Herrick was busy, and the dwarf had not spoken for nearly an hour, when the door opened, and two men were ushered into the room. In an instant the dwarf's fingers were upon a revolver which he carried underneath his fool's garment, for Jean had constituted himself the Duke's special body-guard. His eyes were ever keenly watching those with whom the Duke conversed. An unfortunate movement might easily have cost a man his life.
Herrick signed to the men who had remained near the door to come forward.
"No, my lord; but I know you are the Duke," answered one.
"One of you helped to cut my bonds one night when I was bound by robbers to a tree in the forest near your hut," said Herrick.
"You little thought your services were given to the Duke of Montvilliers, who does not forget them. We would find you better service in the Castle of Vayenne; but not at once. We have other work for you to do. You remember our speaking of an old, toothless hag who was with those robbers?"
"We can try," was the answer. "We are more likely to be able to trace her than anyone else perhaps."
Herrick struck a gong, and sent for Pierre Briant, who was instructed to take half a dozen men and go with the charcoal-burners.
"This hag must be brought to Vayenne," he said. "Tie her up as you will, but do not injure her. She has a secret, and we shall find means here to make her tell it."
Jean looked at Herrick as the men left the room.
"This mission is a secret, Jean; I would have no one told of it."
"Vayenne would be alive with rumor in an hour, and that we cannot afford."
"Will you tell Mademoiselle?" Jean asked.
Herrick laughed, but there was no mirth in his laughter.
"You have changed a good deal, friend Roger," said the dwarf after a pause.
"Is that wonderful? Does a man become a duke without changing? To be nobody particular is the happiest condition, Jean. When you climb up into the seats of the mighty, you get a wider view of the world and the men and women in it. The sight is not pleasant, and the heart and head grow quickly sick of it all."
"We are children of circumstances, and our own inclinations count for little," Herrick returned.
"Twice, at least, you might have ridden to the frontier and left Montvilliers to settle its own quarrels. Why didn't you?"