ermitted small
opportunity for words.

"Ah! so it is you, you black-faced Arab?" he exclaimed sneeringly, as
the Commandant of the guard peered curiously in. "Not content to wait
the striking of the ship's bell, you must even interrupt my prayers.
Nice treatment of a gentleman his last night on earth, to push yourself
in between him and the consolations of the holy father. _Sacre_! had I
only a small sword at my side I would write a message across your black
Spanish heart which would teach your master how to guard a French
cavalier safely, and still be decent about it."

It is doubtful whether the officer comprehended this tirade. It was
voiced in French, yet tone and manner must have conveyed much of its
import, for I distinguished a muttered word or so regarding the
unpleasant duty of a soldier, and the length of time the priest had
retained the key, ere the intruder finally backed out closing the door
behind him. I clung to my knees, however, until his retreating
footsteps had died entirely away in the distance; even until De Noyan
addressed me again in his exasperating drawl.

"So, Father, you must now realize, if never before, how highly I value
your ministrations. Faith! never until this hour have I truly enjoyed
the prayers of any _padre_; I knew not what I missed. Still there is
limit even to such pleasure, and it is time now to conclude; I have
heard better Latin in my day, while your provincial accent rasps
painfully upon the ears."

"You made your play quite well, Monsieur," I said shortly, somewhat
mortified he should thus take the leadership out of my hands at the
first symptom of danger. "But there must be something besides
play-acting for us to-night if we get free of this ship. So come now;
do you get into the box?"

He looked down at it doubtfully, with a shrug of the shoulders.

"_Pardieu_! I would ask certain questions first," he said with greater
show of seriousness. "For how long a time? for what sort of a passage?
It will prove somewhat cramped, I take it, for a man of my length of
limb."

"I hope both may prove short," I returned, continuing to hold up the
lid for him to enter. "Yet I know of no other possible means whereby
you can leave this room without being halted by the guard at the door.
There is no certainty in this, yet there is a chance, Chevalier, and
that ought always to be invitation to a brave man. Beyond this it is
God's affair."

The soldier twisted his long m