ad run down and received them in the gateway.

"What is this?" the Admiral asked. "Have they burnt your drawbridge
and gate?"

"Yes, sir."

"How was it, then, they did not succeed in capturing the place? Ah,
I see, you formed a barricade here."

Two or three of the carcasses had been dragged aside, to permit the
men carrying the wounded to enter.

"Why, what is it, Francois--skins of freshly slain oxen?"

"Yes, sir, and the barricade is formed of their bodies. We had
neither time nor materials at hand, and my cousin suggested
bringing the oxen up, and slaughtering them here. In that way we
soon made a barricade. But we should have had hard work in holding
it, against such numbers, had he not also suggested our skinning
them, and letting the hides hang as you see, with the raw sides
outwards. Then we smeared them thickly with blood and, though the
Catholics strove their hardest, not one of them managed to get a
footing on the top."

"A rare thought, indeed," the Admiral said warmly.

"De la Noue, these cousins of yours are truly apt scholars in war.
The oldest soldier could not have thought of a better device.

"And you say you killed seven hundred of them, Laville?"

"That is the number, sir, counting in a hundred and thirty wounded,
who are now lying in a granary here."

"They must have fought stoutly. But what was your strength?"

"We had fifty men-at-arms, sir, five or six Huguenot gentlemen with
their retainers, and a hundred and fifty men from our own estate;
all of whom fought as doughtily as old soldiers could have done.

"The enemy thought to take us by surprise, yesterday evening; but
we were ready for them, and our discharge killed over fifty. Then
they drew off, and left us until this morning. They made two great
attacks: the first by throwing planks across the moat, and placing
ladders at three places; the second by trying, again, to storm with
ladders, while other bands tried to force their way in at this
gateway, and at the two posterns.

"Of course they have burned all the farina to the ground, but the
cattle were all safely driven in here, before they arrived.

"Now if you will enter, sir, we will endeavour to provide for your
wants. No one is yet in bed. We have been too busy carrying out the
dead, and collecting the wounded, to think of sleep."

The countess was at the steps of the chateau, to receive the
Admiral as he dismounted.

"Accept my heartiest thanks for the speed with wh