He took his glass, smiled, and raised it to his lips. He had drunk about half its contents when a ring was heard at the front door. I did not think it possible that Louis could become any paler than he was, but I saw my mistake then. "'Tis he," he muttered. "Yes, but perhaps he may have come alone," I replied. "We shall see in a moment." The sound of the bell had attracted everybody's attention, and the most profound silence suddenly succeeded the buzz of conversation which had till then prevailed. Then the sound of talking was heard in the anteroom. D---- rose and opened the door. "I can recognize her voice," said Louis, as he grasped my arm with a vice-like grip. "We shall see! wait! be a man!" I answered. "It must be evident that if she has thus come to supper with a man, of her own will, to the house of a stranger, she is not worthy your sympathy." "I beg, madam, that you will enter," said D----'s voice in the outer room. "We are all friends here I assure you." "Yes, come in, my dear Emily," said M. de Chateau Renaud, "you need not take off your mask if you do not wish to do so." "The wretch," muttered Louis. At that moment a lady entered, dragged in rather than assisted by D----, who fancied he was doing the honours, and by Chateau Renaud. "Three minutes to four," said Chateau Renaud to D----, in a low voice. "Quite right, my dear fellow, you have won." "Not yet, monsieur," said the young unknown addressing Chateau Renaud, and drawing herself up to her full height. "I can now understand your persistence. You laid a wager that I would sup here. Is that so?" Chateau Renaud was silent. Then addressing D----, she continued. "Since this man cannot answer, will you, monsieur, reply. Did not M. de Chateau Renaud wager that he would bring me here to supper to-night?" "I will not hide from you, madame, that he flattered us with that hope," replied D----. "Well, then, M. de Chateau Renaud has lost, for I was quite unaware he was bringing me here. I believed we were to sup at the house of a friend of my own. So it appears to me that M. de Chateau Renaud has not won his wager." "But now you are here, my dear Emily, you may as well remain; won't you? See, we have a good company and some pleasant young ladies too!" "Now that I am here," replied the unknown, "I will thank the gentleman who appears to be the master of the house for the courtesy with which he has treated me. But as, unfortunately, I cannot accept his polite invitation I will beg M. Louis de Franchi to see me home." Louis with a bound placed himself between the speaker and Chateau Renaud. "I beg to observe, madam," said the latter between his shut teeth, "that I brought you hither and consequently I am the proper person to conduct you home." "Gentlemen," said the unknown, "you are five, I put myself into your honourable care. I trust you will defend me from the violence of M. de Chateau Renaud!" Chateau Renaud made a movement. We all rose at once.