hing!"

"I knew that it was a woman in distress," Desmond said, "and that
was quite enough to induce two Irishmen to step in, and answer to
her cry for aid. However, mademoiselle, if the carriage and horses
are there, this will get us out of our difficulty. The only
question is, will you start at once, or wait until daylight? We
may be stopped by the patrols, as we approach Versailles, but I
have no doubt that my uniform will suffice to pass us into the
town, where probably your father is still lodging."

"I would much rather go at once," the girl said. "There are others
who come, sometimes at all hours of the night."

"Very well, then, we will see about getting the carriage ready, at
once. If you will come downstairs, we will lock this old woman up
in your room."

This was done at once, and the girl, who was so shaken by her
captivity that she feared to remain for a moment by herself,
accompanied her rescuers to the back of the house. Here, as she
had said, they found a carriage and four horses, two of which
stood ready saddled, while the others were evidently carriage
horses. These were speedily harnessed, and put into the carriage.

"Now, Mike, you had better drive. I will mount one of these saddle
horses and ride alongside. I think, mademoiselle, as the drive
will be a long one, it would be as well that we should put the old
woman in the carriage with you. She will be a companion, though
one that you would not take from choice. Still, your father may
wish to question her, and, indeed, it would be better in many
respects that you should have a female with you."

"Thank you, Monsieur Kennedy,"--for she had already learned his
name--she said gratefully, "it would certainly be much better."

The old woman was therefore brought down, and made to enter the
carriage, and seat herself facing Mademoiselle Pointdexter. Mike
took his seat on the box, and Desmond mounted one of the saddle
horses, and led the other. They had already removed the bodies
that lay in front of the gates.

They had to make a considerable detour round Paris, before they
came down upon the Versailles road. The roads were bad and the
carriage was heavy, and daylight was already breaking when they
entered the town. They had twice been stopped by patrols, but
Desmond's uniform had sufficed to pass them.

Baron Pointdexter had taken up his abode in a large house,
standing in a walled garden in the lower part of the town. When
they reached it, D