teau at Clisson.

The Martins were engaged in conversation when a messenger ran in.

"I have an order from Monsieur Lescure," he said. "The church bells
are to be rung throughout the district."

All started to their feet.

"Already?" Jean exclaimed. "Why, what has happened?"

"We have fallen back from Parthenay. The Blues under Westermann,
eight thousand strong, have already occupied the town. The
general's orders are that all are to join him at Moulin, in two
days' time. Messengers have been despatched all over the country,
and Monsieur de la Rochejaquelein has been sent for, to join
General Lescure at Moulin."

"That gives us twenty-four hours, then," Jean said, with a sigh of
content. "I will see that your message is carried on to all the
villages near. There are plenty of boys of twelve or fourteen about
the place."

But the bells rang that night to deaf ears. Many of the peasants
were still absent, others had returned but a few hours before, worn
out and dispirited. But when on the following day the news came
that Westermann's troops were burning villages, and slaying all who
fell into their hands, and that Monsieur de Lescure's chateau had
been burnt, fury and indignation again fired them and, that night,
the greater part of them set out for Moulin.

"I wonder what has become of our horses," Jean said, as he prepared
to start. "We shall never hear any more of those we left at Nantes.
We must go on foot this time, and trust to getting hold of a couple
of horses, the first time we defeat the Blues."

He had that day been over with Patsey, her child, his father, the
nurse, and Francois to the peasant's house, deep in the forest, to
which he had before arranged that she should go, in case of need.
All the party were dressed as peasants. The man and woman from whom
the house was hired removed to another hut, a quarter of a mile
away. Francois was to go down every day in the cart to the village,
to get news and letters and buy provisions. The cure had arranged
to send off one of the village boys, the moment that he heard that
any party of the Blues were approaching; when the whole of the
occupants of the village and the farms around it would be obliged
to take to the woods, for it was evident that neither age nor sex
was respected by Westermann's troops.

It was morning when Jean, Leigh, and Desailles arrived at Moulin.
They were warmly received by Rochejaquelein and Bonchamp, to whom
Jean introduced Desai