s pledge? If not we must go, but we are both past the
age when we can take up life anew. My property would, of course, be
confiscated, and we should be penniless among strangers."

"I think they will respect the pledge," Philip replied. "I assured
them, so solemnly, that any breach of their promises would be
followed by prompt vengeance upon themselves and their homes, that
I feel sure they will not run the risk. Two or three among them
might possibly do so, but the others would restrain them. I believe
that you can safely return; and that, for a long time, at any rate,
you will be unmolested.

"Still, if I might advise, I should say sell your property, as soon
as you can find a purchaser at any reasonable price; and then
remove, either to La Rochelle or cross the sea to England. You may
be sure that there will be a deep and bitter hatred against you, by
those whose humiliation you have witnessed."

"Thank you. I will follow your advice, Monsieur Fletcher; and I
hope that I may, ere long, have the pleasure of seeing you, and of
worthily expressing our deep sense of the debt of gratitude we owe
you."

Five minutes later the troop mounted and rode away, while Monsieur
de Merouville, with his wife behind him, started for home.

"I hope, Francois," D'Arblay said, as they galloped off from the
wood, "that the next time I ride on an expedition your kinsman may
again be with me, for he has wit and resources that render him a
valuable companion, indeed."

"I had great hopes, even when I was in prison, and things looked
almost as bad as they could be," Francois said, "that Philip would
do something to help us. I had much faith in his long headedness;
and so has the countess, my mother. She said to me, when we
started:

"'You are older than Philip, Francois; but you will act wisely if,
in cases of difficulty, you defer your opinions to his. His
training has given him self reliance and judgment, and he has been
more in the habit of thinking for himself than you have,' and
certainly he has fully justified her opinion.

"Where do you propose to ride next, D'Arblay?"

"For La Rochelle. I shall not feel safe until I am within the
walls. Presidents of Parliament, judges of High Court, and
dignified functionaries are not to be dragged from their beds with
impunity. Happily it will take them an hour and a half to walk back
to the town; or longer, perhaps, for they will doubtless go first
to their own homes. They will never s