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76 strangely and had broken out into a torrent of abuse of him. Then he had gone on to tell Lucette things which, added to what she had heard from Jacques Dauban on the previous evening, had frightened her profoundly.

But this sudden violent passion so weakened Denys that a relapse followed; and thus Lucette had been left with a half-told tale which he had conjured her to carry to Gabrielle at once. She was at her wits' end what to do, and when she heard that Gerard had arrived and was to be lodged in rooms adjoining, she found occasion to loiter about until she encountered Pascal.

Her pretty face and distracted looks went straight to his sympathies, and when of her own motion she spoke to him, he soon forgot all about Gerard's counsel.

"You are here with M. de Cobalt, monsieur?" she said.

"Certainly, mademoiselle, as certainly as that you are here with some trouble of another kind than a captious master. Although trouble may be a master of any of us for that matter."

Lucette was watching him, and found him good to look upon. Handsome, frank-faced and clear-eyed, with the stamp of truth.

"You, too, are a soldier, monsieur?"

"When I am not anything else, mademoiselle. But in times like these a man plays many parts." She has handsome eyes, and knows how to use them, was his thought.

"You have been long with M. de Cobalt, no doubt?"

"I don't know, mademoiselle," was his unexpected reply, given with an engaging smile.

He has a dangerous smile, this servant, and speaks with an air, said Lucette to herself.

She is going to try and pump me, was Pascal's unspoken warning to himself.

"Don't know, monsieur! How can that be?"