verything here reminds me of our
early days, which so quickly passed away, which so delightfully flew by,
that no others will ever replace the charm of them in my heart."

Montalais, who watched the flying pen, and read, the wrong way upwards,
as fast as her friend wrote, here interrupted by clapping her hands.
"Capital!" cried she; "there is frankness--there is heart--there is
style! Show these Parisians, my dear, that Blois is the city for fine
language!"

"He knows very well that Blois was a Paradise to me," replied the girl.

"That is exactly what you mean to say; and you speak like an angel."

"I will finish, Montalais," and she continued as follows: "You often
think of me, you say, Monsieur Raoul: I thank you; but that does not
surprise me, when I recollect how often our hearts have beaten close to
each other."

"Oh! oh!" said Montalais. "Beware; my lamb! You are scattering your
wool, and there are wolves about."

Louise was about to reply, when the gallop of a horse resounded under
the porch of the castle.

"What is that?" said Montalais, approaching the window. "A handsome
cavalier, by my faith!"

"Oh!--Raoul!" exclaimed Louise, who had made the same movement as her
friend, and, becoming pale as death, sunk back beside her unfinished
letter.

"Now, he is a clever lover, upon my word!" cried Montalais; "he arrives
just at the proper moment."

"Come in, come in, I implore you!" murmured Louise.

"Bah! he does not know me. Let me see what he has come here for."

CHAPTER 2. The Messenger.

Mademoiselle de Montalais was right; the young cavalier was goodly to
look upon.

He was a young man of from twenty-four to twenty-five years of age, tall
and slender, wearing gracefully the picturesque military costume of the
period. His large boots contained a foot which Mademoiselle de Montalais
might not have disowned if she had been transformed into a man. With one
of his delicate but nervous hands he checked his horse in the middle of
the court, and with the other raised his hat, whose long plumes shaded
his at once serious and ingenuous countenance.

The guards, roused by the steps of the horse, awoke and were on foot
in a minute. The young man waited till one of them was close to his
saddle-bow: then stooping towards him, in a clear, distinct voice, which
was perfectly audible at the window where the two girls were concealed,
"A message for his royal highness," he said.

"Ah, ah!" cried the s