"My lord," he gasped, after a moment's pause, "we are heavily beset on
the left, and are being forced back. I fear that the whole wing is in
danger."

"Courage, my friend," replied Coligny, "courage. We will be with you
directly. Come, gentlemen, there is still work for us to do."

The battle was now at its height, but as we dashed along from right to
left, our centre paused to cheer their gallant general. They were hardly
pressed, but were holding their own sturdily, and our spirits rose at
sight of their intrepid defence.

On the left wing, however, the case was different. Here Anjou, or
Tavannes--for I suppose it was the marshal who really directed the
battle--was throwing successive bodies of troops upon the devoted
Huguenots, who were sorely put to it to defend their position. But at
our approach a great cry of relief went up from the panting soldiers.
There was one among us worth a whole division!

Even those who had begun to retreat joined in the shout, and once more
dashed into the fray. Wave after wave of royalists rolled down upon us,
but time and again we flung them back, and at last, with one superb
effort, hurled their front rank into ruin.

"The day goes well," cried Felix exultingly, as we galloped back to our
lines. "Anjou will remember Montcontour!"

In every part of the field the fight now raged fiercely, and, wherever
the stress was greatest, there, as if by magic, appeared Coligny. His
escort steadily decreased in numbers; one died here, while supporting a