f Vendeans were
not, indeed, retiring; but they were being annihilated. Patsey had
said but little during the anxious time of waiting. From time to
time she murmured:

"Will he never come? Oh, God, send him to us!"

Presently a mounted officer rode past.

"Ride on! ride on!" he shouted. "The Blues will be here in a
minute!"

"We must go, Patsey," Leigh said as, without drawing rein, the
officer rode on.

"No, no; wait a few minutes, Leigh. He will surely come soon."

Presently, however, a number of peasants, their faces blackened
with powder, ran past.

"The Blues are on our heels!" they shouted. "They will be here in a
minute; they are but a hundred yards away."

"Come, Patsey," Leigh said. "Remember your promise. We must go; it
is madness waiting any longer."

And as he spoke one of the peasants, running past, fell dead, shot
by a musket ball from the rear. Leigh seized Patsey's bridle and,
setting his own horse in motion, they rode on. They were but just
in time for, before they had ridden two hundred yards Leigh,
looking round, saw the Republicans issuing from the town.

"Pull yourself together, Patsey!" Leigh exclaimed. "We may have
their cavalry after us, in a minute or two. Remember, Jean trusts
you to carry out his instructions."

Patsey drew herself up, struck the horse with her whip, and
galloped on at full speed. They soon left the road followed by the
rest of the fugitives, and turned down one leading east. The din of
battle had ceased now, but a scattered fire of musketry showed that
the enemy were engaged in their usual work of shooting all who fell
into their hands.

After riding for an hour at full speed they drew rein at a wood
and, entering it, dismounted and put on their disguises. They had
no fear now of pursuit. The enemy's cavalry must have made a very
long march to reach the town, and their horses must be worn out by
their previous exertions; while their own had had forty-eight
hours' rest, during which time they had been well fed and cared
for. Moreover, any pursuit that was made would be in the direction
taken by the bulk of the fugitives.

Mounting again, they rode on. It was but a narrow country road that
they were traversing and, during the day, they only passed through
two or three small hamlets.

"Are the brigands coming this way?" they were asked.

"No," Leigh replied. "They are fighting at Le Mans. If they are
beaten they won't come this way, but will make south. We