ongratulated
myself that every moment since we entered the schloss two men with
loaded muskets had kept their eyes fixed on the entrance to the
courtyard. They were not sentries--oh, no--it was a mere guard of
honor suitable to Count Saxe's rank; but they were not wholly
ornamental.

Suddenly hoofbeats sounded out of the darkness, and Count Saxe
himself, with his two gentlemen, clattered over the drawbridge. He
flung himself off his horse and said to me:

"You were right, Babache. This night must we ride for Uzmaiz."

Our horses were stabled some little distance away toward the river
side. I sent four men after them, with orders to bring them as quietly
as possible.

"And Gaston Cheverny, sir?" I asked of Count Saxe.

There was that in his present circumstances which would have quenched
mirth in most men, but Count Saxe was one of those men who could laugh
in the face of fate.

"Gone to fetch Peggy Kirkpatrick," he said. "We arrived at the
ball--everything hostile to us--the duchess uglier than I ever saw
her, and the Russians elbowing us at every turn. The first person my
eyes rested on was General Bibikoff. I wondered what an officer of his
rank was doing at Mitau just now. I surmised, however, that it was not
for his health, and that he was not alone. And whom, think you, was he
talking with--Peggy Kirkpatrick! She arrived at Mitau to-day on her
way to France. She had with her that charming young creature,
Mademoiselle Capello, grown wonderfully handsome, and splendidly
dressed. I thought Gaston Cheverny would die of delight, he was so
joyful to see her. Peggy was a blaze of jewels and feathers, and
looked more like an ostrich than ever. By heaven! If I had ten
thousand men like Scotch Peg I could conquer Europe. But she did me
one of the greatest services of my life. She took the first chance to
speak to me aside.

"'The Russians are after you,' she said, 'eight hundred of them under
Bibikoff. A fool, Bibikoff; a dozen of the Kirkpatricks are worth, for
fighting, his whole eight hundred. But mind you, General Lacy is
behind him with four thousand, and Lacy is a Scotchman, so you need to
beware of him.'

"'Madame,' said I, 'we march before daylight--every hoof and toe of
us.' For I knew her information was sound. Then, after I had expressed
my everlasting thanks, what do you think she said? 'If, then, you are
so eternally grateful to me, you will kindly allow me and my niece to
travel to France with you.'