“Aline, on one condition only.”

“And that?”

“That you swear to me you will never seek the aid of M. de La Tour d’Azyr on my behalf.”

“Since you insist, and as time presses, I consent.  And now ride on with me as far as the lane.  There is that carriage coming up.”

The lane to which she referred was one that branched off the road some three hundred yards nearer the village and led straight up the hill to the chateau itself.  In silence they rode together towards it, and together they turned into that thickly hedged and narrow bypath.  At a depth of fifty yards she halted him.

“Now!” she bade him.

Obediently he swung down from his horse, and surrendered the reins to her.

“Aline,” he said, “I haven’t words in which to thank you.”

“It isn’t necessary,” said she.

“But I shall hope to repay you some day.”

“Nor is that necessary.  Could I do less than I am doing?  I do not want to hear of you hanged, Andre; nor does my uncle, though he is very angry with you.”

“I suppose he is.”

“And you can hardly be surprised.  You were his delegate, his representative.  He depended upon you, and you have turned your coat.  He is rightly indignant, calls you a traitor, and swears that he will never speak to you again.  But he doesn’t want you hanged, Andre.”

“Then we are agreed on that at least, for I don’t want it myself.”

“I’ll make your peace with him.  And now — good-bye, Andre.  Send me a word when you are safe.”

She held out a hand that looked ghostly in the faint light.  He took it and bore it to his lips.

“God bless you, Aline.”

She was gone, and he stood listening to the receding clopper-clop of hooves until it grew faint in the distance.  Then slowly, with shoulders hunched and head sunk on his breast, he retraced his steps to the main road, cogitating whither he should go.  Quite suddenly he checked, remembering with dismay that he was almost entirely without money.  In Brittany itself he knew of no dependable hiding-place, and as long as he was in Brittany his peril must remain imminent.  Yet to leave the province, and to leave it as quickly as prudence dictated, horses would be necessary.  And how was he to procure horses, having no money beyond a single louis d’or and a few pieces of silver?

There was also the fact that he was very weary.  He had had little sleep since Tuesday night, and not very much then; and much of the time had been spent in the saddle, a wearing thing to one so little accustomed to long rides.  Worn as he was, it was unthinkable that he should go far to-night.  He might get as far as Chavagne, perhaps.  But there he must sup and sleep; and what, then, of to-morrow?

Had he but thought of it before, perhaps Aline might have been able to assist him with the loan of a few louis.  His first impulse now was to follow her to the chateau.  But prudence dismissed the notion.  Before he could reach her, he must be seen by servants, and word of his presence would go forth.