_The_ LOVE OF MONSIEUR THE LOVE OF MONSIEUR BY GEORGE GIBBS AUTHOR OF THE YELLOW DOVE, SACKCLOTH AND SCARLET, THE BOLTED DOOR, ETC. [Illustration] NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY Copyright, 1903, by Harper & Brothers Copyright, 1903, by J. B. Lippincott Company PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED TO M. H. G. THE “NORSE GODDESS” with all my heart and best endeavors in tender appreciation of those sympathies and encouragements which make a pleasure of labor, and life a fruition of every hope and dream CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE FLEECE TAVERN 1 II. MISTRESS BARBARA DANCES THE CORANTO 11 III. MONSIEUR MORNAY BECOMES UNPOPULAR 31 IV. MONSIEUR WAITS UPON A LADY 47 V. INDECISION 68 VI. THE ESCAPE 87 VII. BARBARA 113 VIII. THE SAUCY SALLY 134 IX. “BRAS-DE-FER” 146 X. BRAS-DE-FER MAKES A CAPTURE 165 XI. THE ENEMY IN THE HOUSE 184 XII. PRISONER AND CAPTOR 201 XIII. MONSIEUR LEARNS SOMETHING 213 XIV. THE UNMASKING 231 XV. MUTINY 249 XVI. MAROONED 268 _The_ LOVE OF MONSIEUR CHAPTER I THE FLEECE TAVERN “Who is this Mornay?” Captain Cornbury paused to kindle his tobago. “Mornay is of the Embassy of France, at any game of chance the luckiest blade in the world and a Damon for success with the petticoats, whether they’re doxies or duchesses.” “Soho! a pretty fellow.” “A French chevalier--a fellow of the Marine; but a die juggler--a man of no caste,” sneered Mr. Wynne. “He has a wit with a point.” “Ay, and a rapier, too,” said Lord Downey. “The devil fly with these foreign lady-killers,” growled Wynne again. “Oh, Mornay is a man-killer, too, never fear. He’s not named Bras-de-Fer for nothing,” laughed Cornbury.