master's body they will, of course, take on to la
Vallee.

"His last wish, of course, would be that Mademoiselle de
Pointdexter should be rescued from the power of the villain noble
who has carried her off. Starting in the morning so early, we
shall have no difficulty in cutting him off long before he arrives
at Tulle. He will probably cross the Alier at the ferry at Saint
Pierre le Moutier. I must look at a map, and see the road that he
is likely to follow, but it is probable that he will make by
country tracks till he strikes the main road from Moulins."

"Well, I should think, sir, that he would cross it near Aubusson,
and then pass over the mountains by the road through Felletin, and
come down upon Meimac, when he will be only two leagues from his
castle near Correze. There is a good road from here to Aubusson,
and we might take post on the road between that town and Felletin.
At least, sir, we can avenge the murder of our dear master, though
we have arrived too late to save him; and can rescue Mademoiselle
de Pointdexter and her father."

The men, who had roused themselves and listened to the
conversation with many ejaculations of fury and regret, now
exclaimed that they were ready to ride on at once.

"There is no occasion for that, my friends," Desmond said. "The
coach with mademoiselle can travel but slowly, especially along
country roads."

"Perhaps the vicomte may take her on the saddle behind him," the
intendant suggested.

"That he will not do," Desmond said. "In the fight I wounded him
so sorely that he will, I think, have to be carried in a litter,
and he will be in no condition for fast or long travelling, so
that they certainly are not, at the present time, many leagues
from the spot where they attacked us, and cannot reach Aubusson
until the day after tomorrow. We might cut them off before they
arrive there, but we do not know what road they may follow, and
might miss them; whereas, from what you say, there can be no doubt
that they would pass through Felletin."

"I think that he would be sure to come that way, sir, for if he
followed the road on to Limoges questions might be asked. At any
rate, sir, we might post a man at Aubusson, and another at Pont
Gibaut, as he might make from that town to Felletin through the
village of Croc. How many men has he with him?"

"That I cannot tell you. Some twenty mounted men, under his own
leading, attacked the carriage. Two were shot by Eustace and the