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joy？
〃Percy！〃 exclaimed Armand in an awed voice。
〃Hush； dear！〃 murmured Marguerite feebly； 〃we are in Heaven you
and I〃
Whereupon a ringing laugh woke the echoes of the silent night。
〃In Heaven； dear heart！〃 And the voice had a delicious earthly
ring in its whole…hearted merriment。 〃Please God； you'll both be
at Portel with me before dawn。〃
Then she was indeed forced to believe。 She put out her hands and
groped for him； for it was dark inside the carriage； she groped；
and felt his massive shoulders leaning across the body of the
coach； while his fingers busied themselves with the irons on
Armand's wrist。
〃Don't touch that brute's filthy coat with your dainty fingers；
dear heart；〃 he said gaily。 〃Great Lord！ I have worn that
wretch's clothes for over two hours； I feel as if the dirt had
penetrated to my bones。〃
Then with that gesture so habitual to him he took her head between
his two hands； and drawing her to him until the wan light from
without lit up the face that he worshipped； he gazed his fill into
her eyes。
She could only see the outline of his head silhouetted against the
wind…tossed sky； she could not see his eyes； nor his lips； but she
felt his nearness； and the happiness of that almost caused her to
swoon。
〃Come out into the open； my lady fair；〃 he murmured； and though
she could not see； she could feel that he smiled； 〃let God's pure
air blow through your hair and round your dear head。 Then； if you
can walk so far； there's a small half…way house close by here。 I
have knocked up the none too amiable host。 You and Armand could
have half an hour's rest there before we go further on our way。〃
〃But you； Percy？are you safe？〃
〃Yes； m'dear； we are all of us safe until morning…time enough to
reach Le Portel； and to be aboard the Day…Dream before mine
amiable friend M。 Chambertin has discovered his worthy colleague
lying gagged and bound inside the chapel of the Holy Sepulchre。
By Gad！ how old Heron will cursethe moment he can open his
mouth！〃
He half helped； half lifted her out of the carriage。 The strong
pure air suddenly rushing right through to her lungs made her feel
faint； and she almost fell。 But it was good to feel herself
falling； when one pair of arms amongst the millions on the earth
were there to receive her。
〃Can you walk； dear heart？〃 he asked。 〃Lean well on meit is not
far； and the rest will do you good。〃
〃But you； Percy〃
He laughed； and the most complete joy of living seemed to resound
through that laugh。 Her arm was in his； and for one moment he
stood still while his eyes swept the far reaches of the country；
the mellow distance still wrapped in its mantle of indigo； still
untouched by the mysterious light of the waning moon。
He pressed her arm against his heart； but his right hand was
stretched out towards the black wall of the forest behind him；
towards the dark crests of the pines in which the dying wind sent
its last mournful sighs。
〃Dear heart；〃 he said； and his voice quivered with the intensity
of his excitement； 〃beyond the stretch of that wood； from far away
over there； there are cries and moans of anguish that come to my
ear even now。 But for you； dear； I would cross that wood to…night
and re…enter Paris to…morrow。 But for you； dearbut for you；〃 he
reiterated earnestly as he pressed her closer to him； for a bitter
cry had risen to her lips。
She went on in silence。 Her happiness was greatas great as was
her pain。 She had found him again； the man whom she worshipped；
the husband whom she thought never to see again on earth。 She had
found him； and not even nownot after those terrible weeks of
misery and suffering unspeakablecould she feel that love had
triumphed over the wild； adventurous spirit； the reckless
enthusiasm； the ardour of self…sacrifice。
CHAPTER XLIX
THE LAND OF ELDORADO
It seems that in the pocket of Heron's coat there was a
letter…case with some few hundred francs。 It was amusing to think
that the brute's money helped to bribe the ill…tempered keeper of
the half…way house to receive guests at midnight； and to ply them
well with food； drink； and the shelter of a stuffy coffee…room。
Marguerite sat silently beside her husband； her hand in his。
Armand； opposite to them； had both elbows on the table。 He looked
pale and wan； with a bandage across his forehead； and his glowing
eyes were resting on his chief。
〃Yes！ you demmed young idiot；〃 said Blakeney merrily； 〃you nearly
upset my plan in the end； with your yelling and screaming outside
the chapel gates。〃
〃I wanted to get to you； Percy。 I thought those brutes had got you
there inside that building。〃
〃Not they！〃 he exclaimed。 〃It was my friend Heron whom they had
trussed and gagged； and whom my amiable friend M。 Chambertin will
find in there to…morrow morning。 By Gad！ I would go back if only
for the pleasure of hearing Heron curse when first the gag is
taken from his mouth。〃
〃But how was it all done； Percy？ And there was de Batz〃
〃De Batz was part of the scheme I had planned for mine own escape
before I knew that those brutes meant to take Marguerite and you
as hostages for my good behaviour。 What I hoped then was that
under cover of a tussle or a fight I could somehow or other
contrive to slip through their fingers。 It was a chance； and you
know my belief in bald…headed Fortune； with the one solitary hair。
Well； I meant to grab that hair； and at the worst I could but die
in the open and not caged in that awful hole like some noxious
vermin。 I knew that de Batz would rise to the bait。 I told him in
my letter that the Dauphin would be at the Chateau d'Ourde this
night； but that I feared the revolutionary Government had got wind
of this fact； and were sending an armed escort to bring the lad
away。 This letter Ffoulkes took to him； I knew that he would make
a vigorous effort to get the Dauphin into his hands； and that
during the scuffle that one hair on Fortune's head would for one
second only； mayhap； come within my reach。 I had so planned the
expedition that we were bound to arrive at the forest of Boulogne
by nightfall； and night is always a useful ally。 But at the
guard…house of the Rue Ste。 Anne I realised for the first time
that those brutes had pressed me into a tighter corner than I had
pre…conceived。〃
He paused； and once again that look of recklessness swept over his
face； and his eyesstill hollow and circledshone with the
excitement of past memories。
〃I was such a weak； miserable wretch； then；〃 he said； in answer to
Marguerite's appeal。 〃I had to try and build up some strength；
whenHeaven forgive me for the sacrilegeI had unwittingly
risked your precious life； dear heart； in that blind endeavour to
save mine own。 By Gad！ it was no easy task in that jolting
vehicle with that noisome wretch beside me for sole company； yet I
ate and I drank and I slept for three days and two nights； until
the hour when in the darkness I struck Heron from behind；
half…strangled him first； then gagged him； and finally slipped
into his filthy coat and put that loathsome bandage across my
head； and his battered hat above it all。 The yell he gave when
first I a