relation of their own?"

In spite of the care and attention that he received, Hector's recovery
was slow, and even when spring came the surgeon said that he was unfit
for severe work. However, the letters that he received from time to time
from de Lisle and Chavigny consoled him, for not only had the winter
passed without any incident save the capture of three or four towns
by Turenne, but it was not at all likely that any events of great
importance would take place. All accounts represented the Spaniards as
being engaged in adding to the strength of three or four towns in
the duchy of Milan, so that evidently they intended to stand upon the
defensive.

The palace of Sedan was the centre of a formidable conspiracy against
Richelieu. Messengers came and went, and Bouillon, Soissons, and the
Archbishop of Rheims were constantly closeted together. They had various
allies at court, and believed that they should be able to overthrow the
minister who had so long ruled over France in the name of the king.

As Hector was now able to move about, and was acquainted with all the
members of the duke's household, he learned much of what was going on;
and from a conversation that he accidentally overheard, he could see
that the position was an extremely serious one, as a treaty had been
signed with Ferdinand, son of the King of Spain, and the Archduke
Leopold-William, son of the Emperor of Austria, by which each agreed to
assist the duke and his friends with a large sum of money for raising
soldiers, and with seven thousand men. In order to justify themselves,
the heads of the movement issued a manifesto, in which they styled
themselves Princes of Peace. In this they rehearsed the cardinal's
various acts of tyranny and cruelty towards his rivals, the arbitrary
manner in which he carried on the government, and declared that they
were leagued solely to overthrow the power that overshadowed that of
the king, plunged France into wars, and scourged the people with heavy
taxation.

As soon as this manifesto was published in Sedan, Hector went to the
duke.

"My lord duke," he said, "I cannot sufficiently thank you for the
hospitality and kindness with which you and the duchess have treated me.
Nevertheless, I must ask you to allow me to leave at once."

"Why this sudden determination, Captain Campbell?"

"If, sir, I were but a private person I should have no hesitation,
after the kindness that you have shown me, in requesting you to