"
"I do. Yet, it is strange. Certain orders that I have received,--in fact,
orders to which I have just been attending,--make this very surprising. I
cannot understand--"
"It is very simple. While you were attending to your orders, I was making
a treaty with M. de la Chatre. In accordance with it, he wrote the pass.
He will, doubtless, relate the purport of our interview as soon as you
return to the chateau. I know that he is impatient for your coming.
Therefore, since you have seen the pass, I shall not detain you longer."
"But--I do not know--it is, indeed, the writing of M. de la Chatre--it
seems quite right, yet monsieur, since all is right, you will not
object to returning with me to the chateau that M. de la Chatre may
verify his pass?"
"Since all is right, there is no use in my doing so; and it would be most
annoying to M. de la Chatre to be asked to verify his own writing,
especially as the very object of this pass was to avoid my being delayed
on my march this night."
The captain, a young and handsome gentleman, with a frank look and a
courteous manner, hesitated.
"Monsieur will understand," I went on, "that every minute we stand here
opposes the purpose for which that pass was given."
"I begin to see," he said, with a look of pleasurable discovery. "You
have changed sides, monsieur? You have repented of your errors and have
put your great skill and courage at the service of M.
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