azet's death had spread like
wildfire throughout the town of Tarascon, and everybody was in a state
of excitement. Not only mounted gendarmes, but a platoon of hussars from
the garrison, had been sent in pursuit of the murderer.

At least twenty young men of Tarascon were volunteer guides to the armed
force.

"Then," said the marquis, "we are surrounded?"

"Not a single chance for escape," groaned St. Jean.

"We shall see about that, Jarnibleu!" cried the marquis. "Ah, we are not
the strongest, but we can be the most adroit. Attention! Louis, my son,
you and La Verdure go down to the stable, and mount the fastest horses;
then as quietly as possible station yourselves, you, Louis, at the park
gate, and you, La Verdure, at the outer gate. Upon the signal I shall
give you by firing a pistol, let every door be instantly opened, while
Louis and Verdure dash through the gates, and make the gendarmes pursue
them."

"I will make them fly," said La Verdure.

"Listen. During this time, Gaston, aided by St. Jean, will scale the
park wall, and hasten along the river to the cabin of Pilorel, the
fisherman. He is an old sailor of the republic, and devoted to our
house. He will take Gaston in his boat; and, when they are once on the
Rhone, there is nothing to be feared save the wrath of God. Now go, all
of you: fly!"

Left alone with his son, the old man slipped the jewelry into a silk
purse, and, handing them once more to Gaston, said, as he stretched out
his arms toward him:

"Come here, my son, and let me embrace you, and bestow my blessing."

Gaston hesitated.

"Come," insisted the old man in broken tones, "I must embrace you for
the last time: I may never see you again. Save yourself, save your name,
Gaston, and then--you know how I love you, my son: take back the jewels.
Come."

For an instant the father and son clung to each other, overpowered by
emotion.

But the continued noise at the gates now reaches their ears.

"We must part!" said M. de Clameran, "go!" And, taking from his desk
a little pair of pistols, he handed them to his son, and added, with
averted eyes, "You must not be captured alive, Gaston!"

Gaston did not immediately descend to the park.

He yearned to see Valentine, and give her one last kiss before leaving
France, and determined to persuade Pilorel to stop the boat as they went
by the park of La Verberie.

He hastened to his room, placed the signal in the window so that
Valentine might