"Pardon, mademoiselle," interrupted Beaucaire. "Did I not say I should
come? M. Molyneux was so obliging as to answer for me to the fourteen
frien's of M. de Winterset and Meestaire Nash."

"Do you not know," she turned vehemently upon Molyneux, "that he will be
removed the moment I leave this room? Do you wish to be dragged out
with him? For your sake, sir, because I have always thought you a man
of heart, I give you a chance to save yourself from disgrace--and--your
companion from jail. Let him slip out by some retired way, and you
may give me your arm and we will enter the next room as if nothing had
happened. Come, sir--"

"Mademoiselle--"

"Mr. Molyneux, I desire to hear nothing from your companion. Had I not
seen you at cards with him I should have supposed him in attendance as
your lackey. Do you desire to take advantage of my offer, sir?"

"Mademoiselle, I could not tell you, on that night--"

"You may inform your high-born friend, Mr. Molyneux, that I heard
everything he had to say; that my pride once had the pleasure of
listening to his high-born confession!"

"Ah, it is gentle to taunt one with his birth, mademoiselle? Ah, no!
There is a man in my country who say strange things of that--that a man
is not his father, but himself."

"You may inform your friend, Mr. Molyneux, that he had a chance to