hold all the aces, and yet I have watched you closely, and you play very fairly; it must be the religion

"You owe me six crowns more," said La Mole, quietly. "Ah, how you tempt me!" said Coconnas.

"Hush!" said La Mole, "you will get into a quarrel with our host."

"Ah, that is true," said Coconnas, turning his eyes towards the kitchen; "but-no, he is not listening; he is too much occupied at this moment.'

"What is he doing?" inquired La Mole, who could see nothing from his place.

"He is talking with-devil take me! it is he!"

"Who?"

"Why, that night-bird with whom he was discoursing when we arrived. The man in the yellow doublet and sadcoloured cloak. Mordi! how earnestly he talks."

At this moment, La Hurière came hastily to Coconnas, and whispered in his ear: "Silence, for your life! and get rid of your companion."

Coconnas, turning to La Mole, said—"My dear sir, I must beg you to excuse me. I have lost fifty crowns in no time. I am in bad luck to-night."

"Well, sir, as you please," replied La Mole; "besides, I shall not be sorry to lie down for a time. Master La Hurière!"

"Sir."

"If any one comes for me from the king of Navarre, wake me immediately; I shall be dressed, and, consequently ready." "So shall I," said Coconnas; "and that I may not keep his highness waiting, I will prepare the sign. Master La Hurière, some white paper and scissors!"

"Good night, M. de Coconnas," said La Mole; " and you, landlord, be so good as to light me to my room. Good luck, my friend!" and La Mole disappeared up the staircase, followed by La Hurière.

Then the mysterious personage, taking Coconnas by the arm, said to him with much quickness—

"Sir, you have very nearly betrayed a secret on which depends the fate of a kingdom. One word more, and I should have brought you down with my arquebuss. Now we are alone."

"But who are you?"

"Did you ever hear talk of Maurevel?"

"The assassin of the admiral?"

"And of captain de Mouy."

"Yes."

“Well, I am De Maurevel."

"Ah, ah!" said Coconnas.

“Hush!” said Maurevel, putting his finger on his mouth. Coconnas listened.

At this moment, he heard the landlord close the door of a chamber, then the door of a corridor, and bolt it; and then return precipitately to Coconnas and Maurevel, offering each a seat, and taking a third for himself.

"All is close now," he said, "and you may speak out, M. Maurevel."

Eleven o'clock struck by Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, Maurevel counted each stroke of the clock, which sounded full and dull in the night, and, when the last sound had died away

"Sir," he said, turning to Coconnas, who was amazed at all the precautions taken, "are you a good catholic?"

"I believe so,” replied Coconnas.

"Sir, are you devoted to the king?"

"Body and soul! you offend me, sir, by asking such a question."

"Will you follow us?" "Whither?"

"That is of no consequence-let me guide you; your fortune, and perhaps your life, are concerned in the result." "I tell you, sir, that at midnight I have an appointment at the Louvre."

"That is where we are going."

"M. de Guise awaits me there." "And us also!"

"But I have a private pass-word." "And so have we!"

"I have a sign of recognition."

Maurevel drew from beneath his doublet a handful of crosses in white stuff, gave one to La Hurière, one to Coconnas, and took another for himself. La Hurière fastened his to his helmet, Maurevel attached his to the side of his hat.

E

hold all the aces, and yet I have watched you closely, and you play very fairly; it must be the religion

"You owe me six crowns more," said La Mole, quietly. "Ah, how you tempt me!" said Coconnas.

"Hush!" said La Mole, "you will get into a quarrel with our host."

"Ah, that is true," said Coconnas, turning his eyes towards the kitchen; "but-no, he is not listening; he is too much occupied at this moment."

"What is he doing?" inquired La Mole, who could see nothing from his place.

"He is talking with-devil take me! it is he!"

"Who?"

"Why, that night-bird with whom he was discoursing when we arrived. The man in the yellow doublet and sadcoloured cloak. Mordi! how earnestly he talks.”

