e bore a letter from Francois.
After halting here for a few hours, they continued their journey.

So far they had been riding through a friendly country, but had now
to travel with due precautions; journeying fast, and yet taking
care that the horses should not be overworked, as sudden occasion
might arise for speed or endurance; and as the journey was some
eight hundred miles long, it behoved him to carefully husband the
strength of the animals.

After riding another fifteen miles, they stopped for the night at a
village, as Philip intended to journey by day; for his arrival at
inns, early in the morning, would excite comment. The three men had
been carefully instructed in the story they were to tell, at the
inns where they halted. Their master was Monsieur de Vibourg, whose
estate lay near the place at which they halted on the preceding
night; and who was going for a short visit, to friends, at the next
town at which they would arrive. If questioned as to his politics,
they were to say that he held aloof from the matter, for he
considered that undue violence was exercised towards the Huguenots;
who, he believed, if permitted to worship in their own way, would
be good and harmless citizens.

So day by day they journeyed along, avoiding all large towns, and
riding quietly through small ones, where their appearance attracted
no attention whatever. On the fourth day when, as usual, they had
halted to dine and give their horses a couple of hours' rest,
Philip heard the trampling of horses outside the inn. Going to the
window he saw two gentlemen, with eight armed retainers,
dismounting at the door. The gentlemen wore the Royalist colours.
At the same moment, Pierre came into the room.

"I have told Eustace and Roger to finish their meal quickly, and
then to get the horses saddled; to mount, and take ours quietly to
the end of the village, and wait for us there, sir; so that if
there should be trouble, we have but to leap through the casement,
and make a short run of it."

"That is very well done, Pierre," Philip said; reseating himself at
the table, while Pierre took his place behind his chair, as if
waiting upon him.

The door opened, and the two gentlemen entered. They did not, as
usual, remove their hats; but seated themselves at a table, and
began talking noisily. Presently one made a remark in a low tone to
the other, who turned round in his chair, and stared offensively at
Philip. The latter continued his me