at she conceived to be a sacred
mission.

With her men around her, she mounted her horse, and as she halted for a
moment before starting,--seeing her dignity and graceful bearing, her
men were filled with pride in her,--even Baudricourt himself came down
from the castle, and made the men take an oath to guard her with their
own lives, then gave her a sword and a letter to the Dauphin.

While they stood there ready to start, a man asked Jeanne:

"How can you hope to make such a journey, and escape the enemy?"

Quick and clear Jeanne's answer rang out, "If the enemy are on my road,
I have God with me, who knows how to prepare the way to the Lord
Dauphin. I was born to do this."

Then with a swift signal, the solemn little cavalcade rode out into the
night, while eyes were strained to see the last of the brave Maid, who
conceived it her consecrated duty to go to the aid of the Dauphin, and
her well loved land.

On their way towards Chinon where the weak little Dauphin was holding
his court, rode Jeanne and her six men, and a dangerous way it was,
lying through a country over-run with marauding English and Burgundian
warriors, and Jeanne's men were uneasy at escorting so young and fair a
maid under such dangerous conditions, but Jeanne herself was unconcerned
and fearless as they rode on into the valley of the Loire, noting on
every side the devastation done by war and pillage. For greater safety
they rode mostly by night, often travelling thirty miles in twenty-four
hours,--a pretty severe test of the endurance of a girl of seventeen,
unaccustomed to riding or of leading men-at-arms, but her courage and
enthusiasm never flagged. With their horses' feet wrapped in cloths to
deaden the clatter of hoofs, they went on their way as swiftly as was
possible, and day by day the men's devotion to this Maid who was their
leader grew deeper, as they saw the purity of her character and the
nobility of her purpose.

When they drew near Chinon, Jeanne's men spoke to one another doubtfully
of what kind of a reception they would have. Reaching Auxerre they
rested for a while, then travelled on to Gien, and as they journeyed, a
report went ahead of them, that a young peasant girl called "The Maid"
was on her way, so she said, to raise the siege of Orleans and to lead
the Dauphin to his crowning at Rheims. Even to Orleans the report
spread, and the inhabitants of that besieged city, now despairing of
deliverance, felt a thrill of ho