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Thus the alibi was prepared; for the register would prove that the citizen Valensolle had arrived at ten o'clock, and it was impossible that he could have assisted in robbing the mail-coach near the Maison-Blanche at half-past eight and yet have reached the Hotel de la Belle-Alliance at ten.

"Have I acted as a man of honor, sir?" asked Roland, wiping away the sweat which suddenly inundated his brow at the announcement of his opponent's death. "Yes, monsieur," replied M. de Valensolle; "only, permit me to say this: you possess the fatal hand." Then bowing to Roland and his second with exquisite politeness, he returned to his friend's body.

To do that, M. de Valensolle must not be arrested. It was better to follow him on his pretended journey to Geneva, which was probably but a blind to foil investigation. It was therefore agreed that Roland, whose disguise, however good, was liable to be penetrated, should remain at the lodge, and Michel and Jacques should head off the game.

The door closed again, the bolts and bars shot into their places. "Well?" cried Valensolle, Jayat and Ribier with one accord. "Here!" replied Morgan, emptying the travelling bag upon the table. The three young men gave a cry of joy as they saw the shining pistols and gleaming blades.

These four aliases hid, as the reader will remember, the real names of the Baron de Sainte-Hermine, the Comte de Jayat, the Vicomte de Valensolle, and the Marquis de Ribier. While the evidence was being taken against the four prisoners before the military commission at Besancon, the time expired when under the law such cases were tried by courts-martial.

Whether from indifference on the worthy captain's part, or by reason of State penury, the windows were bare of curtains, so that, thanks to the two candles which the captain had lighted in his guest's honor, Morgan and Valensolle could see everything that took place in this room. Suddenly Morgan grasped Valensolle's arm, and pressed it with all his might. "Hey" said Valensolle "what now?"

They declared themselves to be the Baron de Sainte-Hermine, the Comte de Jayat, the Vicomte de Valensolle, and the Marquis de Ribier, and to have no connection with the pillagers of diligences, whose names were Morgan, Montbar, Adler, and d'Assas.

Valensolle cast a curious glance around him, and by the vacillating light of the torch, he recognized the funereal place he was in. "The devil!" said he, "we are just the reverse of the Spartans, it seems." "Inasmuch as they were Republicans and we are royalists?" asked Morgan. "No; because they had skeletons at the end of their suppers, and we have ours at the beginning."

"All right; you are leading me; you have promised me supper and a bed, so I have nothing to worry about unless that light goes out," added the young man, looking at the paling flame of the torch. "That wouldn't matter; we can always find ourselves here." "In the end!" said Valensolle.

"Oh!" exclaimed M. de Valensolle, "a simple denial suffices." The conditions of the duel were gone over a second time to avoid possible misunderstanding. Then, these conditions determined, the pistols were loaded. They were then placed, loaded, in the box, the box left in the surgeon's charge, and Sir John, with the key in his pocket, went after Roland.