"And why not?"
"But why should you?"
The Comte's face flushed slightly.
"One who loves would not regard such an enterprise as a peril."
The eyes of the woman kindled. She approached the Comte. He caught her hand and kissed it.
"Trust in the Comte de Mousqueton," he breathed.
IT WAS late when the Comte came from the prison house. The village seemed asleep, but another than himself was abroad. The figure of a man in a cloak was issuing from the neighboring house.
"You walk late. M. Capeluche," said the Comte. "But it is well, for Mlle. Bonacieux wishes to speak with you."
The headsman stopped abruptly to peer into the eyes of the young nobleman. The act was insolent.
"Is M. le Comte," he inquired, coldly, "sufficiently in the confidence of his fair prisoner to advise me what it is she desires?"
"The man is steel," thought the Comte, hotly. "I'll kill him yet." Aloud, he said: "I have some idea, M. Capeluche. But I may not allude to it."
The headsman fell silent.
"Closer examination of the writ," he went on, finally, "shows that it is curiously indefinite in its recital as to the offense of which Mlle. Bonacieux has been guilty."
The Comte laughed easily.
"M. de Briseout will be pleased to hear that the discriminating Capeluche has so found it."
"And who is de Briseout?"
"The ingenious special pleader employed by the Cardinal to prepare the document. It is a work of art."
"Then I can not be mistaken in assuming that one as clever as the Comte de Mousqueton and so recently come from Fontainebleau will be able to tell me the real nature of the case."
The young nobleman was able to smile in the dark at the discernment of this strange man of blood.
"'Tis a proper question, M. Capeluche," he returned. "Be it known to you, therefore. that no less a person that the Dauphin himself entertains the liveliest of sentiments toward Mlle. Bonacieux. The Cardinal, however, through his spies, early learned of the infatuation of the prince and privately remonstrated with him on the score that the mesalliance would definitely imperil the consummation of his proposed nuptials with Katharine of Austria, which, in turn, might embroil the two nations in war.
"But the Dauphin resented ecclesiastical interference. This aroused the ire of His Eminence, who straightway went to King Philippe. The net result is that the Dauphin has been dispatched on a tedious expedition to Sicilia, and I am ordered to convey the pretty person of Mlle. Bonacieux to you for decapitation."
The two men resumed their walking.
"And this, then, you think." came from the headsman, "accounts both for the ambiguity of the writ's phraseology as well as the fact that Mlle. Bonacieux is spirited hither instead of being left to the hand of the headsman at Fontainebleau?"
"Undoubtedly, M. Capeluche."
The headsman started away abruptly, in the manner of a man whose mind is suddenly made up. A light still burned in Mlle. Bonacieux’s quarters and he tapped at the door.
"Who it it?" called the woman.
"One whom you wished to see."
"Please come in, M. Capeluche."
Mlle. Bonacieus was in truth chilled by the grim expression of the man who now stood composedly studying her: but she gave no sign. Instead, her eyes were sparkling and she was a vision of loveliness as she reclined on the couch that had been provided for her by the Comte.
"An unpleasant business—for both
