o hold it. Jacques had no time
to escape the danger, and, before I realized what had happened, his
frightened horse, edging away from the kicking creature at its side,
toppled over the slope.

When in after days I related the story to Felix, he laughed at my
simplicity, saying I ought to have guessed the secret from the
beginning; but, as a matter of fact, even when my servant disappeared I
had no thought of treachery. I hugged the wall closely, and looked
round.

"Get down, monsieur," cried Casimir loudly; "get down and help me. The
beast has gone crazy."

Now I could dismount only in front of the plunging brute, and having no
desire to be kicked to death, and the danger being pressing, I seized my
pistol and shot the animal in the forehead. Being a keen lover of horses
I hated to do it, but there was no alternative.

The effect of the shot produced a far more serious result than I
intended. The poor beast, plunging madly, must have kicked Casimir in
its last desperate struggle, for a scream of agony rang out wildly on
the night air, and I could just distinguish the man's body lying
motionless.

This was not all. The report from my pistol was quickly followed by two
others, and a couple of bullets whizzed past my head. The next instant I
heard the clatter of hoofs, and two horsemen came tearing along the road
toward me. Bewildered by these sudden and startling events, I had yet
sufficient presence of mind to realize that I had been trapped, and that
my only chance of escape lay in flight.

Turning my animal's head, I prepared to gallop off, when I found my way
barred by another horseman, who had come up during the struggle. The
sudden movement saved my life; he was in the very act of firing when I
struck at him fiercely, and he dropped across his saddle with a cry of
pain.

The road was now open, and, keeping as far from the slope as possible, I
stretched my horse to his utmost speed. It was a mad gallop, with the
risk of a sudden and violent death in every foot of the road. My
pursuers were not far behind, but I dared not look round. My limbs
shook, the sweat poured in streams down my face; I could not think, I
could only sit firm and leave my fate in the hands of Providence.

[Illustration: "I stretched my horse to his utmost speed."]

My poor horse bounded along like a crazy thing, but he kept his footing,
though every moment I expected him to tumble headlong. The men behind
must have ridden more warily,