heir shouts ceased, I exclaimed, "Monsieur Cordel, an
attempt has been made on my life, and it is rumoured that you hired the
men to kill me. Perhaps you will satisfy these good people that they are
mistaken!"

He leaned over the railing and looked down, his face yellow, his eyes
staring, evidently in abject fear for his life.

"My friends," he cried desperately, and it made one laugh to hear him
address these peasants, whom he utterly despised, as his friends, "I
know nothing; I am innocent; I have conspired against no man's life. I
swear it!"

The fellow lied, and knew that I was aware of it, but for the sake of
the people themselves, I was bound to protect him. An attack on the
house would be followed by a visit from the king's troops, and I
shuddered to think of the miseries the unfortunate villagers would
suffer.

"You hear his denial," I cried loudly, "you have been deceived. We
cannot punish an innocent man. Now disperse quietly to your homes. Have
no fear for me; I can hold my own against any assassins who may come to
Le Blanc."

They departed sullenly, still murmuring threats of vengeance, and
turning round to shake their motley weapons menacingly at Cordel's
house.

"Now, Monsieur Cordel," I cried, when the last of them had disappeared,
"you can go to sleep without fear. I rejoice that I got here in time to
prevent mischief; but, monsieur," I added drily, "had the ruffians
killed me, I could not have come to your rescue!" and with that parting
shot I rode off.

"'Tis a pity you had to stop them," said Jacques presently; they would
have made short work of the rascal."

"And have been fearfully punished afterwards!"

"As to that, monsieur, he will do them all the mischief he can now if he
gets a chance."

The next morning I sent for Urie and the leading men, lectured them on
the folly of their proceedings, pointed out the risks they were running,
and made them promise to keep their companions from committing any
violence in the future.

"You are more or less in Monsieur Cordel's power," I said; "he has
strong friends at Court, while I have none, and am unable to protect
you."

"We will be careful," replied Urie for the others, "but if anything
happens to monsieur the rascally lawyer will have need of all his
powerful friends."

The failure of his plot--if it was his plot--served to keep the lawyer
quiet for a while. He remained at home with only his own domestics in
the house, and although ma