rried from the room. The young
officer stood in deep thought for a few moments. Then he followed the
Chief of the Staff.

I looked with curiosity from my loophole to see what his next proceeding
would be. His horse, a fine, strong chestnut with two white stockings,
was fastened to the rail of the inn. He sprang into the saddle, and,
riding to intercept a column of cavalry which was passing, he spoke to
an officer at the head of the leading regiment.

Presently after some talk I saw two Hussars--it was a Hussar
regiment--drop out of the ranks and take up their position beside Count
Stein. The next regiment was also stopped, and two Lancers were added to
his escort. The next furnished him with two Dragoons and the next with
two Cuirassiers. Then he drew his little group of horsemen aside and he
gathered them round him, explaining to them what they had to do. Finally
the nine soldiers rode off together and disappeared into the Wood of
Paris.

I need not tell you, my friends, what all this portended.

Indeed, he had acted exactly as I should have done in his place. From
each colonel he had demanded the two best horsemen in the regiment,
and so he had assembled a band who might expect to catch whatever they
should follow. Heaven help the Emperor if, without an escort, he should
find them on his track!

And I, dear friends--imagine the fever, the ferment, the madness of my
mind! All thought of Grouchy had passed away. No guns were to be heard
to the east. He could not be near. If he should come up he would not now
be in time to alter the event of the day. The sun was already low in the
sky and there could not be more than two or three hours of daylight.
My mission might be dismissed as useless. But here was another mission,
more pressing, more immediate, a mission which meant the safety, and
perhaps the life, of the Emperor. At all costs, through every danger, I
must get back to his side.

But how was I to do it? The whole Prussian army was now between me and
the French lines. They blocked every road, but they could not block the
path of duty when Etienne Gerard sees it lie before him. I could not
wait longer. I must be gone.

There was but the one opening to the loft, and so it was only down the
ladder that I could descend. I looked into the kitchen and I found that
the young surgeon was still there. In a chair sat the wounded English
aide-de-camp, and on the straw lay two Prussian soldiers in the last
stage of exha