ance with the weapon itself.

"At least," he thought grimly, "none will have much chance to observe
it closely if I am using it against them; if I am not, I can keep my
hand on the emblem. Under any circumstances it cannot be parted with."

And now he neared Bayeux, worn and spent with all he had gone through
in the last twenty-four hours, since he had hardly slept at all, and
that only by snatches after the battle off Barfleur had begun; also
his immersion in the sea and his long ride had made him very weary.

"Rest! rest!" he muttered to himself, "a long rest I must have. And
then for Troyes and my child--and for Aurelie de Roquemaure. Ay, for
her!"

He trudged along by the horse's side, still carrying the saddle over
his arm to ease it, and it was not until the gates and walls of Bayeux
came into sight that he mounted it again. It would have a good night
in a stall before long; that small addition to its day's work would
not hurt it much. And he could not present himself on foot before the
custodian without raising suspicion of having come a long distance,
without courting remark.

"You are from the coast?" the man asked, as he rode through the gate.
"How goes it with the marshal's army there? Have they invaded England
yet?"

"Not yet, so far as I am aware," he answered. He knew it would be
madness to appear cognizant of what had taken place at La Hogue. The
whole town would clamour for news, and he would be for the time the
most conspicuous man in it. "Not yet."

"We have heard strange rumours," the man said. "But this morning one
came in from St. Mere Eglise who said that loud sounds of firing were
heard all last night out to sea; and another, _a pecheur de mer_, says
that great fleets have been seen passing from the west. _Mon Dieu_! it
cannot be that those English _chiens_ would dare to attack us!"

"Impossible, _mon ami_, impossible! There can be no chance of that.
Tourville's fleet would prevent that."

"_Je crois bien._ Yet why fire all through the night? One fires not on
imaginary foes."

"True. Well, later, no doubt, we shall hear more. My friend, tell me a
good inn, where I may rest awhile."

"Oh! as for that, there are several. The _Pomme d'Or_, among others,
is good and cheap; also _Les Rochers de Calvados_. Try one of those
and you will be content."

Thanking him, St. Georges passed into the old city, though without the
slightest intention of going to either of those houses. His object was