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narrow dark courtyard； and ran up two flights of winding stone
stairs。 At the top of these； a door on his right allowed a thin
streak of light to filtrate between its two folds。 An iron bell
handle hung beside it； Armand gave it a pull。
Two minutes later he was amongst his friends。 He heaved a great
sigh of content and relief。 The very atmosphere here seemed to be
different。 As far as the lodging itself was concerned； it was as
bare； as devoid of comfort as those sort of placesso…called
chambres garniesusually were in these days。 The chairs looked
rickety and uninviting； the sofa was of black horsehair； the
carpet was threadbare； and in places in actual holes； but there
was a certain something in the air which revealed； in the midst of
all this squalor； the presence of a man of fastidious taste。
To begin with； the place was spotlessly clean； the stove； highly
polished； gave forth a pleasing warm glow； even whilst the window；
slightly open； allowed a modicum of fresh air to enter the room。
In a rough earthenware jug on the table stood a large bunch of
Christmas roses； and to the educated nostril the slight scent of
perfumes that hovered in the air was doubly pleasing after the
fetid air of the narrow streets。
Sir Andrew Ffoulkes was there； also my Lord Tony； and Lord
Hastings。 They greeted Armand with whole…hearted cheeriness。
〃Where is Blakeney？〃 asked the young man as soon as he had shaken
his friends by the hand。
〃Present！〃 came in loud； pleasant accents from the door of an
inner room on the right。
And there he stood under the lintel of the door； the man against
whom was raised the giant hand of an entire nationthe man for
whose head the revolutionary government of France would gladly pay
out all the savings of its Treasurythe man whom human
bloodhounds were tracking； hot on the scentfor whom the nets of
a bitter revenge and relentless reprisals were constantly being
spread。
Was he unconscious of it； or merely careless？ His closest friend；
Sir Andrew Ffoulkes； could not say。 Certain it is that； as he now
appeared before Armand； picturesque as ever in perfectly tailored
clothes； with priceless lace at throat and wrists； his slender
fingers holding an enamelled snuff…box and a handkerchief of
delicate cambric； his whole personality that of a dandy rather
than a man of action； it seemed impossible to connect him with the
foolhardy escapades which had set one nation glowing with
enthusiasm and another clamouring for revenge。
But it was the magnetism that emanated from him that could not be
denied； the light that now and then； swift as summer lightning；
flashed out from the depths of the blue eyes usually veiled by
heavy； lazy lids； the sudden tightening of firm lips； the setting
of the square jaw； which in a momentbut only for the space of a
secondtransformed the entire face； and revealed the born leader
of men。
Just now there was none of that in the debonnair； easy…going man
of the world who advanced to meet his friend。 Armand went quickly
up to him； glad to grasp his hand； slightly troubled with remorse；
no doubt； at the recollection of his adventure of to…day。 It
almost seemed to him that from beneath his half…closed lids
Blakeney had shot a quick inquiring glance upon him。 The quick
flash seemed to light up the young man's soul from within； and to
reveal it； naked； to his friend。
It was all over in a moment； and Armand thought that mayhap his
conscience had played him a trick： there was nothing apparent in
himof this he was surethat could possibly divulge his secret
just yet。
〃I am rather late； I fear；〃 he said。 〃I wandered about the
streets in the late afternoon and lost my way in the dark。 I hope
I have not kept you all waiting。〃
They all pulled chairs closely round the fire； except Blakeney；
who preferred to stand。 He waited awhile until they were all
comfortably settled； and all ready to listen； then：
〃It is about the Dauphin；〃 he said abruptly without further
preamble。
They understood。 All of them had guessed it； almost before the
summons came that had brought them to Paris two days ago。 Sir
Andrew Ffoulkes had left his young wife because of that； and
Armand had demanded it as a right to join hands in this noble
work。 Blakeney had not left France for over three months now。
Backwards and forwards between Paris； or Nantes； or Orleans to the
coast； where his friends would meet him to receive those
unfortunates whom one man's whole…hearted devotion had rescued
from death； backwards and forwards into the very hearts of those
cities wherein an army of sleuth…hounds were on his track； and the
guillotine was stretching out her arms to catch the foolhardy
adventurer。
Now it was about the Dauphin。 They all waited； breathless and
eager； the fire of a noble enthusiasm burning in their hearts。
They waited in silence； their eyes fixed on the leader； lest one
single word from him should fail to reach their ears。
The full magnetism of the man was apparent now。 As he held these
four men at this moment； he could have held a crowd。 The man of
the worldthe fastidious dandyhad shed his mask； there stood
the leader； calm； serene in the very face of the most deadly
danger that had ever encompassed any man； looking that danger
fully in the face； not striving to belittle it or to exaggerate
it； but weighing it in the balance with what there was to
accomplish： the rescue of a martyred； innocent child from the
hands of fiends who were destroying his very soul even more
completely than his body。
〃Everything； I think； is prepared；〃 resumed Sir Percy after a
slight pause。 〃The Simons have been summarily dismissed； I
learned that to…day。 They remove from the Temple on Sunday next；
the nineteenth。 Obviously that is the one day most likely to help
us in our operations。 As far as I am concerned； I cannot make any
hard…and…fast plans。 Chance at the last moment will have to
dictate。 But from every one of you I must have co…operation； and
it can only be by your following my directions implicitly that we
can even remotely hope to succeed。〃
He crossed and recrossed the room once or twice before he spoke
again； pausing now and again in his walk in front of a large map
of Paris and its environs that hung upon the wall； his tall figure
erect； his hands behind his back； his eyes fixed before him as if
he saw right through the walls of this squalid room； and across
the darkness that overhung the city； through the grim bastions of
the mighty building far away； where the descendant of an hundred
kings lived at the mercy of human fiends who worked for his
abasement。
The man's face now was that of a seer and a visionary； the firm
lines were set and rigid as those of an image carved in stonethe
statue of heart…whole devotion； with the self…imposed task
beckoning sternly to follow； there where lurked danger and death。
〃The way； I think； in which we could best succeed would be this；〃
he resumed after a while； sitting now on the edge of the table and
directly facing his four friends。 The light from the lamp which
stood upon the table behind him fell full upon those four glowing
faces fixed ea