Kept

oned to attend the Admiral, w

"I wish you to go to the Prince of Condé at Noyers, to tell him your story, and to answer any questions he may put to you. I am setting out my

and good-looking. He had large, expressive, dark eyes, thick, curling hair, and beautiful white teeth. His smile was sweet and winning, and he h

y. "Your coming has created a tremendous commotion at Ta

am nothing more

f a plot to swoop down upon the Admiral and on Condé, and to whisk them off to Pa

e Admiral n

word. As for me, I would as soon trust a starving wolf as a Guise, or the Queen-M

was so wise or strong, so full of courage and good sense, so patient and forbearing, so grand and noble as Gaspard de Colig

esently, "that the Admir

t looks as if rumour

nd ourselves at Noy

there will be no one to command the troops. Fancy an army wit

is likely t

no notion!" he

s we are bidden; it is all one to those of C

. My comrade had already learned habits of caution, but there was really no danger, and late in t

previously, and he said at once: "You are Edmond

c, my lord, where it was gi

acked and wounded. W

, that the banks of the Loire were guarded"-the Prince gave a start of s

to Tanlay? Did you hear anyt

l feeling of uneasiness abroad, as if people

ce any moveme

my

you cross

little to the n

s little; it will be guarded by now. How do

annot continue, and that one side o

work is finished. Monsieur, you need rest and refreshment; my gentlemen will attend to you. The Admira

ances, and we spent a merry evening together. The rumour of some impending calamit

will not make peace until the Guises and the Queen-Mother

er. "His mother rul

Guises

s. Catherine wants all the power in her own hands, and she is a

und her," said Bellièvre; "France is drained

really true, it is time we were doing something. A hun

n an hour or two. I shall be surprised if we

lves could have made a spirited fight; but we were hampered by the presence of our leaders' wives and children, and more than one man shook his head doubtfully at the thought of meeting the king's troops. I asked

hildren a dangerous one!" I remarked. "We can

nds that I cannot call you Le Blanc-do not look so gloomy. To us of the Admiral's house a brush with t

ourselves, but of th

"that gives us a chance

de in the rear of the cavalcade, with the Sieur Andelot, Coligny's brother, and a number of cavaliers belonging to his household. The we

ortly before reaching the Loire, near Sancerre. Then the few cavaliers forming the extreme rear came riding hurriedly w

ven more kindly than his famous brother-"but it is also the post of danger. We must keep these troops

ffer annihilation, and the word had gone forth that there must be no yielding. "Faith, Edmond," exclaimed Felix merrily, "it seems yo

he ford was passable, and that the Prince expected us to keep off the fo

in our devotion," re

oofs and a loud shout of "For the King!" as the foremost of the enemy tore pell-mell toward us. We quicke

mbers they were riding anyhow, and before they could form we were upon them. Down they went, horses and riders, while the air was rent by shouts of "

checked the pursuit and reformed our ranks,

s with the troops we shan't come off so well next time; he is a fine

ing another attack. Nor had we long to wait. With a sweeping rush the enemy returned,

to one, but we were well p

th," said our leader, "and w

her in the narrow pass; they had no room for the play of their weapons, and while those in the

th the force of a hurricane rush we swept them before us like leaves scattered by a

rince is preparing to defend the ford on the farther side of the ri

omrades were marshalled on the opposite bank, and they cried to us to hasten. From what cause-unless by a direct interventio

d. The foremost horsemen reaching the river drew rein; the ford was no longer visible, and they had no means of

ained too. The Admiral's chaplain will make use of that in his nex

! Had the enemy crossed, w

wager Guise is storming over yo

t the ford gua

nd a fortunate one for us. Ho

ll a long dis

ls secure now; he dreaded only the passage of the Loire. Guise

rode on with light hearts, chatting gaily about our past adventures,

èvre, as we lay sheltering one noon from the sun's heat; "

n the first place the Admiral has not offered me the privilege, and in the s

her and mother. As for the first objection," he

very next day, as we were proceeding on

he said, "that you wis

peech was very startling and unexpected-"I can ha

ed yourself a brave lad. But first you must lay the proposal before your father; if he consents, you will find

nk you; I have suff

find me, but I warrant Bellièv

my lord," interposed Felix; "he

s, Felix," I remarked when

hinking not so much of you, as of Felix Bellièvre.

at Sancerre,

in red. But there will be others; and, Edmond, do not

I answered laughing, "I shall b