When the army marched away a week later, Desmond was placed in a waggon, half filled with hay, with several other wounded officers.  At Arras, where there was a large military hospital, he was kept for a few days, and then sent on to Amiens, only the most severe cases being retained at Arras, as another engagement might take place at any moment, and the resources of the town would be taxed to the utmost.  He gained strength very slowly, and it was six weeks before the surgeons pronounced him to be sufficiently convalescent to be moved.

“It would,” they said, “be probably some months before he would be fit to return to active service.”

He was sitting, looking listlessly out of the window of the chamber that he and three other officers occupied, when Mike came in, followed, to Desmond’s intense surprise, by Monsieur de la Vallee.

“My dear Desmond,” the latter exclaimed, hurrying forward and grasping his hand, “you must have thought that we had all forgotten you.”

“Indeed, I never thought anything of the kind, Philip.  I did not suppose that you had ever heard of me, since we parted at Moulins.”

“News travels but slowly, but we did hear that fifteen subalterns of O’Brien’s regiment were captured in the Salisbury.  I wrote to a friend in Paris, and he told me that you were among the number, but that, on making enquiries, he found you had, in some manner or other, effected your escape, and that you and two other officers had had an audience with the king, and had then gone to the northern frontier on the staff of the Duke of Berwick.  I wrote begging him to get, if possible, a sight of the despatches, and if your name appeared, to let us know.  Ten days ago, I received a letter from him, to say that you had been wounded at Oudenarde.  The Duke of Berwick had, in his private despatch to the king, mentioned your name with very high praise, saying that it was due to you, alone, that so many of the troops hemmed in at some village or other—­I forget its name—­managed to make their escape during the night, for, although he sent off four aides-de-camp with orders, you alone managed to get through the enemy, though wounded by a bullet which had caused you the loss of your hand.  He said he had written to the chief surgeon on Berwick’s staff, who was a personal friend of his, to ascertain, if possible, where you were.  Of course, I set out as soon as I received his letter.”

“What!  Have you ridden all the way from the south of France to come to me, Philip?”

“Of course I have, and should have ridden all across Europe, if it had been necessary.  I went round by Pointdexter.  The baron is laid up with an attack of gout, or he would have accompanied me.  He sent all sorts of messages, and so did Anne, and the latter informed me that I need not show my face at the chateau again, until I came accompanied by you.  When I reached Paris my friend had learned from the surgeon that you were at Amiens, and so, here I am.