ould be fretting my
heart out."

"Yes, I see 'tis best that we should do as you say, Jean. God
forbid that we should be separated, but if you do not come to the
rendezvous, I promise you that we will, as you wish, go on by
ourselves."

"And now, dear, we will divide our money. We have still three
hundred louis left. I will take one hundred, and you shall take the
rest. You are much more likely to want money, if we are separated,
than I.

"You had best sew the greater part up in your saddle, Leigh."

"I think we had better divide it as much as possible, Jean. We can
put seventy-five louis in each of our saddles, and the weight would
not be so great that anyone who happens to handle one of them would
notice it. I can put another five-and-forty in the belt round my
waist, and keep the odd five in my pocket for expenses. Of course,
if we decide to abandon our horses, I will make some other
arrangement."

"The best plan, Leigh, will be for us to change the louis for
assignats at the first opportunity. Gold is so scarce that each
time you offered to pay with it, it would excite suspicion. I have
no doubt that I can buy assignats here. We have taken a quantity
from the enemy, and la Rochejaquelein will, I am sure, be glad to
obtain some gold for them. It will be a double advantage: we shall
have less weight to carry, and shall be able to pay our way without
the gold exciting suspicion. The assignats now are only a quarter
of their face value, so that for two hundred louis I should get
eight hundred louis in assignats, of which I would take two
hundred, and you could take the rest."

"That would certainly be an excellent plan, Jean, for two hundred
louis in gold would be a serious weight to carry and, if found on
us, would in itself be sufficient to condemn us as intending
emigres."

Jean at once took two hundred louis, which had hitherto been
carried in their wallets, and went out. He returned in an hour.

"That is satisfactorily settled," he said. "Blacquard, who is in
charge of the treasury, was delighted to obtain some gold, and has
given us five times the amount in assignats. Of this I will take
two hundred and fifty louis' worth. You will have seven hundred and
fifty louis in assignats, and we will divide the hundred louis in
gold. Of the latter, you had best sew up twenty in each of your
saddles, and you can carry ten about you. People are so anxious for
gold that, in case of need, you can get services rende