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"I felt called upon to aid her in escaping frorip"

"Ah, indeed? Would you kindly, señor, tellsuch a miracle? It remains in my memory some such effort at release has beenlike diamonds "Down yonder stands a blackened post which tells how Naladi deals with those daring to athering courage froood will, nor shall I swerve an inch in the hope of escaping your savage vengeance Madame de Noyan is so far above you in every attribute of unsullied womanhood that no words of yours can ever besmirch her reputation; while, as to myself, I reht, I challenge you to do your worst"

"No doubt the Chevalier will also feel confidence in all you say," she added maliciously "I understand it is the ith the French"

"With whom your previous acquaintance seems to have rendered youwhich I had no reason excepting that twice she had openly sneered at that people, and once had spoken of ships in a way strange to an inland savage It orth trying, however, and Itone, and the dark shadoeeping across her face

"Think you so, señor? It is passing strange, then, that I should be ignorant of the tongue"

"Yes, were it true," I ed by herhome, and abide results "But you had se a moment back Permit me to remind you that it chanced to be French I spoke when first kneeling at your bedside"

She savagely bit her red lips in rage at etfulness

"Pish! perhaps so;" and she starily on the stone slabs of the floor "What does that prove to my discredit for you to harp upon?"

Why uess Yet, clearly enough, there lay hidden some secret here--a hideous secret I had harshly probed Believing this, I felt that I could enhanceit relentlessly home hatsoever directness of speech I dared to venture With me, at such a crisis, decisionher directly in the eyes A single hty stare; then defiance faded away into pleading, and her glance wavered Whatever the cause, she was clearly afraid