d to me, who had watched them all with interest, that scarcely a person had entered who was not worthy of observation. I saw faces, it is true, which I had seen before

than their associates. Louis was right. There was something different about the place, something at which I could only dimly guess, which at that time I did not unde

strangeness of my being there with such a companion, the curious atmosphere of the place, which so far had completely puzzled me,-these things may all have served to heighten the illusion. Yet it seemed to me then that, dreaming or waking, this thing with which I was confronted was the last impossibility. I suppose that I must have stared at him like some wild creature, for the conversation around us suddenly stopped. Standi

ow!" I

visible to me but that pale, handsome face with the thin lips and dark, full eyes. I saw those eyes contract as though my hand upon his throat were indeed the touch of Death. I shook him until his collar broke away and his shir

self, you coward! Do you want me

o defend myself. I waited my time. When it came, I dealt him such a blow that he reeled away, and before he could recover I took him by the back of his neck and flung him from me across the table which our struggle had alrea

, monsieur!" I

oked back once more at the prostr

was in a street or a drawing-room, or any place whatsoever upon the face of the earth, I would deal out his punishment with my own hand

sieur Carvin said hoarsely. "Louis will t

Ritz," I

he exclaimed. "Louis wil

ard in her place, with her fingers upon the table, and her dark eyes riveted with horrible intensity upon the fallen figure. I saw mademoiselle-the turquoise-covered friend of Bartot. She, too, was leaning forward, but her eyes ignored the man upon the floor, and were seeking to meet mine. There was something unreal about the whole scene, something which I was never able afterwards to focus absolutely

n should deal wit

ing in from the country. Along the Boulevard, into which we turned, was sprinkled a curious medley of wastrels of the night, and men and women on th

n I thought," I

t five o'clock,

or no explanation, nor did I volunteer any. As we drov

said, "that he has run

are some things which one is forced to do, w

e. They have seen a man whom nobody loved treated as he probably deserved. Let me tell you that there is no place in the world where you could have struck s

derful moments, still mad with the joy of having taken the vengeance for which every nerve i