By and by, out of an infinite
past, something struggled to the old woman's eyes, and Parpon's heart
almost burst in his anxiety. At length her look steadied. Memory,
recognition, showed in her face.

With a wild cry her gaunt arms stretched across, and caught the great
head to her breast.

"Where have you been so long, Parpon--my son?" she said.

CHAPTER XV

Valmond's strength came back quickly, but something had given his mind
a new colour. He felt, by a strange telegraphy of fate, that he had been
spared death by fever to meet an end more in keeping with the strange
exploit which now was coming to a crisis. The next day he was going back
to Dalgrothe Mountain, the day after that there should be final review,
and the succeeding day the march to the sea would begin. A move must be
made. There could be no more delay. He had so lost himself in the dream,
that it had become real, and he himself was the splendid adventurer, the
maker of empires. True, he had only a small band of ill-armed men, but
better arms could be got, and by the time they reached the sea--who
could tell!

As he sat alone in the quiet dusk of his room at the Louis Quinze
waiting for Parpon, there came a tap at his door. It opened, the garcon
mumbled something, and Madame Chalice entered slowly.

Her look had no particular sympathy, but there was a sort of
friendliness in the rich colour of her face, in the brightness of her
eyes.

"The avocat was to have accompanied me," she said; "but at the last I
thought it better to come without him, because--"

She paused. "Yes, madame--because?" he asked, offering her a chair. He
was dressed in simple black, as on that first day when he called at the
Manor, and it set off the ivory paleness of his complexion, making his
face delicate yet strong.

She looked round the room, almost casually, before she went on

"Because what I have to say were better said to you alone--much better."

"I am sure you are right," he answered, as though he trusted her
judgment utterly; and truly there was always something boy-like in his
attitude towards her. The compliment was unstudied and pleasant, but
she steeled herself for her task. She knew instinctively that she had
influence with him, and she meant to use it to its utmost limit.

"I am glad, we are all glad, you are better," she said cordially; then
added, "how do your affairs come on? What are your plans?"

Valmond forgot that she was his inquisitor; he