he colonel and
his twelve men continued on their way toward the town.

It was the sentinel's call, as he challenged the captain and his party,
which had attracted the attention of Morgan and Valensolle; and it was
the noise of their return to the barracks which interrupted the
supper, and caused Morgan to cry out at this unforeseen circumstance:
"Attention!"

In fact, in the present situation of these young men, every circumstance
merited attention. So the meal was interrupted. Their jaws ceased to
work to give the eyes and ears full scope. It soon became evident that
the services of their eyes were alone needed.

Each gendarme regained his room without light. The numerous barrack
windows remained dark, so that the watchers were able to concentrate
their attention on a single point.

Among those dark windows, two were lighted. They stood relatively back
from the rest of the building, and directly opposite to the one where
the young men were supping. These windows were on the first floor, but
in the position the watchers occupied at the top of bales of hay, Morgan
and Valensolle were not only on a level, but could even look down into
them. These windows were those of the room of the captain of gendarmes.

Whether from indifference on the worthy captain's part, or by reason of
State penury, the windows were bare of curtains, so that, thanks to the
two candles which the captain had lighted in his guest's honor, Morgan
and Valensolle could see everything that took place in this room.

Suddenly Morgan grasped Valensolle's arm, and pressed it with all his
might.

"Hey" said Valensolle "what now?"

Roland had just thrown his three-cornered hat on a chair and Morgan had
recognized him.

"Roland de Montrevel!" he exclaimed, "Roland in a sergeant's uniform!
This time we are on his track while he is still seeking ours. It
behooves us not to lose it."

"What are you going to do?" asked Valensolle, observing that his friend
was preparing to leave him.

"Inform our companions. You stay here and do not lose sight of him. He
has taken off his sword, and laid his pistols aside, therefore it is
probable he intends to spend the night in the captain's room. To-morrow
I defy him to take any road, no matter which, without one of us at his
heels."

And Morgan sliding down the declivity of the hay, disappeared from
sight, leaving his companion crouched like a sphinx, with his eyes fixed
on Roland de Montrevel.

A quarter of a