tending that he had been badly treated by the Guises. No
opportunity for carrying out his design against the Admiral
presented itself, and he remained at Niort with De Mouy; who,
believing his protestations of attachment for the cause, had
treated him with great friendship. As the Huguenots were returning
after their successful sortie, he was riding in the rear with De
Mouy and, seizing his opportunity, he drew a pistol and shot the
Huguenot leader, mortally wounding him. He then galloped off and
rejoined the Catholics; and was rewarded, for the treacherous
murder, by receiving from the king the order of Saint Michael, and
a money reward from the city of Paris.

The garrison of Niort, disheartened at the death of their leader,
surrendered shortly after. Several other strong places fell, and
all the conquests the Protestants had made were wrested from their
hands. The battle of Moncontour was fought on October 3rd. On the
14th the southern troops marched away, and four days later Coligny,
with the remains of the army, started from Saintes. He had with him
but six thousand men, of whom three thousand were cavalry.

His plan was an extremely bold one. In the first place, he wished
to obtain money to pay the German horsemen, by the capture of some
of the rich Catholic cities in Guyenne; to form a junction with the
army of Montgomery; then to march across to the Rhone, and there to
meet the forces of the south, which would by that time be ready to
take the field again; then to march north to Lorraine, there to
gather in the Germans whom William of Orange would have collected
to meet him; and then to march upon Paris, and to end the war by
giving battle under its walls.

The Queen of Navarre was to remain in La Rochelle, which city was
placed under the command of La Rochefoucault; and the two young
princes were to accompany the army, where they were to have small
commands. They would thus become inured to the hardships of war,
and would win the affection of the soldiers.

Francois de Laville had, with his own troop, ridden off to his
chateau from Parthenay on the morning after the battle; Coligny
advising him to take his mother, at once, to La Rochelle, as the
chateau would speedily be attacked, in revenge for the sharp
repulse that the Catholics had suffered there. On his arrival the
countess at once summoned all the tenants, and invited those who
chose to accompany her; pointing out that the Catholics would
speedily r