"The dear child is ours at last, and Gerald will be the largest landowner in France. As for our little private compact, my dear baroness," added Madame de Senneterre, in even more subdued tones, "I scarcely need assure you that it shall be carried out with scrupulous exactitude. I have said nothing to my son about it, understand, but I will vouch for him." "We will not talk of that now, my dear duchess; but as Madame de Mirecourt has been so exceedingly kind, don't you think it would be in excellent taste for him--" "Oh, that is understood, of course," said Madame de Senneterre, hastily interrupting the baroness. "Nothing could be more just, I am sure. But let us make haste and find Gerald. Do you see him anywhere?" "No, my dear duchess, but he is in the gallery, doubtless. Come, let us look for him there." Then turning to Ernestine, Madame de la Rochaigue said: "We shall leave you only for a moment, my dear child. We are merely going to make some one as happy as a king." And without waiting for any reply from Ernestine, Madame de la Rochaigue gave her arm to the duchess, and the two ladies hastened towards the gallery. M. de Maillefort, who seemed to have noted the departure of the two ladies, now approached Ernestine, and, availing himself of one of the privileges accorded a man of his years, took the seat beside the young girl which Madame de la Rochaigue had just vacated. CHAPTER XIV. VILLAINY UNMASKED. As M. de Maillefort seated himself beside Ernestine, he remarked, with a smile: "So you are no longer afraid of me, I see." "Ah, monsieur," replied the girl, "I am so thankful for this opportunity to thank you--" "For my discretion? That will stand any test, I assure you. I give you my word that no one knows or ever will know that I met you at the home of the very best and noblest young woman I know." "Is she not, monsieur? But if I know Herminie, monsieur, it is to you that I am indebted for the honour." "To me?" "You remember, perhaps, that one evening in Mlle. Helena's presence you said some very hard, but alas! only too true things about me." "Yes, my poor child. I knew how much you disliked me. I could never find an opportunity to see you alone, and, though I was watching over you, it was necessary, imperatively necessary, that your eyes should be opened, and that you should understand the object of the fulsome flattery of which you might eventually become the dupe." "Ah, well, monsieur, your words did open my eyes, and I saw very plainly that those around me were deceiving me, and that I was already on the verge of becoming a victim to their shameful flattery. I made a resolve then and there, and, in order to discover the truth concerning myself, I arranged with my governess to attend a little dancing party given by one of her friends, where I was to be introduced as a poor orphan relative of hers."