“Your name, monsieur.” “Tourelle. Leave me in peace.” “Christian name, please?” “Pascal. You are an insolent fellow.” “And mademoiselle’s name?” “It is no concern of yours.” “I heard it, monsieur, and yours too. Gerard the one and Gabrielle the other. That is enough for me. You must come with me.” “I will not. Don’t you dare to lay a finger on me,” and he made as if to offer a resistance. “You can explain to those at the Castle, monsieur. I can only obey orders.” “You touch me at your peril. I am an honest burgher.” “It’s no use, monsieur. You can see that,” and at a sign from him two of the men stepped forward. “You shall pay dearly for this outrage, and if I had a weapon----” “Ah, but you haven’t,” was the blunt reply; and the two soldiers laid their hands on him. “And you also, mademoiselle, please.” The little comedy was well acted to the end, and Pascal, full of protests, and Lucette in tears, were led away; the sergeant unable to repress a smile of intense satisfaction at the capture. They had not been gone long before the others came back to the room. “The ruse has answered, then,” said Gerard. “How brave of Lucette,” exclaimed Gabrielle. “I trust no harm will come to her for this.” “It cannot. It is but a few hours now before we shall be in command of the town and the Castle itself. And those hours will be consumed by this search. Can we go, Dubois?” “I should wait a while.” “I am in a fever to reach Malincourt,” replied Gerard anxiously. “I should not counsel our going so far. Could you not find shelter in some house already searched? Indeed, why not remain here?” “I could find shelter anywhere in Morvaix,” declared Gabrielle. “Then think of some place, mademoiselle. They have been working from east to west, so that all east of this is safe. There were two of our men in the party just now,” said Dubois, turning to Gerard. “They must be using them to make up the number necessary.” “Good. I decide for Malincourt and should like an escort of them to take us there,” he answered, and then asked again whether they could start. Dubois went to the window. “A thousand hells!” he exclaimed. “They are coming back here. They must have found out the mistake. Quick, my lord, to your hiding place again! No, no, by Heaven! what fortune. Four out of five of the men are ours. I see a way. Hide, but close at hand.” He threw himself into a chair while Gerard and Gabrielle left the room. The soldiers came hurrying in. “Well, what is it?” he asked coolly. “Who are you?” “I think that’s a question I should put to you.” “I am the officer in charge of the search party. We are looking for the escaped prisoners, and my sergeant has just been fooled in this house. Now, monsieur, who are you? And do you know of this?” “I am Captain Dubois, comrade of Captain Bassot, in charge of the recently arrived troops. These are some of my men, I see.” The men saluted. “Do you know anything of this trick?”