llness and death.

"Bravo, Pillot!" exclaimed Humphreys when I had finished; "he's a
plucky rascal, and loyal, too. What will become of him now that his
master is dead?"

"He has agreed to take service with me. But I must go; Le Tellier has
been waiting for some time," and I proceeded quickly to the
under-minister's apartment.

"At last, M. de Lalande," rather irritably. "I began to wonder if you
had left Paris! Are you still willing to do the King a service?"

"I shall be delighted, monsieur."

"Humph!" said he, making a wry face, "I am not so sure of that. I
intend to send you on a dangerous errand. You will need a keen eye,
sharp brain, and, as likely as not, a strong arm. My last messenger
was waylaid and nearly killed, and you may fare even worse."

"The prospect is not over pleasant," I answered laughing, "but I may
have better luck."

"I hope you will," said he doubtfully, "but it is a risky venture. You
know that Cardinal Mazarin is at Bruhl, near Cologne? Well, it is
necessary to take him an important paper."

"There seems small risk in that!"

"There you are wrong. It is well understood that letters pass to and
fro, and his enemies are on the watch. It may be they will learn your
secret before you get outside the gates. Their spies are everywhere;
even, I may say, in the Palace itself. Now, will you undertake the
commission?"

"Certainly, but I cannot travel on foot."

"There are horses in France, I suppose."

"One cannot buy them without money, which so far, has never been
plentiful with me."

"Oh," said he, "I will attend to that. The King cannot afford to be
niggardly in this matter, eh?" and without even making a wry face he
gave me a liberal supply of money.

"Now," he continued, when I had replaced my purse, "this is a serious
affair, and the Court will depend not only on your courage but on your
skill. Mazarin must receive that letter, and no one else must see it.
Do you understand?"

"Perfectly, monsieur."

"You will leave Paris to-night; trust no one, and remember that every
man you meet on the road may be a spy in Conde's pay."

"Then the chief danger is to be expected from the prince?"

"From every one," he exclaimed sharply. "King's friends. Queen's
friends, _Frondeurs_ and _petits maitres_ are all to be suspected until
that letter is placed in Mazarin's own hands."

Being a very tiny packet it was hidden without much difficulty, and,
after listening to Le