effort to turn away and to face the danger of passing
the sentries and scaling the walls, of possibly having to swim the Po,
and of certainly having no chance of getting a change of clothes until
you arrived here, for you could not have calculated upon finding the
shed, much less those sacks, with the snow falling heavily."

"That was a piece of good fortune, indeed. If we had not found it, we
should have gone on walking until we got here. Still, we had had little
sleep the night before, and were heartily glad that we had no farther to
go. And now, sir, with your permission we will start for Susa at once."

"Your escort returned yesterday, but I will send a troop of cavalry with
you."

"Thank you, sir, but I do not think that there is any necessity for it.
We are very well mounted, and should we see any party of the enemy's
cavalry I think that we ought to be able to outdistance them. I shall
be glad, colonel, if you and your officers will say nothing about the
manner in which I communicated with the garrison, as doubtless the enemy
have spies here; and if the story comes out and reaches the ears of the
authorities at Turin, I should have no chance whatever of making my
way in, in the same manner, should the general entrust me with another
mission to communicate with the citadel."

A quarter of an hour later Hector and Paolo mounted and rode out of the
town. They kept a vigilant lookout, and traveled by byroads, but they
saw none of the enemy's parties, and reached Susa late that afternoon.
On sending in his name to Turenne, Hector was at once shown into his
room.

"I did not expect you back for another three or four days, Campbell,"
the general said, "and I am heartily glad to see you again safe and
sound. I blamed myself for letting you go. Of course, as I expected, you
found the task an altogether impossible one. Had it been otherwise you
would not have been back so soon."

"On the contrary, general, for I should have tried many plans before I
gave it up. As it is, I have only to report that I have carried out your
instructions, and that your despatches are in the hands of the garrison
of the citadel."

"You do not say so!" Turenne said, rising from the table at which he had
been sitting writing when Hector entered, and shaking him warmly by the
hand. "I congratulate both you and myself on your having performed a
mission that seemed well nigh hopeless. But by what miracle did you
succeed in passing through t