rk, and had to wait until we could inquire
the way."

"Monsieur Fletcher is pleased to say that he has had some slight
troubles, madame," Gaston said; "but as the troubles included the
slaying in a duel of Raoul de Fontaine, one of the bitterest
enemies of our faith, and moreover a noted duellist; and an escape
from the castle of Agen, where he was confined as a suspected
Huguenot and spy, the term slight does not very aptly describe
them."

"What!" A tall soldierly old man, standing next to the queen,
exclaimed. "Do you mean to say, De Rebers, that Monsieur Fletcher
has killed Raoul de Fontaine in a duel?

"If so, I congratulate your majesty. He was a bitter persecutor of
the Huguenots, and one of the hottest headed and most troublesome
nobles in the province. Moreover, he can put a hundred and fifty
men into the field; and although his cousin Louis, who is his heir,
is also Catholic, he is a man of very different kind, and is
honoured by Huguenot and Catholic alike. But how this gentleman
could have killed so notable a swordsman is more than I can
understand. He looks, if you will pardon my saying so, a mere
youth."

"He rode beside Francois de la Noue in the battle of Saint Denis,
seneschal," the queen said; "and as he was chosen by my cousin
Conde, and Admiral Coligny, for the difficult and dangerous
enterprise of carrying a communication to me, it is clear that,
whatever his years, he is well fitted to act a man's part."

"That is so," the seneschal said heartily. "I shall be glad to talk
to you again, sir; but at present, madame, it is time to mount. The
troops are mustering, and we have a long ride before us.

"If you will lead the way with the infantry at once, Monsieur de
Rebers, we will follow as soon as we are mounted. We must go your
pace, but as soon as we start I will send a party to ride a mile
ahead of you, and see that the roads are clear."

At starting, the queen rode with the prince and the seneschal at
the head of the mounted party, some two hundred and fifty strong;
and behind followed the noblemen and gentlemen who had come with
her, and those who had accompanied the seneschal. Philip, who knew
no one, rode near the rear of this train, behind which followed the
armed retainers.

In a short time a gentleman rode back through the party.

"Monsieur Fletcher," he said, when he reached Philip, "the prince
has asked me to say that it is his wish that you shall ride
forward, and accompany hi