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Rh "Have I no eyes? I put a plan to him to-day—to hold this Governor a prisoner when we had him safe, and seize the Castle itself. A week ago he would have thought of it for himself, but to-day he would scarcely hear it mentioned. He only hesitated out of fear for her. Love's best for a soldier when it crosses him."

"She's a sweet and lovely creature; were his case mine I should feel the same."

"I don't gainsay it, but I've been married," Dubois answered drily, with a short grim laugh.

"And that has made you the cynic you are, eh? I'm wiser than you, Dubois. I stop short of the plunge into the abyss of disillusion; it's the easier side to laugh on. But now we must do something."

"There'll be plenty doing before the day ends."

"And I propose to find out what is to happen. I'm going to the Castle to spy out things."

"You'll take your life in your hands."

"So long as it stops in mine, what matters? I can go as one of the new soldiers and take my chance. Better that than taking cold here waiting for something to happen."

"It's a dare-devil step, but it's a good one," and after discussing it earnestly they agreed upon it and agreed also not to mention it to Gerard, and Pascal was soon on his way.