t know she had guards."

"In these troublous times, monsieur, every one guards himself as well as
he can, and the house of Guise being a princely one--"

"I asked for no explanation, monsieur."

"Well, I had a mission to Amboise; when on the road I saw my enemy; you
know the rest."--"Yes."

"Stopped by this wound, I must report to the duchesse the reason of my
delay."

"Well?"

"Will you therefore put into her own hands the letter I am about to
write?"

"I will seek for ink and paper."

"It is needless, my soldier will get my tablets."

He instructed the soldier to take them from his pocket, opened them by a
spring, wrote some lines in pencil, and shut them again. It was
impossible for any one who did not know the secret to open them without
breaking them.

"Monsieur," said Ernanton, "in three days these tablets shall be
delivered."

"Into her own hands?"

"Yes, monsieur."

The duke, exhausted by talking, and by the effort of writing the letter,
sank back on his straw.

"Monsieur," said the soldier, in a tone little in harmony with his
dress, "you bound me very tight, it is true, but I shall regard my
chains as bonds of friendship, and will prove it to you some day."

And he held out a hand whose whiteness Ernanton had already remarked.

"So be it," said he, smiling; "it seems I have gained two friends."

"Do not despise them; one has never too many."

"That is true," said Ernanton; and he left them.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE STABLE-YARD.

Ernanton arrived at Paris on the third day. At three in the afternoon he
entered the Louvre, among his comrades. The Gascons called out in
surprise at seeing him, and M. de Loignac looked gloomy, and signed to
him to enter a little room, where he always gave his private audiences.

"This is nice behavior, monsieur," said he; "five days and nights
absent; and you whom I thought so well of."

"Monsieur, I did what I was told to do."

"What were you told to do?"

"To follow M. de Mayenne, and I have followed him."

"For five days and nights?"

"Yes, monsieur."

"Then he has left Paris?"

"He left that same evening, and that seemed to me suspicious."

"You are right, monsieur, go on."

Ernanton related clearly and energetically all that had taken place.
When Ernanton mentioned the letter:

"You have it, monsieur?" asked De Loignac.

"Yes, monsieur."

"Diable! that deserves attention; come with me, I beg of you."

Ernanton followed De L