, got through the window and
closed it after him, and then rapidly made his way along the roofs,
until he reached his own. Closing and fastening the casement, he
ran down to his room.

Claire was standing there, with Pierre by her side. She gave a low
cry as he entered, alone.

"My father!" she exclaimed.

"God has taken him," Philip said, "as He has taken many others
tonight. He died painlessly, mademoiselle, by a shot from below."

Claire sank into a chair, and covered her face with her hands.

"His will be done," she said, in a low but firm voice, as she
looked up a minute later. "We are all in His hands, and can die but
once. Will they soon come?"

"I trust not," Philip said. "They may follow along the roof, when
they cannot find us in any of the rooms; but they will have no clue
as to which house we have entered."

"I will remain here and wait for them," she said.

"Then, mademoiselle, you will sacrifice our lives, as well as your
own; for assuredly we shall not leave you. Thus far we have escaped
and, if you will follow my directions, we may all escape together.
Still, if you wish it, we can die here together."

"What is to be done?" she asked, standing up.

Pierre handed Philip a bundle.

"I brought them down as I passed," he said.

"This is a disguise," Philip said, handing it to the girl. "I pray
you to put it on, at once. We also have disguises, and will return
in them, in a few minutes."

Chapter 21: Escape.

"This is awful, Pierre," Philip said, as he hurriedly assumed the
disguise the latter had prepared.

The clamour outside was indeed terrible. The bell of Saint Germain
l'Auxerrois was still sounding its signal, but mingled with it were
a thousand sounds of combat and massacre, the battering of hammers
and axes upon doors, the discharges of arquebuses and pistols, the
shouts of men and the loud screams of women.

Pierre glanced out of the window. With the soldiers were mingled a
crowd from the slums of Paris; who, scenting carnage from the
movements of the citizen troops, had waited in readiness to gather
the spoil; and had arrived on the spot, as if by magic, as soon as
the first signal of alarm told them that the work of slaughter had
begun.

"Can we get out behind, think you, Pierre?" Philip asked, as he
joined him.

"I will see, sir. One could scarce sally out, here, without being
at once seized and questioned. Doubtless a watch was placed in the
rear, at first; but the