hting men to march away with the
possibility that, on their return, they will find their families
murdered and their homes levelled.

"Now we will take a turn round the grounds. Their beauty has been
sadly destroyed. You see, before the troubles seven years ago broke
out, there was a view from the windows on this side of the house
over the park and shrubberies; but at that time my father thought
it necessary to provide against sudden attacks, and therefore,
before he went away to the war, he had this wall with its flanking
towers erected. All the tenants came in and helped, and it was
built in five weeks time. It has, as you see, made the place safe
from a sudden attack, for on the other three sides the old defences
remain unaltered. It was on this side, only, that my grandfather
had the house modernized, believing that the days of civil war were
at an end.

"You see, this new wall forms a large quadrangle. We call it the
countess's garden, and my mother has done her best, by planting it
with shrubs and fast-growing trees, to make up for the loss of the
view she formerly had from the windows.

"Along one side you see there are storehouses, which are screened
from view by that bank of turf. They are all full, now, of grain.
There is a gate, as you see, opposite. In case of trouble cattle
will be driven in there, and the garden turned into a stockyard, so
that there is no fear of our being starved out."

"Fifty-five men are a small garrison for so large a place,
Francois."

"Yes, but that is only against a sudden surprise. In case of alarm,
the Protestant tenants would all come in with their wives and
families, and the best of their horses and cattle, and then there
will be force enough to defend the place against anything short of
a siege by an army. You see there is a moat runs all round. It is
full now on three sides, and there is a little stream runs down
from behind, which would fill the fourth side in a few hours.

"Tomorrow we will take a ride through the park, which lies beyond
that wall."

Entering the house, they passed through several stately apartments,
and then entered a large hall completely hung with arms and armour.

[Illustration: Philip and Francois in the armoury.]

"This is the grand hall, and you see it serves also the purpose of
a salle d'armes. Here we have arms and armour for a hundred men,
for although all the tenants are bound, by the terms of their
holding, to appear when called upo