“I can’t go with you, my dear count,” I returned gratefully.  “But I promise to see you soon in Paris.  I suppose you will take with you the elder Mistress Hamilton, to whom I understand you have long been plighted in marriage, or will you return for her?”

“O-o-oh!  Return for her, dear baron, return for her!” answered the count, shrugging his shoulders.

To close the chapter of De Grammont’s life in England, I would say that he kept the secret of his recall to France, and one night after dark left his house near the Mall, taking a coach to Dover without saying to Mistress Hamilton when he would return.

But Mistress Hamilton had two brothers still in England, Count Anthony and James, who, catching wind of De Grammont’s exodus, took horse and a small escort, made all possible speed, and came up with De Grammont’s coach some six or eight leagues east of London.

Count Anthony rode up to one door of the coach, while James brought his horse to the other.

“Good morning, count,” said Anthony, bending down to the coach window.

“Good morning, my dear count,” returned De Grammont, blandly.

“Is there not something you have forgotten, count?” asked Anthony.

“Odds fish!  Yes!  I forgot to marry your sister,” answered De Grammont, appropriating the king’s oath, and apparently astounded at his own forgetfulness.  “Thank you, dear count, for reminding me.  I’ll go back to London and do it at once.”

“Your parole?” asked Anthony.

“Yes, the word of a De Grammont,” answered the count, whereupon the Hamiltons lifted their hats and galloped home, knowing certainly that De Grammont would follow.

De Grammont reached London soon after sun-up, and, true to his word, married Miss Hamilton, blessed his stars ever afterward for having done so, and gave her no cause for unhappiness save a French one.

Soon after the sale to Wentworth, I received a letter from George telling me that King Louis had not only made him rich, but had appointed him Governor of Dunkirk, with promise of further advancement.  George said, also, that the French king, having heard of my part in the Dunkirk transaction and my disgrace with my king, had offered to advance my interest if I would go to France.  In a postscript to the letter, which was much longer than the letter itself, Frances told me how she and George had been married immediately on landing in France, and were living very happily in Paris, where they would remain until George should take up the government of Dunkirk.

So it had all fallen out just as one might have expected to find it in a story-book.  George had been proved by Fortune’s touchstone, and her Ladyship had chosen him for her smile.  He had won the long odds.

What remains to be told is simply the denouement of my own affairs.

* * * * *

At the time of my transaction with Wentworth I said nothing to Bettina about the sale of my title and estates, but when I heard that our friends were safe and happy in France, I went down to the Old Swan, with more fear than I should have thought possible, to broach a certain matter, which was very near my heart, to Betty and her father.