ting gesture, whereupon I continued:

"This being so, I have bethought me that it will suffice if I take but
three or four men and the sergeant as an escort, and cross the river
with our prisoner after nightfall, travelling along the opposite shore
until we reach Orleans. What think you, Lieutenant?"

He shrugged his shoulders again.

"'T is you who command here," he answered with apathy, "not I."

"Nevertheless, do you not think the plan a safe one, as well as one that
will allay his Eminence's very natural impatience?"

"Oh, it is safe enough, I doubt not," he replied coldly.

"Your enthusiasm determines me," quoth I, with an irony that made him
wince. "And we will follow the plan, since you agree with me touching
its excellence. But keep the matter to yourself until an hour or so
after sunset."

He bowed, so utterly my dupe that I could have laughed at him.
Then--"There is a little matter that I would mention," he said.
"Mademoiselle de Canaples has expressed a wish to accompany her father
to Paris and has asked me whether this will be permitted her."

My heart leaped. Surely the gods fought on my side!

"I cannot permit it," I answered icily.

"Monsieur, you are pitiless," he protested in a tone of indignation for
which I would gladly have embraced him.

I feigned to ponder.

"The matter needs consideration. Tell Mademoiselle that I will discuss
it with her at noon, if she will condescend to await me on the terrace;
I will then give her my definite reply. And now, Lieutenant, let us
breakfast."

As completely as I had duped Montresor did I presently dupe those of
the troopers with whom I came in contact, among others the sergeant--and
anon the Chevalier himself.

From the brief interview that I had with him I discovered that whilst he
but vaguely suspected me to be St. Auban--and when I say "he
suspected me" I mean he suspected him whose place I had taken--he was,
nevertheless, aware of the profit which his captor, whoever he might be,
derived from this business. It soon grew clear to me from what he said
that St. Auban had mocked him with it whilst concealing his identity;
that he had told him how he had obtained from Malpertuis the treasonable
letter, and of the bargain which it had enabled him to strike with
Mazarin. I did not long remain in his company, and, deeming the time
not yet ripe for disclosures, I said little in answer to his lengthy
tirades, which had, I guessed, for scope to trap me i