able round
table. As they dispatched their plates of steaming soup they saw the
slim blue figure of Henriette, with two dogs at her heels, flit past the
window in the direction of the steep lane down which Angelot had come
not very long before. This lane led not only to the _landes_, but by
other lanes to one of the rare high roads of the country, and on to the
chief town of the department. It was partly for this reason that
Monsieur Joseph, who valued privacy and independence, left it in its
present break-neck condition, more like the dry course of a torrent than
a civilised road.

A large dish of eggs followed the soup. But only half the guests had
been helped, when all the dogs about the place began to bark savagely.
And then, out of the shadow of the wood, darting down past the back of
the kitchen, Henriette came flying to the dining-room window, almost
upsetting Gigot and his dish as she sprang over the step.

"Papa, papa, there is a party riding down the lane. I believe it is
Monsieur le Prefet and an officer with him, and three servants. I ran up
the wood. They had only just turned into the lane, and they are coming
down very slowly; their horses don't like it."

Monsieur Joseph rapped out a tremendous oath, and looked round at his
guests, whose faces were a study.

"The Prefect and the General!" he said. "Now is your moment,
gentlemen!"

CHAPTER III

"JE SUIS LE GENERAL BIM-BAM-BOUM!"

All the men rose to their feet, except the elder d'Ombre, who had taken
a very long draught of his host's good wine, and now stared stupidly at
the others. Cesar d'Ombre's eyes flamed with excitement. He seized the
arm of Angelot, who was next to him, in such a grip that the young
fellow flinched and frowned.

"It is our moment!" he cried. "Six to two"--then savagely, and
tightening his grasp--"unless we are betrayed--"

"What do you mean, sir?" cried Angelot, his uncle, and Monsieur de
Bourmont, all in a breath.

Monsieur des Barres laughed as he looked at Henriette.

"The idea is absurd," he said--"and yet," in a lower tone--"mademoiselle
has proved herself an amazingly true prophetess. However, it is
absurd--"

There was a moment or two of uproar. Angelot, having impatiently shaken
off the Baron's hand, was demanding that he should withdraw his words.
He, having apparently at once forgotten them, was insisting that now
indeed was the time to prove a man's loyalty, that they must stand all
together and d