"We may want all their strength." Half an hour later Pierre returned, panting.
"I have bad news, sir.

I have prowled about the village, which is full of soldiers, and listened to their talk through open windows.
The Sieur D'Arblay, Monsieur Francois, and the owner of the chateau and his wife were seized, and carried off to Toulouse this morning, soon after daybreak.

By what I heard, one of the servants of the chateau was a spy, set by the council of Toulouse to watch the doings of its owner; and as soon as Monsieur D'Arblay arrived there last night, he stole out and sent a messenger to Toulouse.

At daybreak the chateau was surrounded, and they were seized before they had time to offer resistance.

The troop of horse we saw have all day been searching for us, and went back before nightfall to Merlincourt; thinking that we should be sure to be going there, sometime or other, to inquire after our captain.