to follow them they hastened in that direction.  On their way they met the fugitives, and hurried on with all speed.  As they approached the street through which the wagons were passing out, they were checked by a heavy fire.  The four guns had been placed in pairs at the end of the streets, and the houses near them filled with troops who kept up a murderous fire from the windows, on the head of the columns, and held them completely in check until the last wagon had been taken out.  Then the cannon were removed, and when these too were fairly outside the city, a bugle call summoned the defenders of the houses, and the infuriated Italians and Spaniards, when they rushed down into the street between the gates, found that the last of their foes had escaped them.  The artillerymen ran up to the walls, only to find that the guns had been spiked, and they were powerless to inflict any serious damage upon the retiring force.

Prince Thomas ordered a sally, but at this moment a regiment of cavalry from Chivasso was seen dashing across the plain, and being without artillery or cavalry the order was countermanded.  Indeed, the prolonged roll of artillery at the other end of the city seemed to show that the French were converting their feigned attack into a real one.  Turenne had himself accompanied the column from Carignano, for he knew that the sound of firing might bring up Leganez from Asti, and that he might find his retreat to Carignano intercepted.  The moment, however, that the sound of four guns at equal intervals showed that the other column had achieved its object, he at once fell back, his fire ceasing a few minutes before Prince Thomas and his horse arrived at the walls.  He had not been accompanied by Hector, who was with the force from Susa.

“You carried my message to the garrison,” he said, “and it is but right that you should have the honour of leading the party to its relief.”

On arriving near the city Hector had dismounted, and, giving his horse in charge of Paolo, had placed himself at the head of the company that was first to enter the town, its captain being transferred to another company.

“Now, men,” he said, as they stood waiting for the dawn to break, “the moment we enter the gates half the company will mount the wall to the right, the other half to the left, and each will push along to the next angle of the wall.  Lieutenants, one of you will go with each wing of the company, and you will oppose to the last any force that may march along the rampart to attack you.  I want one soldier to keep by me.”

As day began to break, each man grasped his firelock and awaited the signal with impatience.  A cheer broke from them as the four cannon roared out at the same moment, and at so short a distance that every shot told on the gate.  Another salvo and both halves of the gate were splintered.

“Aim at the centre where the lock is,” an officer shouted.