st, that the Catholics are most vigilant. If she
succeeds in making her way through them, it will be well nigh a
miracle.

"Now that we are well past Bazas, we will leave the road and make
our way across the fields; for it is upon the roads that any watch
there may be will be set."

It was a long day's journey, and at eight o'clock in the evening
they lay down in a wood, ten miles from Nerac; having walked fully
fifty miles since crossing the river Ciron.

"I am very glad, Monsieur Philip, that we were not here four hours
earlier."

"Why, Pierre?"

"Because, sir, in that case you would have insisted on pushing on
to Nerac, so as to enter it before the gate is closed; and in that
case I doubt whether, with the best will, I could have got that
far, and I am sure that Jacques and Roger could not have done so."

"No, indeed," Jacques said, "I have done my last inch. For the last
four hours I felt as if walking upon hot irons, so sore are my
feet; and indeed, I could not have travelled at all, if I had not
taken your advice and gone barefoot."

They had bought some wine and bread in a little village through
which they had passed and, as soon as they had finished their
supper, they lay down to sleep. They were up next morning long
before daybreak, and were at the gates of Nerac before they opened.
A group of countrymen were gathered there and, as soon as the
drawbridge was lowered, they entered the town with them. They
observed that there were sentries all round the walls, and that a
keen watch was kept. As Philip was aware, the majority of the
inhabitants there were Huguenots, and the governor was a nobleman
of Bearn; and it was doubtless for this reason that the Queen of
Navarre had halted there, as Nerac was a strong town, and not to be
taken without a regular siege.

They had no difficulty in ascertaining where the queen was lodged.
Early as it was, several Huguenot gentlemen, armed to the teeth,
were gathered round the door. Philip, leaving his companions behind
him, went up to the group and, addressing one of them, said:

"I am the bearer of a message for the queen. It is important. May I
pray you, sir, to cause this ring to be conveyed to her. It is a
token that she will recognize."

The gentleman glanced at the ring.

"She may well do that," he said, "seeing that it bears her own
cognizance. The queen is already up, and I will cause it to be sent
in to her, at once."

Two minutes later another gentle