hand, as though he thought him still a prince, and not the
impostor which the British rifles had declared him. To the end, the
coterie would act according to the light of their own eyes.

"It is now but a step--to anything," repeated Valmond.

The Cure understood him at last. "The longest journey is short by the
light of the grave," he responded gently.

Presently the door opened, admitting the avocat. Valmond calmly met
Monsieur Garon's pained look, and courteously whispered his name.

"Your Excellency has been basely treated," said the avocat, his lip
trembling.

"On the contrary, well, dear monsieur," answered the ruined adventurer.
"Destiny plays us all. Think: I die the death of a soldier, and my
crusade was a soldier's vision of conquest. I have paid the price. I
have--"

He did not finish the sentence, but lay lost in thought. At last he
spoke in a low tone to the avocat, who quickly began writing at his
dictation.

The chief clause of the record was a legacy of ten thousand francs to
"my faithful Minister and constant friend, Monsieur Parpon;" another of
ten thousand to Madame Joan Degardy, "whose skill and care of me merits
more than I can requite;" twenty thousand to "the Church of St. Nazaire
of the parish of Pontiac," five thousand to "the beloved Monsieur Fabre,
cure of the same parish, to whose good and charitable heart I come
for my last comforts;" twenty thousand to "Mademoiselle Madelinette
Lajeunesse, that she may learn singing under the best masters in Paris."
To Madame Chalice he left all his personal effects, ornaments, and
relics, save a certain decoration given the old sergeant, and a ring
once worn by the Emperor Napoleon. These were for a gift to "dear
Monsieur Garon, who has honoured me with his distinguished friendship;
and I pray that our mutual love for the same cause may give me some
title to his remembrance."

Here the avocat stopped him with a quick, protesting gesture.

"Your Excellency! your Excellency!" he said in a shaking voice, "my
heart has been with the man as with the cause."

Other legacies were given to Medallion, to the family of Lagroin, of
whom he still spoke as "my beloved General who died for me;" and ten
francs to each recruit who had come to his standard.

After a long pause, he said lingeringly: "To Mademoiselle Elise Malboir,
the memory of whose devotion and solicitude gives me joy in my last
hour, I bequeath fifty thousand francs. In the event of her dea