of the other's presence. The girl
passed into the cathedral, the man following closely on her heels.

In fear of losing sight of them Paul almost ran across the square and
darted up the cathedral steps. But for all his speed his feet fell
silently, so that neither the girl nor the man who followed her,
heard.

CHAPTER IX

Once in the cathedral, Paul paused in his pursuit.

The picturesque interior was aglow with the declining rays of the sun,
which streamed through a large window behind the organ upon a great
silver Calvary surmounting the high altar, and gilded the white caps
of a handful of old _bourgeoises_ sprinkled here and there in the
straight-backed pews.

The bell tolled and a low murmuring began. They were reciting the
Office of the Rosary. Paul was stirred by the scene as never before by
any devotional services and in spite of his eage