cques," said my uncle to me; "the poor man is
weary." Finding him to be one of my uncle's flock, I readily did so;
the more that his tone and words betokened honesty.

"Sir, you are doubtless going to join your brother-ministers," said
Joseph. "Have you a passport?"

"I have not, but I hope to get one on the frontier, or find some other
path open to me," said my uncle.

"Let us trust the 'other path' may open, then," said Joseph, "for most
vexatious obstacles are being thrown in the way of our ministers on the
frontier; they are either refused passports altogether, or such as they
are provided with are declared worthless."

"Romilly's passport, then, will be no good," thought I, and I was musing
on the moral advantage to my uncle of his having refused to use it from
the first, when Joseph in alarm cried--

"Hist--I hear some one galloping hard after us. Let us whip on as fast
as we can."

But we had just reached the foot of a heavy ascent, and the pursuer
gained upon us, and presently came up panting.

"Is Minister Chambrun here?" cried he, breathlessly.

"Who are you that ask?" returned I. At the same instant my uncle cried--

"Yes, here I am. What is it?"

"What a dance you have led me!" cried the messenger. "I come from the
commissioner, who sends you a passport, and desires you to go to
Bordeaux as fast as you can."

What a smile broke over my uncle's face!

"Said I not," cried he, joyfully, "that a path would doubtless open for
me? Henceforth, my children, never distrust the Lord."

His course was now altered. Instead of making for the nearest coast,
now within a few miles, on the borders of the Mediterranean, he decided
to proceed with all convenient speed to Montauban, where my aunt had
friends, thence down the Garonne, and so to Bordeaux. I could but set
him on his way and trust his future course to the same good Providence
that had hitherto protected him. My aunt was decided to follow his
fortunes, happen what would.

CHAPTER VI.

TRIAL BY FIRE.

Day was far spent before I got back, my horse having gone lame. There
seemed unusual disturbance in the town; I distinguished a distant hum of
many voices, and all at once a shrill cry that made me shudder, followed
by the passionate wailing of children, and the incessant barking of
dogs. I took the back way to our house, where lay our stable, and
entering the little yard, saw to my dismay six or eight cavalry horses
standing in it. I spran