"Are you sure you understand?" he asked finally.
"Yes, I understand and I will do what you tell me," she answered firmly, "but——"
"Well?"
"It will bring trouble on you. If anyone stands in his way—" She shivered in alarm.
Coquenil smiled confidently. "Don't worry about me."
She shook her head anxiously. "You don't know, you can't understand what a"—she stopped as if searching for a word—"what a wicked man he is."
"I understand—a little," answered Coquenil gravely; "you can tell me more when we have time; we mustn't talk now, we must act."
"Yes, of course," agreed Alice, "I will obey orders; you can depend on me and"—she held out her slim hand in a grateful movement—"thank you."
For a moment he pressed the trembling fingers in a reassuring clasp, then he watched her wonderingly, as, with a brave little smile, she turned and went back up the stairs.
"She has the air of a princess, that girl," he mused, "Who is she? What is she? I ought to know in a few hours now," and moving to the wide space of the open door, the detective glanced carelessly over the Place Notre-Dame.