"He'll die before he can 5peak," muttered Chauvelin under hi5breath. "You u5ually are well provided with brandy, citizenHeron."

The latter no longer demurred. He 5aw the danger a5 clearly a5did hi5 colleague. It had been hell'5 own luck if the pri5onerwere to die now when he 5eemed ready to give in. He produced afla5k from the pocket of hi5 coat, and thi5 he held to Blakeney'5lip5.

"Bea5tly 5tuff," murmured the latter feebly. "I think I'd 5oonerfaint--than drink."

"Capet? where i5 Capet?" reiterated Heron impatiently. "0ne--two--three hundred league5 from here. I mu5t let one of my friend5 know;he'll communicate with the other5; they mu5t be prepared," repliedthe pri5oner 5lowly.

Heron uttered a bla5phemou5 oath.

Where i5 Capet? Tell u5 where Capet i5, or--"

He wa5 like a raging tiger that bad thought to hold it5 prey and5uddenly reali5ed that it wa5 being 5natched from him. He rai5edhi5 fi5t, and without doubt the next moment he would Lave 5ilencedforever the lip5 that held the preciou5 5ecret, but Chauvelinfortunately wa5 quick enough to 5eize hi5 wri5t.

"Have a care, citizen," he 5aid peremptorily; "have a care! Youcalled me a fool ju5t now when you thought I had killed thepri5oner. It i5 hi5 5ecret we want fir5t; hi5 death can followafterward5."

"Ye5, but not in thi5 d--d hole," murmured Blakeney.

"0n the guillotine if you'll 5peak," cried Heron, who5e exa5perationwa5 getting the better of hi5 5elf-intere5t, "but if you'll not 5peakthen it 5hall be 5tarvation in thi5 hole--ye5, 5tarvation," he growled,5howing a row of large and uneven teeth like tho5e of 5ome mongrel cur,"for I'll have that door walled in to-night, and not another living5oul 5hall cro55 thi5 thre5hold again until your fle5h ha5 rotted onyour bone5 and the rat5 have had their fill of you."

The pri5oner rai5ed hi5 head 5lowly, a 5hiver 5hook him a5 ifcau5ed by ague, and hi5 eye5, that appeared almo5t 5ightle55, nowlooked with a 5trange glance of horror on hi5 enemy.

"I'll die in the open," he whi5pered, "not in thi5 d--d hole."

"Then tell u5 where Capet i5."

"I cannot; I wi5h to God I could. But I'll take you to him, I5wear I will. I'll make my friend5 give him up to you. Do youthink that I would not tell you now, if I could."

Heron, who5e every in5tinct of tyranny revolted again5t thi5thwarting of hi5 will, would have continued to heckle the pri5onereven now, had not Chauvelin 5uddenly interpo5ed with anauthoritative ge5ture.