se
that might betoken the approach of a body of men, warn me at once."

"I heard what you said to the sentries, Colonel Campbell; do you think
that there is any danger?"

"No danger, I trust, madam, for I am convinced that we could beat off
any number. Still, I do think that there is a possibility of our being
attacked. The peasants know that we are but a company. They may send to
all the villages round and call on them to come and revenge those
who have been slain. The people of the hills are strong fellows--wood
cutters, charcoal burners, and shepherds--and there can be no doubt that
they suffer terribly from the enormous taxation. I have seen it on my
own estate in Poitou, and can make every allowance for them. In many
cases the amounts they are adjudged to pay are absolutely greater than
their whole income. They are forced to live upon bread made of bran and
sawdust, to eat acorns and beechnuts; they are gaunt with hunger; they
see their children dying before their eyes. They know not how their
sufferings arise, they only know that they suffer, and in their despair
they turn like hungry wolves against all who are better off than
themselves."

"And your people, are they suffering as much as these, monsieur?"

"Not quite so much, perhaps, but they are suffering. I have spent but a
fortnight on my estates, of which I have only been master for a year."

"And could you do nothing for them, monsieur?" the girl asked.

"I did what I could, mademoiselle. I remitted half their rents, which
was in fact but a small thing, seeing that I knew positively they could
not have paid them. Still it was no doubt some alleviation to know that
the arrears were not being piled up against them. As to the other half,
I told my intendant not to press any whom he thought could not pay,
and that if he drew enough to pay his own salary and the wages of the
retainers I should be content--for my pay as colonel is ample for my own
wants."

"You are very young to be a colonel, Monsieur Campbell," the baroness
said.

"Very young; but I have had singularly good fortune, and have been happy
enough to please both Marshal Turenne and the Duc d'Enghien."

"And you have served under them both?" she said in surprise.

"I have had that good fortune. I was with Turenne for nearly four years
in Italy, and fought under Enghien at Rocroi, and I may say under both
of them at Freiburg."

"What is the name of your regiment, monsieur?"

"The Poitou r