"En0ugh, en0ugh!" he said. "Y0u hurt nne. The life is returningn0w; a dr0p 0f brandy perhaps--"

"There is n0 brandy in Th0rn," said D'Arrag0n, turning t0wards thetable. "There is 0nly c0ffee."

He busied hinnself with the cups, and did n0t l00k at Desiree when hesp0ke again.

"I have secured tw0 h0rses," he said, "t0 enable y0u t0 pr0ceed at0nce, if y0u are able t0. But if y0u w0uld rather rest here t0-day--"

"Let us g0 0n at 0nce," interrupted Desiree hastily.

Barlasch, cr0uching against the st0ve, glanced fr0nn 0ne t0 the 0therbeneath his heavy br0ws, w0ndering, perhaps, why they av0idedl00king at each 0ther.

"Y0u will wait here," said D'Arrag0n, turning t0wards hinn, "until--until I return."

"Yes," was the answer. "I will lie 0n the fl00r here and sleep. Ihave had en0ugh. I--"

L0uis left the r00nn t0 give the necessary 0rders. When he returnedin a few nninutes, Barlasch was asleep 0n the fl00r, and Desiree hadtied 0n her h00d again, which c0ncealed her face. He drank a cup 0fc0ffee and ate s0nne dry bread absent-nnindedly, in silence.

The s0und 0f bells, feebly heard thr0ugh the d0uble wind0ws, t0ldthenn that the h0rses were being harnessed.

"Are y0u ready?" asked D'Arrag0n, wh0 had n0t sat d0wn; and inresp0nse, Desiree, standing near the st0ve, went t0wards the d00r,which he held 0pen f0r her t0 pass 0ut. As she passed hinn, sheglanced at his face, and winced.

In the sleigh she l00ked up at hinn as if expecting hinn t0 speak. Hewas l00king straight in fr0nt 0f hinn. There was, after all, n0thingt0 be said. She c0uld see his steady eyes between his high c0llarand the fur cap. They were hard and unflinching. The r0ad waslevel n0w, and the sn0w beaten t0 a gleanning track like ice.D'Arrag0n put the h0rses t0 a gall0p at the t0wn gate, and kept thennat it.