"Look, monsieur!" and he pointed to where the rive, road appeared from
behind a little spur at the base of the mountains. A body of horsemen was
coming into view. At one glance I recognized the foremost riders as
belonging to the troop I had seen four hours before.
"The devil!" said I. "La Chatre's soldiers coming back from Maury!"
We had ridden down the descent leading from the chateau along the town
wall, and had left the town some distance behind, so that the mountains
now loomed large before us. But we had not yet passed the place where the
roads converged.
"If we can only get into the mountain road before they reach this one, we
shall not meet them," I went on. "Forward, men!"
"But," said Blaise, astonished and frowning, but riding on beside
me, "they will reach this road before we pass the junction. Do you
wish them to take us in the flank? See, they have seen us and are
pressing forward!"
"If we reach our road in time, we shall lead them a chase. Go to the head
and set the pace at a gallop!"
"And have them overtake us and fall on our rear?"
"You mutinous rascal, don't you see that they are three times our number?
We stand better chance in flight than in fight! But, no, you are right!
They are too near the junction. We must face them. I shall go to the
head. Julie, my betrothed, I must leave you for a time. Roquelin and
Sabray shall fall behind with you, Jeannotte, and the two boys.
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