r," broke in the sharp, somewhat high, thin voice of the old
Marquis standing by the door, "the court-martial brands you as a
traitor. Captain Yeovil and those who were with me last night think
you are a thief and worse. But, by St. Louis," continued the old
noble, fingering his cross, as was his wont in moments in which he was
deeply moved, "I know that you are a soldier and a gentleman."

"A soldier, yes; but a gentleman?--only 'almost,' my lord."

"Not almost but altogether. There is not another man in France who
could withstand such a plea from such a woman."

"You heard!" exclaimed Marteau.

"Only the last words. I heard her beg you to live because she loved
you."

"And you did not hear----"

"I heard nothing else," said the Marquis firmly. "Would I listen? I
spoke almost as soon as I came in. Laure, these Marteaux have lived
long enough by the side of the d'Aumeniers to have become ennobled by
the contact," he went on naively. "I now know the young man as I know
myself. It is useless for you to plead longer. I come to take you
away."

"Oh, not yet, not yet."

"Go," said the young officer. "Indeed, I cannot endure this longer,
and I must summon my fortitude for to-morrow."

"As for that," said the Marquis, "there must be a postponement of the
execution."

"I ask it not, monsieur. It is no favor to me for you to----"

"Thank God! Thank God!" cried the woman. "Every hour means----"

"And I am not postponing it because of you," continued the Marquis
coolly. "But he who must not be named----"

"The Emperor."

"So you call him--has landed."

"Yes, yes; for God's sake, tell me more."

"I have no objection to telling you all. He is on the march toward
Grenoble. He will be here tomorrow night. Troops have been sent for
and will assemble here. He will be met in the gap on the road a few
miles below the town. He will be taken. If he resists he will be
shot."

"Yes, the violets have bloomed again."

"And they shall draw red nourishment from the soil of France," was the
prophetic answer.

"The Emperor!" cried the young man in an exultant dream, "in France
again! The Emperor!"

"And so your execution will be deferred until we come back. The
Emperor may take warning from it when he witnesses it," continued the
imperturbable old royalist.

"I shall see him once more."

"As a prisoner."

Marteau started to speak, checked himself.

"For the last time," said the girl, "I beg--