“Only myself, and the trooper you see at the door.”

“And did you two fight with five men, and kill four of them!” she exclaimed, in surprise.  “How brave of you, monsieur, and how good to run such risk, for a person of whom you knew nothing!”

“I knew that it was a woman in distress,” Desmond said, “and that was quite enough to induce two Irishmen to step in, and answer to her cry for aid.  However, mademoiselle, if the carriage and horses are there, this will get us out of our difficulty.  The only question is, will you start at once, or wait until daylight?  We may be stopped by the patrols, as we approach Versailles, but I have no doubt that my uniform will suffice to pass us into the town, where probably your father is still lodging.”

“I would much rather go at once,” the girl said.  “There are others who come, sometimes at all hours of the night.”

“Very well, then, we will see about getting the carriage ready, at once.  If you will come downstairs, we will lock this old woman up in your room.”

This was done at once, and the girl, who was so shaken by her captivity that she feared to remain for a moment by herself, accompanied her rescuers to the back of the house.  Here, as she had said, they found a carriage and four horses, two of which stood ready saddled, while the others were evidently carriage horses.  These were speedily harnessed, and put into the carriage.

“Now, Mike, you had better drive.  I will mount one of these saddle horses and ride alongside.  I think, mademoiselle, as the drive will be a long one, it would be as well that we should put the old woman in the carriage with you.  She will be a companion, though one that you would not take from choice.  Still, your father may wish to question her, and, indeed, it would be better in many respects that you should have a female with you.”

“Thank you, Monsieur Kennedy,”—­for she had already learned his name—­she said gratefully, “it would certainly be much better.”

The old woman was therefore brought down, and made to enter the carriage, and seat herself facing Mademoiselle Pointdexter.  Mike took his seat on the box, and Desmond mounted one of the saddle horses, and led the other.  They had already removed the bodies that lay in front of the gates.

They had to make a considerable detour round Paris, before they came down upon the Versailles road.  The roads were bad and the carriage was heavy, and daylight was already breaking when they entered the town.  They had twice been stopped by patrols, but Desmond’s uniform had sufficed to pass them.

Baron Pointdexter had taken up his abode in a large house, standing in a walled garden in the lower part of the town.  When they reached it, Desmond dismounted and rung the bell.  After he had done this several times, a step was heard in the garden, and a voice asked roughly, “Who is it that rings at this hour of the morning?”