bulbs which hung in a dotted line ahead of them.

"Wait!" ordered the deep voice of the Russian, and he strode from them
into the depths of the tunnel with the Eastern swing of Ali Baba
entering his cave.

Fanny stood by the mild lieutenant, and they waited obediently.

"I must tell you a secret," he said to her. "Monsieur Dellahousse is
very glad to be here. He said this morning: 'The Governor has sent me a
woman to break my neck!'"

"But he took me...."

"Could he refuse you?--For he felt that it was a glove of challenge
thrown down by the Governor of Metz. They do not get on together.... He
took you with dignity, but he was convinced that he placed himself in
the jaws of death."

"When do we go back? We cannot now be in Metz before dark."

"But haven't they told you? Never warned you? How monstrous! We are
staying here."

"And I return alone?"

"No, you stay too. You are lent to us for five days. They should have
told you!"

"Oh, I stay too. In this tunnel, here! How odd, how amusing!"