he world will
acknowledge that we have fought like heroes, for our country and
our faith. Unfortunate as we may be, I am proud to be one of those
who have led them so often to victory.

"When will you go, my friend?"

"I intend to be with you to the last," Jean said. "When the fight
begins, Leigh and my wife will be ready, at a point agreed on in
the rear of the town. When all is lost, I shall join them there. We
shall ride until beyond pursuit, and then put on our disguises."

"Then I will not say goodbye to you now," Rochejaquelein said.

"Goodbye, Leigh. May Heaven keep you, and take you safely home
again."

Leigh was too much affected to speak and, after a silent grasp of
the hand of the gallant young soldier, he returned with Jean to the
quarters they occupied.

"Now for our plans," Jean said. "They are as vague as ever, but we
must settle now. It is quite evident that the alarm is so widely
spread, here in the west, that it will be well-nigh impossible to
pass through even a village without being questioned. Alencon on
the north has a strong garrison, at Mayenne on the west is a
division, and the whole country beyond will be alive with troops on
the search for fugitives. It is only to the east that the road is
open to us.

"I should say that the safest way will be to travel so as to cross
the Loir between Chateaudun and Nogent, and then come down on the
road running south from Fontainebleau through Montargis. Travelling
south through Nevers, we should excite no suspicion. If questioned,
we can say that we are going to visit some friends at Macon. The
unfortunate thing is that we have no papers; and I think that our
story had best be that we belong to Le Mans, and fled in such
haste, when the town was captured by the Vendeans, that we escaped
just as we stood, and omitted to bring our papers with us.

"Fortunately we all speak French without accent, and there is
nothing about us to give rise to suspicion that we belong to La
Vendee. If we can think of a more likely story, as we go along, all
the better. When we get as far as Macon, if we ever get there, we
can decide whether to endeavour to cross the frontier into
Switzerland, or to go down to Toulon.

"Now remember, Patsey, my last injunctions are that, when you
perceive from the rush of fugitives that all is over, and that any
firing that may still be going on is but an attempt to cover the
retreat, you must not wait for me but, as soon as the sound