d, at any point.
Then he took four hours' sleep, and at daybreak started back
again, making fresh enquiries till he arrived at Aubusson. He was
convinced that the band had not, at that time, crossed the road on
its way south.

At ten o'clock he started out with his party, followed the road by
the side of the Crorrere river--here a mere streamlet--and halted
in a wood about five miles from Felletin.

At six o'clock in the afternoon, a horseman was seen coming along,
and was recognized as the man who had been left at Pont Gibaut.
Desmond went out to meet him. He reported that, at twelve o'clock,
a party of horsemen had come down on to the road a mile to the
west of the town. He had followed at a distance, and they had
turned off by the track leading to Croc. They had with them a
carriage and a horse litter, and were travelling slowly.

Desmond and his men at once shifted their position, and took up a
post on the track between Croc and Felletin. An hour later, the
party of horsemen were seen approaching the wood in which they
were hidden. Desmond drew up the men, all of whom were armed with
pistols, as well as swords, in line among the trees. He waited
until the carriage was abreast of them, and then gave a shout, and
the men at once dashed upon the escort.

Taken completely by surprise, these made but a poor fight of it.
Several were shot down at once. The vicomte, whose head was
enveloped in bandages, leapt into the saddle of a horse whose
rider had been shot, and, drawing his sword, rode at Desmond, who
was making for the door of the carriage. Expecting no such attack,
he would have been taken by surprise had not Mike, who saw his
danger, shouted a warning, and at the same moment discharged his
pistol. The ball struck de Tulle in the forehead, and he fell back
dead.

His fall at once put an end to the conflict. The robbers, who had
lost some eight of their number, at once turned their horses'
heads and rode off at full gallop.

As Desmond drew bridle by the carriage, the door opened, and the
baron leapt out.

"By what miracle have you effected our rescue, my dear Monsieur
Kennedy?" he exclaimed. "My daughter told me that she saw you and
your servant break your way through these brigands, and ride off.
She has been suffering an agony of grief for Philip, whom she saw
shot. Have you any news of him?"

"None, sir. I, too, saw him fall, but whether he was killed, or
only wounded, I am unable to say. I have sent