hey have taken a bit of supper up there at the Chateau;
and do you come up with us just to show them the way across to
Leonard's. That's no unlikely place for her to lurk in, as you said this
morning, good fellow.'

It was the most remote farm from that of Martin, and Eustacie felt how
great were his services, even while she flushed with anger to hear him
speaking of her as Mademoiselle. He was promising to follow immediately
to the castle, to meet _ces Messieurs_ there almost as soon as they
could arrive, but excusing himself from accompanying them, by the need
of driving home the big bull, whom no one else could manage.

They consented, and rode on. Martin watched them out of sight, then
sprang up by some stepping-stones in the bank, a little below where
Eustacie sat, and came crackling through the boughs to where she was
crouching down, with fierce glittering eyes and panting breath, like a
wild animal ready to spring.

'Madame has heard,' said Martin, under his breath.

'If I have heard! Oh that I were a man, to slay them where they stood!
Martin, Martin! you will not betray me. Some day WE will reward you.'

'Madame need not have said THAT to me,' said Martin, rather hurt. 'I am
only thinking what she can do. Alas! I fear that she must remain in this
covert till it is dark, for these men's eyes are all on the alert. At
dark, I or Lucette will come and find a shelter for her for the night.'

Long, long, then, did Eustacie sit, muffled in her gray cloak, shrinking
together to shelter herself from the sunset chill of early spring, but
shuddering more with horror than with cold as the cruel cold-blooded
words she had heard recurred to her, and feeling as if she were fast
within a net, every outlet guarded against her, and search everywhere;
yet still with the indomitable determination to dare and suffer to the
utmost ere that which was dearer than her own life should come into
peril from her enemies.

The twilight closed in, the stars came out, sounds of life died away,
and still she sat on, becoming almost torpid in the cold darkness, until
at length she heard the low call of Lucette, 'MADAME! AH!_la pauvre
Madame_.' She started up, so stiff that she could hardly more, and only
guided by the voice to feel her way through the hedgerow in the right
direction. Another moment, and Lucette's warn arms had received her; and
she was guided, scarce knowing how or where, in cautious silence to the
farmyard, and into the