m was his equal or not.
Sword answered sword, the blades crossed, and at the end of a few
instants the marquis fell, Jean's sword piercing his chest.

Cavalier felt sure that he was dead, for he lay at his feet motionless.
He knew he had no time to lose, for he had no mercy to hope for. He
replaced his bloody sword in the scabbard, and made for the open country;
from the open country he hurried into the mountains, and at break of day
he was in safety.

The fugitive remained the whole day in an isolated farmhouse whose
inmates offered him hospitality. As he very soon felt that he was in the
house of a co-religionist, he confided to his host the circumstances in
which he found himself, and asked where he could meet with an organised
band in which he could enrol himself in order to fight for the
propagation of the Reformed religion. The farmer mentioned Generac as
being a place in which he would probably find a hundred or so of the
brethren gathered together. Cavalier set out the same evening for this
village, and arrived in the middle of the Camisards at the very moment
when they had just caught sight of M. de Broglie and his troops in the
distance. The Calvinists happening to have no leader, Cavalier with
governing faculty which some men possess by nature, placed himself at
their head and took those measures for the reception of the royal forces
of which we have seen the result, so that after the victory to which his
head and arm had contributed so much he was confirmed in the title which
he had arrogated to himself, by acclamation.

Such was the famous Jean Cavalier when the Royalists first learned of his
existence, through the repulse of their bravest troops and the death of
their most intrepid captain.

The news of this victory soon spread through the Cevennes, and fresh
conflagrations lit up the mountains in sign of joy. The beacons were
formed of the chateau de la Bastide, the residence of the Marquis de
Chambonnas, the church of Samson, and the village of Grouppieres, where
of eighty houses only seven were left standing.

Thereupon M. de Julien wrote to the king, explaining the serious turn
things had taken, and telling him that it was no longer a few fanatics
wandering through the mountains and flying at the sight of a dragoon whom
they had to put down, but organised companies well led and officered,
which if united would form an army twelve to fifteen hundred strong. The
king replied by sending M. le