ple making their way to the city. As they rode, Malcolm discussed the question of the best road to be taken. Ronald himself was still in favo

s one of the most frequented in France, and that in that cit

ts for little one way or the other, for not one in fifty would venture to interfere if they saw a fray going on. But granting that so far as Orleans the country is open and cultivated, beyond that it is for the most part forest; but above all--although they may regard it as possible that w

d apparently broken down, and the other had stopped that those with it might give assistance i

claimed, checking

Ronald asked

said sharply as he wh

the same, and they galloped

y caught there

ow do y

ight here, and make a detour through the fie

y further comment he leaped his horse over the bank and dashed off among

g through the corn as if to cut them off. But although they heard the whiz of the bullets they were too far off to be in much danger, and the men on foot had no chance of cutting them

you think of

suspect it? I saw nothing suspicious. Merely two carts in the r

it was an ambush. It was a well laid one, too, and had we ridden on we should have been riddled with bullets. No doubt there were men lying in the carts. They would have jumped up as we came up to them, and the fellows in the bushes would have taken us in the rear

I was wrong, for I own that I did not share your apprehensions as to the dangers of our journey. Henceforth I

ortion of their gang. They were to try and put a stop to our journey at its outset; but mounted men will have ridden on ahead, especially as they couldn't have been sure that we should follow this road. We might have gone out by one of the other gates at the south side of the town, and they wil

ey approached it Ronald was about to touch his horse'

sudden change of plan, Rona

he asked when he ha

n lying down by the heap

him; but w

le thicket, just this side of where the road separates? I expected as much. If we had turned off, in another two minutes that fellow would have been galloping along this road t

regular campa

command the services of any number of men. Sharp fellows, too, many of them are, and when they received orders to arrest our journey to Tours at any cost, they would not omit a single precaut

next move n

e will dismount and lead our horses. The corn is well nigh shoulder deep, and if we choose a spot where t

there was a slight

n our right, and although it is very slight, and would not conceal us if

him, and for two miles they kept straight on through the corn; then they came upon a narr

ough their corn," Ronald said, "or we should have had them

we have had no bother with them. Now we will quicken our pace. We are fairly between two of the main roads south, and if we c

aid. "When they find we do not come along the road they

shook

saw on watch would most likely after a time mount and follow us, and when he got to the watcher at the next crossroad and found that we had not come along there would know that we must have turned off either to the right or left. One of them is doubtless before this on his way to the next

er and his follower as they rode through their street or stopped for a quarter of an hour while the horses were fed, for even Malcolm agreed that such pauses were unattended by danger. It was

vated land with patches of wood. They now left the little road they had been following, and rode straight across country, avoiding all villages. They crossed several hills, and

to try to intercept us anywhere along the route till we near the town, for they will know that the chances are enormous against their doing so, and the parties along the vari

se we shall,

t will take us a day longer, but that is of little consequence, and I think that we shall in that way entirely outwit them. T

fair fighting; but to be shot down suddenly in an ambush l

t with him. When night fell they unstrapped their cloaks from their saddles and rolled themselves in them, and lay down to sleep. An hour later they were roughly awake

," Malcolm said bitterly; "

omebody must have followed us at a distance and marked us down, and brought the rest upon us; but even had yo

nce," Malcolm said. "I don't know what the

ead of them, and soon arrived at a spot whe

ble with them, P

as moles. They have been speaking so

nk, after all, Ronald, we have only fallen in wi

ols. Gentlemen, may I ask you to be seated; and then, perhaps, you will inform us what you, an

tion was principally add

e interest in preventing our arriving there. They made one attempt to stop us near Paris; fortunately that failed, or we should not be now enjoying your soci

enting an officer of the king from arriv

happy to relate it; and I may mention that there are three bottles of good wine in the

ed forward with the two saddles which he had carried from the spot

d, after tasting it, "the wine is

obtained the royal order for their release, and how the enemies of his parents were now trying to prevent him from having those orders carried out. "There are the orders," Ronald sai

the captain replied, "and I doubt not its

nd commanded the same reg

ago, at Flanders, and I was in Paris at the time when he was imprisoned. We were in the next bar

ing hard at the speaker; "and if I mistake not we have cracked many a flask together, and

ing him his hand. "Of course I met you scores of time

dismount and make preparations for passing the night there. He reported the matter to me. I know that gentlemen of your cloth--I may say of mine, for I was once an officer of his majesty, though I left the service somewhat hastily," and he smiled, "on account of an unfortunate deficiency in the funds of the regiment in which I happened, at the time, to b

t present I really happen to be somewhat flush of cash I am hap

se, counted out ten pieces, a

rom the first, anticipated obtaining any booty worth speaking of, and the tu

ney in liquor, with which we will, tomorrow night, drink your health and success in the enterprise. Nay, more, if you like, a dozen of my men shall accompany you on you

intend to ride tomorrow morning to Le Mans, and then to enter Tours from th

ois first?" the man asked. "

ll have broken him down. Now that I see how obstinately bent our enemies are upon our des

u be leaving ther

on Thursday we shall be at Tours,

Amboise, and if I find that there are any suspicious parties along the road we will catch them, and if you are attacked you will find that we are close at hand to help you. You are a gener

