ou pass the outer guard."

"A way will open; ride on."

"Well ride, then!" And ride they did, furiously. The fewer sleepless
eyes in Valmy the better for his purpose; the surer, too, his chance of
escape in the confusion which must follow the King's death. Once only
Molembrais looked round.

"Remember your parole. Keep near me, La Mothe!" Then, crouching low,
he drove his spurs home and dashed forward at a reckless gallop.

But if he thought to shake off Ursula de Vesc and the Franciscan, he
was mistaken. Thanks to the good offices of Cartier, the innkeeper,
they had changed horses at Chateau-Renaud, and now their freshness more
than balanced any lesser skill in horsemanship. Even Father John, the
weakest rider of the four, never flinched or fell behind, but, stiff
with pain and every joint a living fire from the unaccustomed fatigue,
kept his place, second in the troop. Stephen and Ursula came last,
side by side. Crossing the Loire the pace slackened, and for the first
time speech was possible.

"Stephen, you are not vexed? I could not wait in Amboise eating my
heart out, knowing nothing."

"How could love vex me?" he answered as they clasped hands across the
current. "But, beloved, I am in terror for you. The King----"

"Hush! do not talk of the King. Father John is right, God's over all,
and I have no fear." The clasp tightened in a message neither could
speak. But it was only for a moment; already their horses were
scrambling up the further bank, forcing them apart.

"God guard you, Ursula."

"Stephen, beloved, is it good-bye?" For answer he shook his head, but
not in denial; none knew for certain how suddenly good-byes might be
said in Valmy.

Once across the river Molembrais beckoned to La Mothe to close up with
him.

"We must keep together now. If I have done my part courteously, help
me in return by silence. Remember, no one in Valmy knows of the
arrest. Mademoiselle de Vesc and the monk must fend for themselves."

La Mothe nodded agreement. The request was natural. For his part he
had no desire to be a target for curious questions. He had no
explanation to give, nor was he even certain whether, as Villon said,
he knew too much, or was accused of disloyalty in joining the Dauphin's
party. As to Ursula, it seemed safer for her to be disassociated from
him in either case; safer, too, that the King should see him first and
alone; the heat of his wrath might exhaust itself. So