“And is that a crime, M. Gaoler?” she answered mockingly, with a toss of the head. “Maybe I was in better company,” and she glanced at Dauban, who smiled self-complacently. “Perhaps you would like me to be gyved to you by the wrist.” “Nearer the finger-tips than the wrist would suit me better, Lucette,” he laughed. “Well, a gaoler should be a judge of fetters, but I wear none.” “Not fetters, Lucette; a ring for the left hand,” he answered, looking at her with a bold admiration that was little to Dauban’s taste. “We have come to ask you a question, Antoine,” he said. “We?” echoed Antoine, with a sharp glance at Lucette. “I said ‘we.’ Lucette has need of certain things from Malincourt and would fain go there in quest of them. I told her there would be no difficulty were you and I to escort her there and back.” “It was very thoughtful of you--but she is my prisoner.” “She will be nobody’s prisoner the moment the fugitives are brought in from Crevasse.” “Then she will need no things from Malincourt,” returned Antoine sharply, with a knowing smile. But Lucette struck in at once briskly-- “Do you mean I cannot go? Say so openly, if you do, and I shall know what to think. It is when a poor girl is at such a pass as I am that she can judge her friends. Master Dauban, who knows more of these things in one tiny corner of his brain than you do in your whole body, said there would be no difficulty.” “Dauban hasn’t been put in charge of you and isn’t responsible to the Governor. I am,” said Antoine sulkily. “Master Dauban would take some risk to give a poor girl some pleasure, wouldn’t you, Jacques?” Antoine winced at the name thus glibly spoken. “There is no risk; but if there were I’d run it, readily enough.” “I know you would, Jacques. I know a friend when I see one. I don’t want to go now, monsieur,” she said to Antoine angrily. “If I know my friends, I also know my enemies. You are my gaoler, very well; you are afraid to do a little thing like this, very well. You make big promises and refuse this, again very well. Perhaps my gaoler has some orders to give?” and she looked at him with angry defiant eyes. “Lucette, I----” “No thank you. I don’t want to hear you. I won’t hear a word you say,” she cried, with a stamp of the foot. She could put a deal of meaning into that stamp of the foot. “I suppose a prisoner can go back into the Castle. Come, Jacques,” and she made as if to turn away. “I didn’t say you couldn’t go, Lucette. You’ve such a fiery temper,” said Antoine, all unwilling that she should leave like this. “Then you must find it very disagreeable to be with me,” she rapped back. “Come, Jacques,” and laid a hand on Dauban’s arm. But Dauban was now less set upon love-making than seeking to gain the thousand crowns, and he would not go. “Antoine did not say you should not go, Lucette; he only said there was more risk for him than for me. And that’s true.”