ting his country.

"The king is surrounded by evil counsellors," he said; "there is all the
greater need for one who will tender him honest advice. I have ventured
my life freely for France; you would not have me turn coward in my old
age?"

"To die on the field of battle, my lord," exclaimed one of his oldest
comrades in arms, "and to be stabbed in the back by a cowardly assassin
are two very different things."

"You love me over-much," replied the Admiral, placing a hand
affectionately on his shoulder; "you are too tender of my welfare. What
is one man's life compared with the good of France?"

"Very little, my lord, except when the man is yourself, and then it
becomes everything!"

"Well," replied Coligny, "at the least we can ponder his majesty's
request."

"He will go," declared Felix that evening; "his mind is made up. With
him France is first, second, and third; Coligny is nowhere."

"The king may really mean well," I suggested.

"If he doesn't," said Felix, "and any harm happens to our chief, the
House of Valois will rue it! We will clear them out, root and branch."

My comrade foretold the Admiral's decision correctly. With his eyes wide
open to the terrible risk, he elected to place himself in the king's
power, in the hope of healing the wounds from which France was still
bleeding.

Jeanne was so happy with her royal mistress that I felt no misgiving in
leaving her, and for myself I was not sorry to exchange the confinement
of Rochelle for a more active life. Besides, I could not help reflecting
that it was to the Admiral's influence I looked for the recovery of my
father's estates.

The evening before leaving La Rochelle I went to take farewell of my
sister. "If Roger Braund should return during our absence," I said, "you
can tell him we have gone to Blois and perhaps to Paris. What is it,
sweetheart?" for at this, a wave of colour spread over her fair face.

"'Tis nothing, brother," said she, gazing earnestly at the ground, "only
this very morning the master of an English ship brought me a note from
him."

"A note for you! 'Tis strange he did not write to me!"

"He speaks of you in his letter, and hopes you are well. There is some
trouble at Court" he says, "and he cannot obtain his queen's permission
to leave the country."

"Then we have seen the last of him. I am sorry."

"He thinks he may be able to come in a few months," she continued, but,
strangely enough, she did not show me his l