had just revealed his social position by telling his name, had
stirred the delicacy of those whom he thus guaranteed, a horse
stopped at the entrance, steps were heard in the corridor, the
dining-room door opened, and a masked man, armed to the teeth,
appeared on the threshold.

"Gentlemen," said he, in the profound silence occasioned by his
apparition, "is there a traveller here named Jean Picot, who
was in the diligence that was held up yesterday between Lambesc
and Pont-Royal?"

"Yes," said the wine merchant, amazed.

"Are you he?" asked the masked man.

"I am."

"Was anything taken from you?"

"Oh, yes, two hundred louis, which I had intrusted to the conductor."

"And I may add," said the young noble, "that the gentleman was
speaking of it at this very moment. He looked upon it as lost."

"The gentleman was wrong," said the masked unknown, "we war upon
the government and not against individuals. We are partisans
and not robbers. Here are your two hundred Louis, sir, and if
a similar mistake should occur in the future, claim your loss,
mentioning the name of Morgan."