uguenots, and especially of the
massacres perpetrated by the lower orders in the towns, men for
whom he had the profoundest contempt. He felt sorry for his
companion, whose youth and fearless demeanour moved him in his
favour; and who, he doubted not, had come to Agen to confer with
some of the Huguenots, who were to be found in every town.

Issuing from the gates, they went for a quarter of a mile along the
road, and then Raoul led the way into a small wood. Here, without a
word being spoken, Raoul and Philip threw aside their cloaks and
doublets.

"Gentlemen," Monsieur D'Estanges said, "surely this quarrel might
be arranged without fighting. Monsieur de Fontaine addressed my
principal, doubtless under a misapprehension, with some roughness,
which was not unnaturally resented. If Monsieur de Fontaine will
express his regret, which he certainly could do without loss of
dignity, for the manner in which he spoke; my principal would, I am
sure, gladly accept his apology."

"That is my opinion also," Louis de Fontaine said, "and I have
already expressed it to my cousin."

"And I have already said that I will do nothing of the sort," Raoul
said. "I am fighting not only in my own quarrel, but in that of the
king; being well assured in my mind that this young man, whether he
be, as he now appears, a gentleman of birth, or whether, as I saw
him last, a peasant boy, is engaged in some plot hostile to his
majesty."

"Then there is nothing more to be said," Monsieur D'Estanges said
gravely; "but before you begin, I may tell you, Monsieur de
Fontaine, that this gentleman belongs to a family no less noble
than your own. He has confided to me his name and position, which I
think it as well not to divulge.

"Now, Louis, we may as well stand aside. We have done our best to
stop this quarrel, and to prevent what I cannot but consider a most
unequal contest from taking place."

The last words were galling, in the extreme, to Raoul de Fontaine.
Monsieur D'Estanges stood high at court, was a gentleman of
unblemished reputation, and often appealed to on questions of
honour; and this declaration that he considered the combat to be an
unequal one was the more irritating, since he was himself conscious
of the fact. However, he could not recoil now but, with an angry
expression of face, drew his sword and stood on guard.

Philip was no less ready. The easy attitude he assumed, with his
weight for the most part on his left leg, diffe