The chateau, indeed, still retained the characteristics of a castle.  The site had evidently been selected with a sole eye to defence; the hill on which it stood fell abruptly away on three sides, and could hardly be attacked except in front.  Here a plateau extended some three or four hundred yards long and upwards of a hundred yards across.  A wall with flanking turrets had been a sufficient defence on the other three sides, but here there was a strong tower on each flank, and also on each side of the central gate.  The walls inclosed a space of some two acres, in the centre of which stood the castle.  This had been to some extent modernized —­ windows having taken the place of loopholes in the upper floors, while those looking into the inner courtyard extended to the ground.  The point where the road reached the plateau was some three hundred yards from the gateway, and as Hector galloped towards the walls it was evident that he was recognized, for shouts were raised by the men on guard and the drawbridge over the fosse —­ cut in the solid rock along the foot of the wall —­ was lowered.

As he rode across it the gate swung open and MacIntosh ran out to meet him.

“Is all well, old friend?” Hector asked as he sprang from his horse and clasped the sergeant’s hand.

“All is well so far, colonel; still, I am glad indeed that you have returned, for at any moment trouble may begin.  We hear that the peasants mean to attack us.  I hardly think they will venture to do so, but I have no doubt they will play havoc on the estate and burn every house, because the tenants, instead of joining them, have come up here to aid in the defence.  It was a good day indeed when madam and her daughter came here, they have made themselves so loved by the tenants that they would do anything for them.  Ah, if all the ladies of France had been as good to their people as they have been, we should not have these troubles on hand!  Here they come to welcome you.”

Hector hurried across the outer court, where two lines of palings had been erected, forming a passage from one gate to the other, and keeping back the animals that crowded the enclosure.

“Welcome back, welcome back, Colonel Campbell!” the baroness said as she came up with both hands extended, and her words were echoed by her daughter.  In the year that had elapsed since they started under the charge of Paolo both had changed.  The look of care and anxiety, which had been heightened by the terrible events of the two previous days, had passed from the elder lady’s face, and had been succeeded by one of contentment and happiness.

Norah showed an even greater change; she had now attained her full height, her figure had filled out, and she stood on the threshold of womanhood and bid fair to attain a high degree of beauty of the type characteristic of her nationality.  Her hair was dark, her eyes gray, her expression changing rapidly from grave to gay, the latter movement generally predominating.