d; while you, on horseback,
threw yourself between her and him. There was a terrible clashing
of swords; and then he, too, fell. Then you lifted her on to your
horse, and for a short time there was a whirl of conflict. Then you
rode off with three men, behind one of whom her maid Annette was
sitting. That is all she knows of it, except what you told her,
yourself."

"That is nearly all there is to know, count. The fray lasted but
two minutes, in all; and my being upon the spot was due to no
forethought of mine, but was of the nature of a pure accident."

"Nay, sir, you should not say that; you were led there by the hand
of God. But tell me how you came to be in the wood, and pray omit
nothing."

Philip related the whole story, from the time of the incident at
the inn, to the time when he handed over Claire to the care of
Madame de Landres.

"It was well done, sir," the count said, laying his hand
affectionately on his shoulder, when he concluded. "The young
prince said you would have a story to tell him, when you came back;
but I little dreamt that it would be one in which I had such
interest.

"Well, Claire cannot do better than remain where she is, for the
present; until, at any rate, I can remove her to La Rochelle, which
is the only place where she can be said to be absolutely safe; but
so long as we hold La Charite there is, as you say, but slight fear
of any fresh trouble there. From all other parts of France, we hear
the same tales of cruel massacre and executions, by fire and
sword."

Francois de Laville was not with Coligny's army, as he was with the
Prince of Navarre, who had remained near La Rochelle; but he was
very pleased to find the Count de la Noue, who had just rejoined
the army; having been exchanged for a Royalist officer of rank, who
had fallen into the hands of the Huguenots.

"You have been doing great things, while I have been lying in prison,
Philip," the count said warmly. "I hear that the Admiral has made you
and my cousin knights; and more than that, I heard half an hour since
from De Valecourt that, while carrying despatches to the Germans, you
had time to do a little knight-errant's work, and had the good fortune
to save his daughter from being massacred by the Catholics. By my
faith, chevalier, there is no saying what you will come to, if you go
on thus."

"I don't want to come to anything, count," Philip said, laughing.
"I came over here to fight for the Huguenot cause, and wi