Whether his master meant to shoot, I know not--although I believe he did.

But Lafleur had little doubt of his purpose; for he hastened to play his best card, and, clinging still to the duke's knees, cried desperately: "If you'll spare me, I'll tell you where she is!" The duke's arm fell to his side; and in a changed voice, from which the cruel bantering had fled, while eager excitement filled its place, he cried: "What?
Where who is ?" "The lady--Mlle.

Delhasse.

A girl I know--there in Avranches--saw her go.
She is there now." "Where, man, where ?" roared the duke, stamping his foot, and menacing the wretch again with his pistol.
I turned to listen, forgetful of quiet little Pierre and his alert beady eyes; yet I kept the pistol on him.
And Lafleur cried: "At the convent--at the convent, on the shores of the bay!" "My God!" cried the duke, and his eyes suddenly turned and flashed on mine; and I saw that the necklace was forgotten, that our partnership was ended, and that I again, and no longer the cowering creature before him, was the enemy.

And I also, hearing that Marie Delhasse was at the convent, was telling myself that I was a fool not to have thought of it before, and wondering what new impulse had seized the duke's wayward mind.
Thus neither the duke nor I was attending to the business of the moment.
But there was a man of busy brain, whose life taught him to profit by the slips of other men and to let pass no opportunities.