the thought of what Jean must be suffering on her
account, and her uncertainty as to the fate of her child. But even
the twenty-four hours that had elapsed since she had left her
prison had done much for her. The news that the child was safe and
well had taken a load off her mind; and she felt proud, indeed,
that her release, and that of so many others of her fellow
prisoners, had been brought about by the devotion of her husband
and her brother. Before the day was out, she was laughing and
chatting as if nothing had happened.

On the following morning they started early, and reached home in
the afternoon. They were received with delight by their people,
although many of these had lost relations in the recent battles. A
house in the village was placed at their disposal, Patsey riding
straight on to see her child; with which, and its faithful nurse,
she soon returned.

"And now, Jean," Patsey said when, with the cure and Jules
Desailles, they sat down for a quiet talk that evening, "what is to
be the next thing?"

"You should ask the Blues that," he replied. "So far as I can see,
it will be a repetition of what has taken place. They will invade
us again, and probably we shall beat them back. Each time they will
come with larger forces and, at last, I suppose we shall have to
endeavour to make our way to England. I am afraid there can be no
question that that will be the end of it. Fight as we may, we
cannot withstand the whole strength of France."

"Why can we not fly at once?" Monsieur Martin asked.

"The difficulty in reaching the coast, and of getting a passage,
would be immense. Besides, so long as La Vendee resists, so long is
it my duty to fight; and I am sure that Patsey would not wish me to
do otherwise. I have been in it from the first, and must stay until
the end, if I am not killed before that comes. If it were possible
to send you and Patsey and Leigh away to England, I would gladly do
so; but I am sure that she would not go, and I think I may say the
same for Leigh."

"Certainly, Jean; as long as you stay, I stay. My life is far less
important than yours, for I have no one dependent upon me. I quite
agree with you that the war can end in only one way; but till that
comes, all those who have been the leaders of these poor peasants
ought to hold by them."

"I agree entirely with you both," Patsey added, and there was no
more to be said.

Chapter 12: A Series Of Victories.

More formidable