Page:A courier of fortune (1904).djvu/288

270 "Indeed, he did. Didn't you, Jacques?" and her sharp eyes were on him now much to his uneasiness.

"I didn't say that exactly," he replied.

"Jacques!" cried Lucette in an indignant tone.

"You mistook me."

"Well, what did you say then?"

"Aye, Master Dauban, let's have that. Let's hear what you did say," and Antoine frowned darkly.

"I don't remember exactly what I said. And it doesn't matter."

"By your leave, but it does matter." Antoine was growing more angry.

"Now, don't begin to quarrel," exclaimed Lucette, pouring oil on to the flames with a dexterous hand. "Master Dauban only said that you meant to use me as a decoy to find mademoiselle, and then I agreed to help him to get the money for himself if he promised to save mademoiselle and only capture this de Cobalt."

"A thousand devils! Is that true, Master Dauban?" cried Antoine in a voice of rage at this proof of treachery.

"Oh, what have I said!" exclaimed Lucette in distress. "Oh, Antoine, don't look at him like that. You frighten me. You must not harm him."

"Why are you so zealous for him? Do you care? By Heaven! look to yourself there, you Dauban," and out flashed his sword.

"Oh, Antoine, Antoine, dear Antoine, you must not, you must not," she cried, clinging to his sword-arm. But he shook her off and turned upon Dauban, who was deadly white.

They stood now just within the gate of Malincourt.

"Come, Master Dauban, if you've anything to say, say it," said Antoine in a very threatening tone.

"I—I can explain all this," answered Dauban anxiously. "There has been a mistake. Let me speak alone with you."