with drawn cutlasses, and a moment later the Place du Vier Prison was
clear. Leaving a half-dozen sailors on guard till the town corps should
arrive, d'Avranche prepared to march, and turned to Delagarde.

"You've done me a good turn, Monsieur d'Avranche," said Ranulph.

"There was a time you called me Philip," said d'Avranche, smiling. "We
were lads together."

"It's different now," answered Delagarde.

"Nothing is different at all, of course," returned d'Avranche carelessly,
yet with the slightest touch of condescension, as he held out his hand.
Turning to the Chevalier, he said: "Monsieur, I congratulate you on
having such a champion"--with a motion towards Ranulph. "And you,
monsieur, on your brave protector"--he again saluted the girl at the
window above.

"I am the obliged and humble servant of monsieur, and monsieur,"
responded the little gentleman, turning from one to the other with a
courtly bow, the three-cornered hat under his arm, the right foot
forward, the thin fingers making a graceful salutation. "But I--I think
--I really think I must go back to prison. I was not formally set free.
I was out last night beyond the hour set by the Court. I lost my way,
and--"

"Not a bit of it," d'Avranche interrupted. "The centeniers are too free
with their jailing here. I'll be guarantee for you, monsieur." He
turned to go.