"No!" she continued, raising her eyes which had fallen before the ardour of his gaze.

"But there must be something you wish to ask me.

You must wish to know----" "I have heard what I wished to know." "But----" "Tell me what you please." She stood in thought an instant: then, with a sigh, "He came to me last evening," she said, "when you were at his house." "Messer Blondel ?" "Yes.

He wished me to procure for him a certain drug that Messer Basterga kept in his room." Claude stared.

"In a steel casket chained to the wall ?" he asked.
"Yes," she whispered with some surprise.