expressed in a round oath or two, he rose, and called for his horse
that he might ride to Condillac.




CHAPTER III

THE DOWAGER'S COMPLIANCE


Promptly at noon on the morrow Monsieur de Garnache presented
himself once more at the Seneschal's palace, and with him went
Rabecque, his body-servant, a lean, swarthy, sharp-faced man, a
trifle younger than his master.

Anselme, the obese master of the household, received them with
profound respect, and at once conducted Garnache to Monsieur de
Tressan's presence.

On the stairs they met Captain d'Aubran, who was descending. The
captain was not in the best of humours. For four-and-twenty hours
he had kept two hundred of his men under arms, ready to march as
soon as he should receive his orders from the Lord Seneschal, yet
those instructions were not forthcoming. He had been to seek them
again that morning, only to be again put off.

Monsieur de Garnache had considerable doubt, born of his yesterday's
interview with the Seneschal, that Mademoiselle de La Vauvraye would
be delivered into his charge as he had stipulated. His relief was,