my aid, will watch over you
in all dangers," Claire de Valecourt had said, as she bade him
goodbye.

They halted that night at a small village and, as Philip was eating
his supper, Pierre came in.

"I think, monsieur, that it would be well for us to move on for a
few miles farther."

"Why, Pierre? We have done a long day's journey, and the horses had
but a short rest last night."

"I should like to rest just as well as the horses," Pierre said;
"but I doubt if we should rest well, here. I thought, when we drew
bridle, that the landlord eyed us curiously; and that the men who
sauntered up regarded us with more attention than they would
ordinary travellers. So I told Eustace and Roger, as they led the
horses to the stable, to keep the saddles on for the present; and I
slipped away round to the back of the house, and got my ear close
to the open window of the kitchen. I got there just as the landlord
came in, saying:"

[Illustration: Pierre listens at the open window of the inn.]

"'These are the people, wife, that we were told of three hours ago.
There are the same number of men, though they have no women with
them, as I was told might be the case. Their leader is a
fine-looking young fellow, and I am sorry for him, but that I can't
help. I was told that, if they came here, I was to send off a
messenger at once to Nevers; and that, if I failed to do so, my
house should be burnt over my head, and I should be hung from the
tree opposite, as a traitor to the king. Who he is I don't know,
but there can be no doubt he is a Huguenot, and that he has killed
two nobles. I daresay they deserved it if they were, as the men
said, engaged in what they call the good work of slaying Huguenots;
which is a kind of work with which I do not hold. But that is no
business of mine--I am not going to risk my life in the matter.

"'Besides, if I don't send off it will make no difference; for they
told half-a-dozen men, before they started, that they would give a
gold crown to the first who brought them news of the party; and it
is like enough someone has slipped off, already, to earn the money.
So I must make myself safe by sending off Jacques, at once. The men
said that their lords had powerful friends at Nevers, and I am not
going to embroil myself with them, for the sake of a stranger.'

"'We have nothing to do with the Huguenots, one way or other,' the
woman said. 'There are no Huguenots in this village, and it is
nothing to us