ich you have come
to our aid, Admiral. We did not expect you before tomorrow morning,
at the earliest."

"It has been a long ride, truly," the Admiral said. "Your messenger
arrived at daybreak, having walked the last five miles, for his
horse had foundered. I flew to horse, the moment I received the
news; and with four hundred horsemen, for the most part Huguenot
gentlemen, we started at once. We halted for three hours in the
middle of the day to rest our horses, and again for an hour just
after nightfall. We feared that we should find your chateau in
flames for, although your messenger said that your son thought you
could hold out against all attacks for two days, it seemed to us
that so strong a force as was beleaguering you would carry the
place by storm, in a few hours. I have to congratulate you on the
gallant defence that you have made."

"I have had nothing to do with it," the countess replied; "but
indeed, all have fought well.

"Now, if you will follow me in, I will do my best to entertain you
and the brave gentlemen who have ridden so far to my rescue; but I
fear the accommodation will be of the roughest."

The horses were ranged in rows, in the courtyard, haltered to ropes
stretched across it; and an ample supply of food was given to each.
Some of the oxen that had done such good service were cut up, and
were soon roasting over great fires; while the women spread straw
thickly, in the largest apartments, for the newcomers to sleep on.

"Where are the Catholics?" the Admiral asked.

"They have halted at a village, some seven miles away," Francois
said. "We sent two mounted men after them, to make sure that they
had gone well away, and did not intend to try to take us by
surprise in the night. They returned some hours since with the
news."

"What do you say, De la Noue," the Admiral exclaimed; "shall we
beat them up tonight? They will not be expecting us and, after
their march here and their day's fighting, they will sleep
soundly."

"I should like nothing better, Admiral; but in truth, I doubt
whether our horses could carry us. They have already made a
twenty-league journey."

"We have at least two hundred horses here, Admiral," Francois said.
"We have those of my own troop, and fully a hundred and fifty that
were driven in by the tenants. My own troop will, of course, be
ready to go; and you could shift your saddles on to the other
horses. There is not one of our men who would not gladly march w