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Rh "Monsieur!" exclaimed Dubois angrily. "Of what do you accuse me?"

"I make no accusation, captain. But I have to search the house."

"Well, send your men to search it," and Dubois got up and stood by the door, thus barring the way out of the house. If the officer sent the Bourbon men they would find nothing, he knew; if he went himself, he would find more than he would be allowed to take away.

The officer hesitated a moment and then decided—

"I'll search for myself and trust my own eyes this time."

"It's all one to me," answered Dubois with a shrug.

Three men were called on to accompany the officer, and all four were leaving the room, when Gerard, who had heard what had passed, met him at the door.

"Ah!" was the officer's significant exclamation at sight of him, "as I thought," and he turned with a smile of triumph to Dubois.

But the smile died away instantly.

Dubois was standing before the door with his drawn sword in his hand.

It was he who smiled now, and a grim, significant, dangerous smile it was.