s throbbing with excitement
and wakeful eyes.

"Anne! Anne!" said Croisette, rising on his elbow and speaking to me
some three hours later, "what do you think the Vidame meant this
morning when he said that about the ten days?"

"What about the ten days?" I asked peevishly. He had roused me just
when I was at last falling asleep.

"About the world seeing that his was the true faith--in ten days?"

"I am sure I do not know. For goodness' sake let us go to sleep," I
replied. For I had no patience with Croisette, talking such nonsense,
when we had our own business to think about.

CHAPTER III.

THE ROAD TO PARIS.

The sun had not yet risen above the hills when we three with a single
servant behind us drew rein at the end of the valley; and easing our
horses on the ascent, turned in the saddle to take a last look at
Caylus--at the huddled grey town, and the towers above it. A little
thoughtful we all were, I think. The times were rough and our errand
was serious. But youth and early morning are fine dispellers of care;
and once on the uplands we trotted gaily forward, now passing through
wide glades in the sparse oak forest, where the trees all leaned one
way, now over bare, wind-swept downs; or once and again descending into
a chalky bottom, where the stream bubbled through deep beds of fern,
and a lonely farmhouse nestled amid orchards.

Four hours' riding, and we saw below us Cahors, filling the bend of the
river. We cantered over the Vallandre Bridge, which there crosses the
Lot, and so to my uncle's house of call in the square. Here we ordered
breakfast, and announced with pride that we were going to Paris.

Our host raised his hands. "Now there!" he exclaimed, regret in his
voice. "And if you had arrived yesterday you could have travelled up
with the Vidame de Bezers! And you a small party--saving your
lordships' presence--and the roads but so-so!"

"But the Vidame was riding with only half-a-dozen attendants also!" I
answered, flicking my boot in a careless way.

The landlord shook his head. "Ah, M. le Vidame knows the world!" he
answered shrewdly. "He is not to be taken off his guard, not he! One
of his men whispered me that twenty staunch fellows would join him at
Chateauroux. They say the wars are over, but"--and the good man,
shrugging his shoulders, cast an expressive glance at some fine
flitches of bacon which were hanging in his chimney. "However, your
lordships know bette