ad me shot five minutes
before the appointed hour, rather than endure the cold and be kept from
his breakfast. I itched to call him to account then and there, but that
would have been foolish play. I was outside of the belt of light falling
from the door, and stealing round I came near to the windmill on the
town side. I was not surprised to see such poor watch kept. Above the
town, up to this time, the guard was of a perfunctory sort, for the
great cliffs were thought impregnable; and even if surmounted, there was
still the walled town to take, surrounded by the St. Lawrence, the St.
Charles, and these massive bulwarks.

Presently Lancy stepped out into the light, and said, with a hoarse
laugh, "Blood of Peter, it was a sight to-day! She has a constant fancy
for the English filibuster. 'Robert! my husband!' she bleated like a
pretty lamb, and Doltaire grinned at her."

"But Doltaire will have her yet."

"He has her pinched like a mouse in a weasel's teeth."

"My faith, mademoiselle has no sweet road to travel since her mother
died," was the careless reply.

I almost cried out. Here was a blow which staggered me. Her mother dead!

Presently the scoffer continued: "The Duvarneys would remain in the
city, and on that very night, as they sit at dinner, a shell disturbs
them, a splinter strikes Madame, and two days after she is carried to
her grave."

They linked arms and walked on.

It was a dangerous business I was set on, for I was sure that I would
be hung without shrift if captured. As it proved afterwards, I had been
proclaimed, and it was enjoined on all Frenchmen and true Catholics to
kill me if the chance showed.

Only two things could I depend on: Voban and my disguise, which was
very good. From the Terror of France I had got a peasant's dress, and by
rubbing my hands and face with the stain of butternut, cutting again
my new-grown beard, and wearing a wig, I was well guarded against
discovery.

How to get into the city was the question. By the St. Charles River and
the Palace Gate, and by the St. Louis Gate, not far from the citadel,
were the only ways, and both were difficult. I had, however, two or
three plans, and these I chewed as I went across Maitre Abraham's
fields, and came to the main road from Sillery to the town.

Soon I heard the noise of clattering hoofs, and jointly with this I
saw a figure rise up not far ahead of me, as if waiting for the coming
horseman. I drew back. The horseman pa