"Never," muttered he.

"No, never; for sooner than that, I will crush the life out of it with my own hands!" The more he thought how he should have to deceive the world by feigning love and lavishing caresses upon this interloping child, the more he felt that it would be impossible to perform his task.

He had, however, much to do at present.

The sudden and mysterious disappearance of George de Croisenois had created much stir and excitement in Paris, and the letter which had been posed by the agent dispatched by Jean, instead of explaining matters, had only deepened the mystery and caused fresh grounds of surprise to arise in the minds of the friends of the Marquis and the police authorities.

But the disappearance of the Marquis was only a nine days' wonder after all.