singly; and will, I am sure, give us their loyal service,
should we require it."

"If they serve you as well as they serve the cause, you could
scarce have better assistants. I would that I could go with you. It
would be an adventure after my own heart, but private friendship
must give way to our country's needs. I hope, Leigh, that it will
not be long before we meet again, and that I may hear that you have
been successful."

Half an hour later, Leigh and Jean Martin started. The latter's
first question, when Leigh returned, had been regarding the child.
It was now nearly fifteen months old but, in the terrible shock
caused by the news of his wife having been carried off, Jean had
not thought of it till Leigh had left the room.

"The child is as nothing to me," he said, when Leigh had told him
that the messenger had heard nothing of it. "It would have been,
some day; but so far 'tis as nothing compared to Patsey. It slept
with the nurse, and may possibly have escaped; unless, indeed,
Patsey wished to take it with her."

"I do not think that she would do that," Leigh said. "No doubt it
would have been a comfort, to have it with her; but she would have
known that its chances of life would be slight, indeed, and for
your sake she would have concealed it, if possible, before she was
seized."

They reached the ruins of the chateau at noon next day, having
stopped for the night at Chemille, in order to rest their horses
and keep them in condition for another long ride, if necessary. The
outhouse had been left standing. Francois came out, on hearing the
sound of the horses' hoofs.

"Thank God you are back, master!" he said. "It has been a terrible
time."

"Is the child safe, or was it taken with its mother?" Jean asked.

"He is safe, sir. Marthe saved it. When madame heard the Blues ride
up, and looked out and saw their uniforms, she ran into Marthe's
room and said:

"'Hide the child, Marthe! Run with it downstairs, without waking
it, and put it in a cupboard in the kitchen. They will never think
of searching for it there. Then return to your bed again. Tell your
master, when he comes back again, I have left little Louis for
him.'

"I was getting up when I heard the horsemen, and guessed that it
was the Blues and, without waiting a moment, dropped from my window
and ran past the stable, and hid myself in the shrubbery behind it.
I had scarcely done so when I heard them come round the house.

"Then there was a