Take the ladies from the chateau, or they will be burnt--be burnt--be burnt!" As she screamed the last words she slipped from the donkey, and almost fainted with the exertion she had undergone.

She was the daughter of one of M.de Lescure's servants, and had been sent from Clisson into service at the chateau, from whence Westerman started on his expedition.

When the republicans made their appearance there, she had fled with the other servants, but she had hung about the house, and about an hour and a half before Westerman left the place she learnt, through some of the soldiers, his intention of attacking Clisson that night.
"Who is coming to burn us, Marian ?" said de Lescure, endeavouring by his own assumed coolness to enable her to collect her thoughts and power of speech.
"The blues--the blues!" screamed the girl.

"They had all but overtaken me when I got to the short cut through the wood.

There they are, there they are," and the noise of the advancing troop was distinctly audible through the stillness of the night.
The poor girl was quite exhausted, and fell to the ground fainting.