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286 battery of her eyes into action, and he answered her smile with another.

"Not quite that, mademoiselle; pray be reassured. But some strange things have happened"

"This is surely one of them, monsieur," she interposed, with a shrug of her pretty shoulders and a little grimace of dismay.

"You know that we are looking for some prisoners who escaped last night from the Castle and"

"Prisoners! And you look for them in Malincourt. Monsieur!" Admirably assumed indignation it was, and every interruption meant a gain of time. "Do you think we harbour thieves and malefactors here?"

"These are no ordinary prisoners, mademoiselle," he replied with another smile. He found Lucette's eyes very pleasing to gaze into.

"And you are no ordinary thief-catcher, monsieur. A gallant captain like yourself must find such work little to your taste."

"We have to obey orders, mademoiselle."

"And frighten poor girls out of their wits, it seems. I thought all soldiers were as gallant as most of them are handsome," and she pointed this with a very telling glance.

"You need be in no fear, mademoiselle, if you will but let us do our duty."

"Then you are not going to arrest me?" and she laughed, and added as she made more havoc with her eyes: "I think I could trust myself to you, monsieur."

"Is Mademoiselle de Malincourt here?"

"Mademoiselle de Malincourt!" This in a tone of intense astonishment. "What will you ask me next? Is she one of your escaped prisoners?" and Lucette burst into a peal of merry laughter.

"His Excellency the Governor is anxious to see her at the Castle, and we are to escort her there."