, "and can promise you, anyhow, that your

hearty adieu from the captain and his followers--all of whom were discharged soldiers who had been driven to take up this life from an in

and after riding for some distance to the south, made a wide sweep, and crossing the river, entered Tours from the south, late in the evening. They again put up at the principal inn, for although they doubted

o the lay sister at the wicket. "I am the be

follow her. Not a soul was to be seen as he traversed the gloomy courts and passed through several corridors to the

yed," she said; "in an hour the coun

ate to receive her," Ronald said, bowing

went to the officer of the royal post and engaged

g attire, issued out, and in a moment was clasped in her son's arms. He at once handed her into the carriage and took his p

my release came upon me with such a surprise that, do you know, I fainted. Am I really free? Is it p

going to

, there are no guards or escorts. Are we going

y to see him but to release him. I

ef, and she sobbed out exclamations of joy and gratitude. Ronald said nothing until she had somewhat recover

aid, that my term of imprisonment was drawing to an end; but I had looked forward to a long struggle, to endless efforts and petitions before

to repeat the warning which

the world. He has been cut off altogether from mankind. He cannot even know whether you are alive, or whether you may not have yielded to the pressure that would be sure to be brought upon you, and acquiesced in a divorce being obtained. He has, doubtless, been kept in a narrow cell, deprived almost o

will prepare myself to find your father greatly changed. It cannot be otherwise after all he has gone through; but so that I have him again it is enough for me, no matter how great the change tha

alcolm hired them at Le Mans. They are all old sol

ands of discharged soldiers and others make travelling insecure;

to the convent, it would be just as well to be in a position to beat off any who might be disposed to trouble us. As you see, they have brought with them Malcolm's horse and mine, and we shall now mount. The less wei

. "I am sure you would not be wanting to get out and leave me

nd will now most likely try to prevent our arriving at Blois. I will tell you all about it when we get there tonight. Here is the order for my father's release. Will you hide it in your dress? I had r

d; "but be careful, Ronald. Remember I have only just found

mother," he said. "You know

h of road making and carriage building was still in its infancy. When the weather was fine and the ground hard a fair rate of progress could be ma

k of looking out for am

the town, and that the news that we are travelling with the countess in a carriage, and with an escort of four armed men, has been carried on ahead already. It is by horsemen that we shall be attacked today if we are attacked at all, a

ait at Amboise for the night

ay, and I feel sure they will keep their promise to be on the lookout to aid us. If it were not for that I should ha

ent down more than six men

robably there may be a score of them. However, I rely on the robbers. The captain meant what he said, and you won the goodwill of all the men. If there are a dozen horsemen

eat forest. Ronald now ordered two of the men to ride a few yards in front of the horses' heads. He and Malcolm rode on each side of the coach, the other two f

given, the men in front and behind at once closed in, so that there were three on either side of the carriage. The assailants fired their pistols as they dashed down, but the bull

e attacked in the rear, keeping just far enough out on either side of him to be able to use their swords. For a short time the defenders of th

sweeping blow from left to right. The men they had hired fought stoutly; but they were being pressed

out from the wood and fell upon them in rear. The assailants turned to fly, and it

tacked them in rear, while twelve lay dead or dying on the ground. Ronald's first impulse was to ride up to the carri

time. They were beginning to press us hotly; and though I fancy we should have

t them in sight all yesterday, and last night they assembled a mile or two away. I had men watching them all night, and this morning we followed them here, and saw them tak

ther will thank you herself." So saying, he led

near at hand. We owe our lives, for I have no doubt that yours as we

nt I feel like one in a dream; for I have been so long out of t

driven to earn their living as they can without much regard to the law; but I trust that I have not quite lost my instincts as a gentleman, and I am only too glad to ha

ell for the liberality of their employer, and well satisfied the robbers for the work they had undertaken. After a few words with her son the count

en and caught those of the fallen assailants--the driver mounted the box, and aft