out of it for the moment. "We shall never get any of our comrades to
serve as seconds. It's preposterous."

"Seconds! Damn the seconds! We don't want any seconds. Don't you worry
about any seconds. I shall send word to your friends to come and bury
you when I am done. And if you want any witnesses, I'll send word to the
old girl to put her head out of a window at the back. Stay! There's the
gardener. He'll do. He's as deaf as a post, but he has two eyes in his
head. Come along! I will teach you, my staff officer, that the carrying
about of a general's orders is not always child's play."

While thus discoursing he had unbuckled his empty scabbard. He sent it
flying under the bed, and, lowering the point of the sword, brushed past
the perplexed Lieut. D'Hubert, exclaiming, "Follow me!" Directly he had
flung open the door a faint shriek was heard and the pretty maid, who
had been listening at the keyhole, staggered away, putting the backs
of her hands over her eyes. Feraud did not seem to see her, but she ran
after him and seized his left arm. He shook her off, and then she rushed
towards Lieut. D'Hubert and clawed at the sleeve of his uniform.

"Wretched man!" she sobbed. "Is this what you wanted to find him for?"

"Let me go," entreated Lieut. D'Hubert, trying to disengage
himself gently. "It's like being in a madhouse," he protested, with
exasperation. "Do let me go! I won't do him any harm."

A fiendish laugh from Lieut. Feraud commented that assurance. "Come
along!" he shouted, with a stamp of his foot.

And Lieut. D'Hubert did follow. He could do nothing else. Yet in
vindication of his sanity it must be recorded that as he passed through
the ante-room the notion of opening the street door and bolting out
presented itself to this brave youth, only of course to be instantly
dismissed, for he felt sure that the other would pursue him without
shame or compunction. And the prospect of an officer of hussars being
chased along the street by another officer of hussars with a naked sword
could not be for a moment entertained. Therefore he followed into the
garden. Behind them the girl tottered out, too. With ashy lips and wild,
scared eyes, she surrendered herself to a dreadful curiosity. She had
also the notion of rushing if need be between Lieut. Feraud and death.

The deaf gardener, utterly unconscious of approaching footsteps, went
on watering his flowers till Lieut. Feraud thumped him on the back.
Beholding suddenl