n," said the
old port-aigle dubiously. "He is saving our lives at the risk of his
own if they should find him--which is likely."

"Messieurs," said Marteau quickly, "I am not preserving your lives for
yourselves."

"Why, then?" asked an officer.

"That you may be ready," said the young man, throwing his cloak about
his shoulders, seizing the Eagle with his hands, "when the violets
bloom again."

As they stared at him he saluted, turned on his heel, opened the door
and went out.

CHAPTER XXI

LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT

The reception was over. The last guest had departed. The house had
been closed. Sir Gervaise Yeovil and his son and the Countess Laure
had bidden the old Marquis good night and retired to their several
apartments. There were wakeful hours ahead for the Governor, who
repaired to his cabinet and got to work. The tidings which had been
brought him by the young Baron St. Laurent were sufficiently grave and
perturbing to render sleep impossible, even if he had nothing to do.
In great astonishment the Marquis had questioned Major Lestoype closely
and from him had received a frank and accurate version of the whole
affair. The Major would have died rather than betray a comrade, but in
this instance the betrayal had already been effected and there was
nothing whatever to be gained, from Marteau's point of view or from
anybody's point of view, by an attempt at concealment.

The old Marquis had acted with dazzling promptitude. His personal
escort had consisted of a troop of loyalist cavalry from the King's
household guard and it had not yet returned to Paris. He could depend
absolutely upon these men. They had none of them been soldiers of the
grand armies of the Emperor. They had been recruited in loyal and
long-suffering Vendee. He placed them under the command of St.
Laurent, of whose conduct he highly approved, being in ignorance of the
offer of secrecy made by that young soldier, Lestoype being too fine a
man to attempt to better his case by bringing the Lieutenant into
disgrace. This detachment had searched the Major's quarters
thoroughly. They had found them, of course, deserted.

Captain Grenier, being forthwith summoned to headquarters, had stated
truthfully that Marteau had taken the Eagle and gone and thereafter the
assembly had dispersed. He declared upon his word of honor that he had
no knowledge where he had gone or what he had done with the Eagle. The
Marquis had a co