“We do not mean to harm you, Mademoiselle, if you are sensible and do as we command.”

“But the wedding, the wedding!” moaned Mrs. Garrison.  “What will they think of us?  O, Monsieur, if you are one of the great diamond robbers I willingly give all that I have about me.  On my person there are jewels valued at many thousand—­”

“Another word, Madame, and I shall be obliged to use force,” said the man, leaning forward, threateningly.  In the darkness they could feel the menace in his eyes.

“You are determined to go on with this outrage?” asked Van Dykman.

“A coup so well planned as this cannot be given up, Monsieur.  We flatter ourselves that no such job has ever graced the history of Europe,” said the stranger, pleasantly.  “Down in your hearts, I believe you will some day express admiration for the way in which the abduction has been managed.”

“Abduction?” gasped Mrs. Garrison.  Dorothy sank back into the corner at that word and it seemed to her that her heart would never beat again.

“Where do you mean to take us, and what is your object?” slowly asked Mrs. Garrison, a peculiar sense of resignation coming over her.  It was as if she recognized the utter hopelessness of escape from the hands of these skillful wretches.  She now saw that the mind which had planned the capture was one that could carry the game to the end without a flaw in the operations.

“I can answer neither question, Madame.  Suffice to say that you are rich and we are poor.  I leave the rest for your imagination.  It grieves us, of course, to mar the grand wedding of to-night, but you will readily understand that at no other time could we find you so well prepared.  Truly, I wonder what they are doing in St. Gudule.”

“My coachman, my footman, my servants, it seems, are your accomplices,” said Mrs. Garrison, steadily.

“Not at all, Madame.  To-morrow your coachman and your footman will be found where we confined them.  The men here have never been in your employ.  I could recommend them to you, however; they are most trusty, faithful fellows, and they would be loyal to you to the death.”

“For God’s sake, where are we?” burst forth Mr. Van Dykman, unable to control his fear longer.

“We are near the edge of the city, and will soon be beyond the limits.  I must command absolute silence for the next half-hour.  Not a word must be spoken as we are passing a point of danger.  Do not permit hope of rescue to enter your minds, however, for there is no chance.  I may enlighten you by saying that the revolvers I carry work safely, quietly and very effectually.  Will you join me, in a half-hour’s silent consideration of the scenes that are now taking place in old St. Gudule?  I am sure there is no limit to the imagination when we give over our thoughts to that subject.”