ieur Flambard, as
the carriage flew past the little inn. "We had not arranged for
that, and in the dark we might have passed it without knowing that
it was yours."

"We were on the lookout for you, and had no fear of missing you. I
decided to drive back to the town as we went out. I believe the
innkeeper to be an honest fellow, and he has been one of our
customers for a number of years; but I thought it just as well to
throw dust in his eyes. Therefore, as I got into the carriage, I
said in his hearing:

"'Don't go through the main streets of the town, but drive round
and strike the road beyond it. Keep on to Langon. We shall stop
there tonight.'

"We drove off fast, and only broke into a walk just before you met
us. The innkeeper would have gone into the house again, before we
met; and as I noticed that the shutters were up, he certainly would
not have supposed that the vehicle which passed was our carriage,
coming back again.

"Well, thank God we are all safe and together! In three hours we
shall be at the village. Lefaux was to keep a boat ashore, and to
be himself at the inn. There is only one in the village."

The road was a good one, and the horses fast, and in less than an
hour and a half they reached the spot where the relay of horses had
been stationed. Five minutes sufficed to make the change and, in a
little under three hours after starting, they arrived at the
village two miles below Fort Medoc. They stopped at the first
house.

"Now, Gregoire," Monsieur Flambard said, as they alighted, "here
are five louis for yourself. You had better drive back to the place
where we changed horses, and put up there for the night. Tomorrow
you can go quietly back to Bordeaux. Don't get there until late in
the afternoon. Return the carriage and the other two horses to the
stables where you hired them, and take my two horses back to our
stables.

"You are sure to be questioned, and can tell them the truth. Say
that you acted by my orders, and had no idea of the reason for
which I had hired the carriage and the extra horses; that you knew
that I often made flying visits to the vineyards, and you thought I
wanted to see some proprietor of Medoc, on business, and to return
as quickly as possible; and were much surprised when you saw that
madame went with me. Do not say anything about our picking up my
friends on the road."

"I understand, monsieur, and I will stick to that story. God bless
you, sir, and you, madame