if robbed of the letter, he might still be
able to fulfil his mission. Not, I own, that I thought of that at
the time, for the idea that he might be stopped never once entered
my mind."

At Nevers, Desmond went round to all the inns in the town, to
enquire if any body of men had put up at that place, but without
success. When he related his failure to obtain any news to Philip,
the latter said:

"Well, we must hope that we shall meet them before we arrive at
Moulins. If not, I shall no longer have any hope that my messenger
got through safely, and then we shall have to consider whether it
will not be necessary to inform the baron of our fears, and to get
him to change his route and make a detour, cross the Loire at
Bourbon, make for Maison, and then journey down on the other bank
of the Saone as far as Pont Saint Esprit, and thence over the
mountains to Florac."

"That would certainly be the safest plan, always providing that we
have not been watched ever since we left Paris. The vicomte might
well take this precaution, in case we should deviate from the
regular route."

"Sapriste! Desmond, you are always full of evil prognostications.
Still, as usual, I cannot but allow that there is reason in them."

"You see, Philip, we have plenty of time, as we travel at a
snail's pace, and in the evening when we stop, to think over the
affair in every light. I always put myself in the position of the
Vicomte de Tulle, and consider what steps I should take to ensure
success in my next attempt to carry off Mademoiselle de
Pointdexter."

"Then I am very glad that you are not in the position of de Tulle,
for, if you were, I should consider that all was lost, and that
there was not a chink or crevice by which we could escape. It is
monstrous that a nobleman cannot travel from Paris to his estate,
without being obliged to take as many precautions as the general
of an army would have to do, against the attack of an active and
formidable enemy."

"And will you tell the baron, Philip?"

"I hardly know what to do in that respect, for after all, we have
no solid foundation whatever for our uneasiness, beyond the fact
that the men I sent for have not met us. All our apprehensions are
due solely to the fact that this fellow is utterly unscrupulous,
and that his whole future depends on his carrying out his insolent
designs successfully. If we had any solid facts to work on, I
would urge the baron to change his route, but I fear th