ion of Belleville.

This separation was doubtless intended to puzzle their pursuers, if
they were pursued. Roland had heard the parting call of the leader:
"To-morrow night, you know where!" He had no doubt, therefore, that
whichever trail he followed, whether up or down--if the snow did not
melt too fast--would lead him to the rendezvous, where, either together
or singly, the Companions of Jehu were certain to assemble.

He returned upon his own tracks, ordered the conductor to put on the
boots thrown aside by the pretended postilion, mount the horse and
take the coach to the next relay, namely Belleville. The sergeant of
chasseurs and four of his men, who knew how to write, were to accompany
the conductor and sign his report of what had occurred. Roland forbade
all mention of himself and where he had gone, lest the brigands should
get word of his future plans. The rest of the escort were to carry back
their colonel's body, and make deposition on their own account, along
the same lines as the conductor, to the authorities, and equally without
mention of Roland.

These orders given, the young man dismounted a chasseur and took his
horse, selecting the one he thought most serviceable. Then he reloaded
his pistols, and put them in the holsters in place of the regulation
weapons of the dismounted chasseur. Having done this, and promised the
conductor and the chasseurs a speedy vengeance, conditioned, however, on
their keeping his present proceedings secret, he mounted the horse and
rode off in the direction he had already investigated.

When he reached the spot where the two troops had separated, he had to
decide between the different trails. He chose that which descended the
Saone toward Belleville. He had excellent reason for making this choice,
although it might possibly take him out of his way for six or eight
miles. In the first place he was nearer Belleville than Macon; then he
had spent twenty-four hours at Macon, and might be recognized there,
whereas he had never stopped at Belleville longer than the time required
to change horses when accident brought him there by post.

The events we have just recorded had taken barely an hour to happen.
Eight o'clock was striking from the church clock at Thoissy when Roland
started in pursuit of the fugitives. The way was plain; five or six
horses had left their imprint on the snow; one of these horses had
paced.

Roland jumped the two or three brooks which watered the sp