Neither Leigh nor Jean Martin was at Saumur, when this decision was arrived at.

The very night that the town was taken, one of the former's band, who was wounded and, greatly against his inclination, had been left behind, arrived there on horseback.

He was the bearer of terrible news.
[Illustration: He was the bearer of terrible news.] Early on the previous day, a troop of the enemy's cavalry had arrived.

They had apparently ridden all night, and without exciting any alarm on the way.

They had made straight for the chateau, without going into the village.