He turned his head away from the girl quickly, and looked straight into
the eyes of her grandfather.

"I'll tell you how it was, Sieur de Mauprat," said he. "I was crossing
the Place du Vier Prison when a rascal threw a cleaver at me from a
window. If it had struck me on the head--well, the Royal Court would
have buried me, and without a slab to my grave like Rullecour. I burst
open the door of the house, ran up the stairs, gripped the ruffian, and
threw him through the window into the street. As I did so a door opened
behind, and another cut-throat came at me with a pistol. He fired--fired
wide. I ran in on him, and before he had time to think he was out of the
window too. Then the other brute below fired up at me. The bullet
gashed my temple, as you see. After that, it was an affair of the
connetable and his men. I had had enough fighting before breakfast.
I saw your open door, and here I am--monsieur, monsieur, monsieur,
mademoiselle!" He bowed to each of them and glanced towards the table
hungrily.

Ranulph placed a seat for him. He viewed the conger eel and limpets with
an avid eye, but waited for the chevalier and de Mauprat to sit. He had
no sooner taken a mouthful, however, and thrown a piece of bread to
Biribi the dog, than, starting again to his feet, he said:

"Your pardon, monsieur le chevalier, that brute in the Place has knocked
all sense from my head! I've a letter for you, brought from Rouen by one
of the refugees who came yesterday." He drew from his breast a packet
and handed it over. "I went out to their ship last night."

The chevalier looked with surprise and satisfaction at the seal on the
letter, and, breaking it, spread open the paper, fumbled for the eye-