In the Day of Adversity

in upon them they were nearing Aignay-le-Duc, having passed thr

frosty wind; from beneath their horses' hoofs there came a crisp sound, which told as plainly as words that the soft, feathery snow was

"if we proceed thus we may reach Chatillon-

e of that history of his life which will be unfolded as these pages proceed, while the other had in a few words given him his own. His

find the way to study his fellow-creatures. Ma foi, there are not many there! A priest or two-those always!-some farmers whose fields lie at the foot of the rock, some old crones who, no longer able to

you left the rock and sought the mousquetaires. And I see by your horse

ent leur noms de la couleur

r. I hear there are some of the Regiment of Berri here. And the arrière-ban is out, the summons made.' 'And so it is,' replied the seigneur, 'only the Regiment of Berri is complete, has all its complement. Now, here is the colonel of the mousquetaires; if he would take you, why, your fortune's made. Ask him, Boussac. Ask him.' So, monsieur, I asked him, telling him I could ride any horse; would do so if he brought one; kn

sked St. Georges, turning on hi

saying: "But, alas! since then the peace has come, and we have naught to do but to dance about the galleries of Versailles an

accounts be true. Louis is threatened from all side

monsieur. Peace i

My only hope is, England ma

refore,

untry. To draw a sword against the land tha

ide, monsieur is French. How should

s question, and the mousquetaire could see that he was pondering de

erefore," he continued, "my fidelity to him brings no harm to one whom I love best of all in the wor

do that-bring har

uis, in serving France, it may be that I put her in dea

it. Now he rode quietly by his side, saying no further word, yet evidently turning it over in his own mind. And so, as they progressed, the

and distinct now to their and their horses' eyes in spite of the oncoming night-St. Georges became sure of what at first

mane, peered into the bushes of the side on which he rode; and also he noticed that his comrade put his hand to his long sword and, drawing it an

oud tone that might have been heard fifty yards off, "a fine night, a pleasant night for the season!"-then lowering it again, "a man has tracked us, a man armed and masked, or masked

milar voice; then sinking it, he asked be

do so. He has been joined by five others at different points since we passed Flavigny. All armed and all masked. Yes," in the loud voice, "and with a soupe à l'oignon, as monsieur says. They are a

all church and graveyard; wheel in and let us

ide of the chestnut of the chevau-léger into the open graveyard-the gate of the place hung on one hin

rses are a little blown. We

er off, and some sparse lights of which might be now seen twinkling in the clear, frosty air beneath a young moon that rose to the right of the village. In the graveyard itself there was the usual heterogeneous accumulation of tombstones and

ean one.-Steady, mon brave," to his horse, "steady!-Ah! here comes one. Well, we have the point o' vantage. We

other, drew his long sword-it glittered in the rays of the young moon like a streak of phosphorus!-and was followed in this ac

d all the others. T

them being in a body behind one who was evidently their leader and who rode a little ahead. And all were, as Boussac had said, masked, while one or two had breastpieces over th

he spoke, saying-while his voice sounded hollow by reason of the band of steel which muffled it: "Who are you who ride on the king's hig

ht do you demand so much of a chevau-léger, whose cockade is his

e territory of Burgundy, and ha

ance as an officer that we ride by the king's orders. That order I carry in

must see y

ou produce your own. Otherwise we intend

ow if we p

ely, I imagine, sets spies, such as that skulking fellow behind you, to track the king's soldiers from village to village, from daybreak to night." Then raisin

ng his head to those behind, the two comrad

ges knew what he had from the first suspected. It was

ked them all day, and who now, masked and with his sword drawn, sat his h

an perceived the intention of these murderers-the would-be murderers of a little child!-and foiled them again and again, beating off their weapons with his own, and at the same time losing no opportunity of attacking them. And so far was he successful that already he had put two hors de combat. One

no part in the attack sat on his animal's back, and, indeed, fro

cular wielding his weapon with remarkable craft. Moreover, by his possession of the burganet he wore, the odds were sti

is weapon off, and thus gliding it along his own blade, brought its hilt with a clash against his own. Then in a moment the mousquetaire had seized the sword arm of his antagonist, and, holding it a moment, struck through the man's b

he and St. Georges wheeled around on their horses, while still their weapons clashed and writhed togeth

e long if you assist not!" and with a mocking laugh he again attacked his own particular adversary, taking heed at

esponding to the leader's orders, he shook up the reins of his own horse, and in a moment had vanished into the night, leavi

for the fight! St. Georges, his blood at boiling point at the assaults made on his little child-now screaming lustily at the noise and clash of steel, and perhaps at the unwonted tossing ab

two soldiers-to protect themselves from the blows and thrusts that came at them; so that, at last, they were forced to retreat down the slope to the road-driven back by the irresistible fury of St. Georges and his follower. And, eventually, seeing that he h

er parry sent the other's sword flying out of his hand, while, an instant afterward, he dealt him such a buffe