66

At this moment, La Hurière came hastily to Coconnas, and whispered in his ear: Silence, for your life! and get rid of your companion."

Coconnas, turning to La Mole, said "My dear sir, I must beg you to excuse me. I have lost fifty crowns in no time. I am in bad luck to-night."

"Well, sir, as you please," replied La Mole; "besides, I shall not be sorry to lie down for a time. Master La Hurière!"

"Sir."

"If any one comes for me from the king of Navarre, wake me immediately; I shall be dressed, and, consequently ready." "So shall I," said Coconnas; "and that I may not keep his highness waiting, I will prepare the sign. Master La Hurière, some white paper and scissors!"

"Good night, M. de Coconnas," said La Mole; "and you, landlord, be so good as to light me to my room. Good luck, my friend!" and La Mole disappeared up the staircase, followed by La Hurière.

Then the mysterious personage, taking Coconnas by the arm, said to him with much quickness

Sir, you have very nearly betrayed a secret on which depends the fate of a kingdom. One word more, and I should have brought you down with my arquebuss. Now we are alone."

"Hush!" said Maurevel, putting his finger on his mouth. Coconnas listened.

At this moment, he heard the landlord close the door of a chamber, then the door of a corridor, and bolt it; and then return precipitately to Coconnas and Maurevel, offering each a seat, and taking a third for himself.

"All is close now," he said, "and you may speak out, M. Maurevel."

Eleven o'clock struck by Saint Germain l'Auxerrois, Maurevel counted each stroke of the clock, which sounded full and dull in the night, and, when the last sound had died away

66

"Sir," he said, turning to Coconnas, who was amazed at all the precautions taken, are you a good catholic?" "I believe so,” replied Coconnas.

"Sir, are you devoted to the king?"

"Body and soul! you offend me, sir, by asking such a question."

"Will you follow us?" "Whither?"

"That is of no consequence-let me guide you; your fortune, and perhaps your life, are concerned in the result." "I tell you, sir, that at midnight I have an appointment at the Louvre."

"That is where we are going."

"M. de Guise awaits me there." "And us also!"

"But I have a private pass-word." "And so have we!"

"I have a sign of recognition.'

Maurevel drew from beneath his doublet a handful of crosses in white stuff, gave one to La Hurière, one to Coconnas, and took another for himself. La Hurière fastened his to his helmet, Maurevel attached his to the side of his hat.

E

"Ah, then," said Coconnas, amazed, "the appointment, the countersign, and the rallying mark were for everybody?" 'Yes, sir-that is to say, for all good catholics."

"Then there is a fête at the Louvre-some royal banquet, is there not?" said Coconnas; "and they wish to exclude those hounds of huguenots,-good-capital-excellent! They have had the best of it too long."

"Yes, there is a fête at the Louvre-a royal banquet; and the huguenots are invited—and more, they will be the heroes of the fête, and will pay for the festival, and if you will be one of us, we will begin by going to invite their principal champion-their Gideon, as they call him."

"The admiral!" cried Coconnas.

"Yes, old Gaspard, whom I missed, like a fool, although I aimed at him with the king's arquebuss."

"And this, my gentleman, is why I was furbishing my helmet, sharpening my sword, and putting an edge on my knives,” said La Hurière, with a loud and bear-like voice.

At these words, Coconnas shuddered and turned very pale, for he began to comprehend.

a

"Then really," he exclaimed, "this fête-this banquet is

دو

"You are a long time guessing, sir," said Maurevel, “and it is easy to see that you are not so weary of these insolent heretics as we are."

66 And you take on yourself," he said, "to go to the admiral and to

Maurevel smiled, and drawing Coconnas to the window, he said:

"Look there!-do you see, in the small square at the end of the street, behind the church, a troop drawn up quietly in the shadow?"

"Yes."

"The men who form that troop have, like master La Hurière, and myself, and yourself, a cross in their hats." "Well!"

"Well; these men are a company of Swiss, from the smaller cantons, commanded by Toquenot-you know they are friends of the king."

"Ah, ah!" said Coconnas.