; after which he retired to bed, and
slept for hard upon thirty-six hours, as he found to his amaze upon
awakening. And, indeed, it was small wonder that he did so; for he
had not been used to such strenuous exercise so constantly
continued, nor to the clear, bracing air of the mountains.

He woke as hungry as a hunter; and it was only after he had
satisfied the cravings of nature that he had time to observe the
thoughtful shadow which had gathered upon the face of his comrade.

"Is aught amiss?" he asked presently, leaning his elbows on the
table, and heaving a sigh of satisfaction.

"Well, Tom, that is as you like to think it; but what I feared
might be the case has come to pass. We shall not reach the plains
of Italy without being sore beset by danger."

Tom's eyes flashed keenly under their dark brows.

"What have you learned, my lord?"

"That the pass is being closely watched, Tom, by spies, or whatever
you choose to call them, from the French army. The Duke of Savoy
is, as I have told you before, completely hemmed in by the armies
of the great Vendome, one of the ablest generals France possesses.
His capital is in danger, and it is of the first importance that he
should receive the despatches and messages with which I am charged
by Marlborough, and which will give him heart and courage to
prolong the contest till the promised help, which is now on its
way, shall reach him. Doubtless it is equally the policy of the
enemy to keep him in ignorance of what they themselves now know or
fear, so that he may surrender to the French arms before he hears
what is being done for his succour.

"That, in brief, is the situation we have to grapple with. I
suspect that Sir James is one of those who are watching for
messengers from England, and that we shall have to measure our wits
against his. Tom, I must get through the pass. I must carry my
despatches into Turin. I am not one whit afraid of the French
lines. I can disguise myself, and pass through them if needs be
without a qualm of fear. I can speak French against any Frenchman
living, for I was cradled in that land. But the first problem we
have to face is this--how can we cross the pass unseen? How can we
put the spies on a false scent?"

Tom drew his brows together and scratched his head in the effort to
think matters out.

"Do they know that strangers are here in this valley? Are we
watched?"

"I suspect so," answered Lord Claud. "It is not easy to be certai