No less than to go to Paris--the unknown city so far beyond the hills--and seek out M.de Pavannes, and warn him.

It would be a race between the Vidame and ourselves; a race for the life of Kit's suitor.

Could we reach Paris first, or even within twenty-four hours of Bezers' arrival, we should in all probability be in time, and be able to put Pavannes on his guard.

It had been the first thought of all of us, to take such men as we could get together and fall upon Bezers wherever we found him, making it our simple object to kill him.

But the lackeys M.le Vicomte had left with us, the times being peaceful and the neighbours friendly, were poor-spirited fellows.