“Go you on with mademoiselle, then,” said the soldier, “and do you come with me, monsieur,” and at a sign from him three of the men closed round Antoine, and made it perfectly clear that they meant to use force if necessary. At that moment Lucette turned and smiled. “You would have used me as a decoy, monsieur? Come then to the house and we will see how it can be best done.” With a great oath in his mortification and bewilderment, he sheathed his sword and seeing resistance was useless, marched on between the soldiers. CHAPTER XXIV SUSPENSE Jacques Dauban, in his pleasure at escaping from Antoine’s very angry threats, hurried forward to the house with Lucette, unsuspiciously, and said little beyond a word or two of rebuke for her disclosure of their mutual plan. “You should not have said anything. It may increase the difficulty of getting rid of him.” “But I would not have him think he could use me as a decoy.” “It would have been safer to have told him afterwards.” “Safer? You do not mean you are afraid of him, Jacques,” and look and tone and gesture were alike eloquent of indignant repudiation of the thought. “Afraid of him? Indeed, no,” he replied stoutly, but with a timorous glance over his shoulder. “If you were a coward, oh----” and her disgust was intense. “I am no coward, but prudence is always valuable,” and in this way she plagued him till they reached the house, and as they entered the door they were met by Pascal. Lucette gave a little cry of pretended alarm, and Dauban changed colour in alarm that was very far from pretence. “Ah, you recognize me, I see,” said Pascal, with an ominous smile. Dauban gazed at him a moment and then at Lucette, and in that moment the truth dawned upon him. He saw how he had been fooled, and with a cry of rage and despair, he raised his arm and rushed at Lucette to strike her. But Pascal caught his hand and thrust it back. “Stay, little spy, stay. If you’ve a fancy for striking some one, strike me, not a girl.” “So you are not a coward. Is this the proof?” asked Lucette. “Master Dauban has brought me to Malincourt, monsieur, in order that I may get a disguise for Mademoiselle de Malincourt, and then go with him to Crevasse to find the fugitives there and hand over M. Gerard and the monk to the soldiery after enabling miladi to escape. He will be able to get me out of the city with a permit which he has thoughtfully brought with him.” Pascal laughed. “You she-devil!” cried Dauban, white and trembling with his passion. “Both you and Antoine had a frenzy to use me as a decoy; well, you have had your way--and a lesson,” and with a laugh she went away. “You seem to have made a mess of things, spy,” said Pascal. “Give me the permit she spoke of.” “She lied, as she has lied all through. I have no such thing.” “Come, no nonsense,” said Pascal sternly. “Hand it over. I am in good humour as yet, and may not hurt even you. But don’t put me in a bad one.”