The Frenchman meant what he said, too. There could be no doubt of that. Sincerity, as well as rapture and admiration, were depicted on his face as he knelt there before the detective, kissing his hands.

For a moment Nick regarded him intently, and then he said:

“Rise, Monsieur Lafetre, for, be assured, you are the best fencer with whom I have ever contended.”

“Ah! Is it so? Is it true, what you say to me, monsieur?”

“Yes; it is quite true.”

“Then I am content; yes, I am content. It is an honor but to have fenced with such as you are; but to be told that I am the greatest with whom you have ever contended—ah! that is the rapture, indeed. And you, monsieur? I have not yet the honor of hearing your name.”

“Nor has any other person within the château,” replied Nick.

“Ha! Say you so? Then you came here by stealth? Eh? Is it true?”

“Yes; it is quite true.”

“To meet me? To meet Antoine Lafetre? To fence?”

“It seems that I did come here to meet you, and to fence with you,” replied Nick slowly. “But there was also another purpose in my coming.”

[202]

“Ah, monsieur! I think—perhaps—that I comprehend.”

Lafetre had regained his feet by this time, and both were rapidly resuming their outer clothing. To this last remark Nick did not reply. He waited to see what the Frenchman would have to say next.

“It is the madame; no? The lady who came over the sea with Monsieur Jean? Yes?”

Nick nodded an affirmative.

“Monsieur is—perhaps—a relative? No? A brother, a—can it be that monsieur is the husband of madame?”

“No,” said Nick. “I am none of those; but I am her defender. I have come here to rescue her. To take her away. To restore her to her friends.”

“And I am gladdened. I am content. It is as it should be. I, myself—I, Antoine Lafetre, should have constituted myself her defender as soon as possible. Only to-day—this afternoon—the madame took me into her confidence. She told me of the friends who love her, who are on the other side of the water—in America, where I should so much like to go.”

“Would you, indeed?” asked Nick. “Then give me a helping hand in this matter, and you shall return with me. And I think I can promise you that your art will bring you in a big revenue over there, from those whom you will teach to fence.”

“I thank you, monsieur. Perhaps, after I have performed the service which monsieur asks of me, I shall have the honor to accept monsieur’s offer. But now—see!”

Lafetre thrust one hand into the pocket of his coat and[203] drew forth two letters, which he gave into Nick’s hands; and to the detective’s surprise he saw that one of them was addressed to himself, and the other to Maxwell Kane.

The latter he returned into the Frenchman’s hands; then, holding the other before his eyes, he said:

“This one is for me, monsieur.”

“Ah! Then you are the Nicholas Carter—no?—who is Mademoiselle Harlan’s affianced. Is it not so? No? She did not tell me so, but I gathered that much from what she has told me. Mademoiselle is beautiful, monsieur.”

“Is she well? Is she safe? Has she been injured in any way? Is she suffering?” asked the detective rapidly.

“Mademoiselle is well, though greatly troubled,” replied Lafetre gravely. “She is also safe, since I, Antoine, am here to lay down my life in her defense at any moment. She has not been injured, save in her pride, and she does not suffer only because of the separation from her friends.”

“Thank you, Lafetre. She indeed found a friend when she discovered you. Now, where is she at the present moment?”

“She is in the great tower, monsieur.”

“And can you take me there?”

“Not now, but later? Yes. I was there but now. It was then that she gave me the letters to send. I told her that I did not know how soon they might be despatched. Ah! monsieur, I little thought—I, Antoine—that I should have the felicity of delivering one of the letters by hand,[204] and so soon, and to the greatest of all fencers in the world.”

“Is she alone in the tower-room, Antoine?”

“Ah! Monsieur does me even a greater honor. He admits me to his friendship by making use of one of my baptismal names in addressing himself to me. No; she is not alone. Monsieur Jean de Cadillac is with her; but later? Yes. She will be alone. He will not remain. He has gone to plead his hopeless cause again.”

“And who besides the count is there with her?”

“There is no one, monsieur.”

“Then, come. We will go there at once. You will lead the way. I have something to say to him as well.”

“But monsieur is mad to think of such a thing. There are a hundred armed men in this castle, all ready to do the bidding of the count at a mere ges............