"Gave her your cabin, _mon capitaine_, where," chuckling, "she ruled like a despot. Not once did she whimper, or beg favor--for herself! For the Marquis, it is true, she did plead--that day we took them!" "He's her betrothed!" said the young man shortly. "A marionette!" gibed the poet. "Some of the men were for making short shrift of him, and they might have--only for her!" "They will soon be safe enough together now!" remarked the Black Seigneur. Again a peculiar, half-questioning expression shaded the poet's eyes, while furtively he regarded the young man. "Yes, they ought to be!" "The terms of exchange--what were they?" "You for her! That was our demand. After the place had been agreed upon, his Excellency asked to name the hour, and further interjected a condition, binding both parties to secrecy in the matter, that the people might not know. They acted badly when the soldiers returned to the Mount without his daughter; they might behave worse, no doubt he thinks, when they come back with her." "So will she be safely returned in the darkness! A wise provision!" "That," murmured the poet, studying the horizon, "was evidently his thought. But," as the Black Seigneur, relaxing his pace, drew rein at a fork in the pathway, "yonder lies our cove, _mon capitaine_, and--" "Do you and the men go there!" commanded the other, and gave a few further instructions. "See that the ship is kept in readiness!" he ended. "As for me--" He made a vague gesture. That evening found the Black Seigneur in the Desaurac forest; where, as a boy, he had fled for shelter, now some instinct, or desire he did not strive to analyze, drew him. As slowly he made his way through the wood, on every hand familiar outlines and details, seen vaguely in the last light of day, invited him to pause; but without stopping he moved on to the castle, and up to the chamber, where Sanchez, returning from America, had found him, a vagabond lad. Through the window the same unobstructed view of the Mount dimly unfolded itself in the dusk, and for some moments he regarded it--august, majestic; glossing its heart's black secrets with specious and well-composed bearing! As he looked, there suddenly came to him the remembrance of another impression; the same picture, seen through the eyes of a boy--standing where he was now! Then had the Mount seemed a marvelous series of structures, air-drawn, magical--home of a small and fairy-like creature, with hair of shining gold. Dusk turned to night; in the distance the Mount vanished, and through the break in the forest only the stars twinkled.