The old woman was therefore brought down, and made to enter the
carriage, and seat herself facing Mademoiselle Pointdexter. Mike
took his seat on the box, and Desmond mounted one of the saddle
horses, and led the other. They had already removed the bodies
that lay in front of the gates.

They had to make a considerable detour round Paris, before they
came down upon the Versailles road. The roads were bad and the
carriage was heavy, and daylight was already breaking when they
entered the town. They had twice been stopped by patrols, but
Desmond's uniform had sufficed to pass them.

Baron Pointdexter had taken up his abode in a large house,
standing in a walled garden in the lower part of the town. When
they reached it, Desmond dismounted and rung the bell. After he
had done this several times, a step was heard in the garden, and a
voice asked roughly, "Who is it that rings at this hour of the
morning?"

Mademoiselle Pointdexter, who had alighted as soon as the carriage
stopped, called out, "It is I, Eustace."

There was an exclamation of surprise and joy, bolts were at once
drawn, and the gate thrown open, and an old servitor threw himself
on his knees as the girl entered, and, taking the hand she held
out to him, put it to his lips.

"Ah, mademoiselle," he said, while the tears streamed down his
cheeks, "what a joyful morning it is! We have all suffered, and
monsieur le baron most of all. He has spoken but a few words,