that
it would need but a slight thing to excite his irritation, and undo
all the good that the Admiral has effected."

Two or three other Huguenot gentlemen now entered, and a general
conversation on the state of affairs took place. Philip was
standing a little apart from the others, when Claire came up to
him.

"You really believe in danger, Monsieur Philip?"

"Frankly I do, mademoiselle. The population hate us. There have
been Huguenot massacres over and over again in Paris. The Guises
are doubtless the instigators of this attack on the Admiral. They
are the idols of the Paris mob and, if they gave the word, it would
at once rise against us. As I told your father, I have no real
reason for uneasiness, but nevertheless I am uneasy."

"Then the danger must be real," the girl said simply. "Have you any
advice to give me?"

"Only this. You have but a week to stay here in Paris. During that
time, make excuses so as not to stir abroad in the streets more
than you can help; and in the second place I would say, lie down in
your clothes at night, so as to be in readiness to rise,
instantly."

"I will do that," she said. "There is nothing else?"

"Nothing that I can think of. I hope and trust that the emergency
will not come; but at any rate, until it does come, we can do no
more."

A few minutes later, Philip and his cousin took their leave. The
former went back to his lodgings, the latter to the Louvre. Philip
was surprised at not finding Pierre, and sat up later than usual,
expecting his return; but it was not till he was rising next
morning that the man made his appearance.

"Why, where have you been all night?" Philip asked angrily. "This
is not the time for pleasure."

"I have been outside the walls, master," Pierre said.

"What in the world did you go there for, Pierre?"

"Well, sir, I was here when Monsieur de Laville brought in the news
of the shooting of the Admiral. This seemed, to me, to bear out all
that I have said to you. You hurried away without my having time to
speak to you, so I took it upon myself to act."

"In what way, Pierre?"

"I went straight to the stables, sir, and took one of your honour's
chargers and my horse and, riding one and leading the other, passed
out through the gate before the orders came about closing. I rode
them to a village, six miles away; and put them up at a small inn
there, and left them in the landlord's charge. I did not forget to
tell the stable boy that he