“We will see about that. You are doing splendid service here, but you must not stay lest this Tiger should seek to carry out his threat. Besides, Mademoiselle de Malincourt would gladly have you with her. Could you get this lover of yours to leave the Castle with you for a walk, say in the grove on the way to Malincourt?” “He would take me to Malincourt itself if I asked him, I think,” she replied with the air in which she had referred to Antoine before; and Pascal smiled. “He offered once, asking if I did not need some things from there.” “Good! Be there at noon at the gate by the cedars at the south end of the gardens, and I will see to the rest. And now, you had better go. Wait--one question. Do you know aught of de Proballe?” “He is with the Governor, and both are away in the city.” “And that spy of his, Dauban. When the soldiers searched Malincourt they found him where I had put him in one of the cellars, and carried him away with them.” “He is here in the Castle, monsieur. I’ve seen him.” “The devil he is! He must not see me. Twice he has slipped through my fingers, but it shall go harder with him the third time. He is dangerous.” “He is not dangerous to me, monsieur.” “What, another?” cried Pascal, laughing. “Why, mademoiselle, I begin to fear for myself.” “Monsieur!” said Lucette, using her eyes. “You are a witch, Lucette, with those eyes of yours. But if you can get hold of this Dauban, lead him away from these lower rooms for an hour while I am still here, or you may have one admirer the less.” “You mean--M. Dauban?” she asked coquettishly. “On my soul, it’s in your very blood, mademoiselle. But I am shot-proof,” he laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “At noon, then, by the cedar gate--that is how we call it.” “Yes, at the cedar gate; and till then--good fortune to you.” With a last coquettish glance and a smile, Lucette went to the door, opened it cautiously, peeped out, and stepped back hurriedly. “Antoine and Jacques Dauban are together at the far end of the corridor, monsieur, coming this way. Have a care,” she whispered hurriedly. “Is there a hiding place here?” he asked. “Alas! no, monsieur.” “Very well; then if they come in some of us will not go out again,” he answered coolly, and stepping behind the door he loosened a knife he had concealed under his coat. “Leave the door open.” Lucette stood where she could not be seen by any one passing; and they waited thus in suspense as the sound of footsteps on the stones without came nearer. She turned pale and clenched her hands and began to mutter a prayer as the steps came close and the murmur of the two men as they talked in low tones reached their ears. They were discussing the one absorbing topic--the prisoners’ escape and the subsequent events, and they paused close to the open door. “I tell you it is not possible, Master Dauban,” Antoine said. “There is not a spot in the walls ten yards wide that has not one or more soldiers.”