"Blood! oh, do not fear that; the chevalier will run no danger. In spite of my desire to avert the danger that threatened from ourselves, I would never have exposed this generous man to certain destruction." "But, unhappy woman," cried the duke, "you do not know the terrible importance of the secret of state which the chevalier is now possessed of?" "My God! what do you mean?" "They are capable of killing him." "Oh, what have I done? Where are you going?" cried the young wife, seeing the duke preparing to leave the room. "I am going to join them and save this unfortunate man. I will take some blacks with me. The Gascon has hardly an hour's advance of me." "James, I implore you, do not expose yourself." "What! cowardly abandon this man who has devoted himself to me? I give him up to the resentment of William's emissary? never! Ah, you do not know, unhappy child, that certain sacrifices impose on one gratitude as dolorous as remorse. Go, I pray you, tell Mirette to order some slaves to be in readiness to follow me at once. Thanks to the tide, the chevalier cannot put to sea before daybreak, I can then overtake him." "But this emissary is capable of anything! if he sees you come to the aid of the chevalier, he will understand, perhaps, and then----" "That it is not James of Monmouth, but the mulatto filibuster, who is on his track. Beside, I have faced other dangers than these, I believe." So saying, the duke entered a small room connected with his apartments. There he found all that was necessary for his disguise. Left alone, Angela gave herself up to the most cruel regrets. She had not supposed that the consequences of the mistake into which the Gascon had led Rutler could be so fatal. She feared also that Monmouth would be recognized in spite of his disguise. In the midst of her distress she heard a sudden violent knock at the outer door of the apartment where she was, apparently rigorously closed to all the servants in the house. Angela ran to this door and saw Mirette. The mulattress, with a frightened air, said to Angela that Father Griffen sent an imperative request to enter, having the most important matters to confide to her. The order was given to admit him at once into the reception hall on the ground floor. At the same moment Monmouth came out of his room completely disguised as the mulatto filibuster. "My love," said Angela, when the maid had gone, "Father Griffen has just arrived, he has things of the utmost importance to say to us. In the name of heaven, wait and speak to him." "Father Griffen!" exclaimed the duke. "You know he never comes here unless circumstances of the gravest importance brings him. I beg you see him," said Angela. "I must; but each minute of delay may risk the life of this unhappy chevalier," said the duke. He descended with Angela. Father Griffen, pale, agitated, broken with fatigue, was in the hall. "In fifteen minutes they will be here," he cried. "Who, then, Father," said Monmouth.