LOUIS DUVAL.
 had spoken of; and when, at midnight, he withdrew,
 it was with the promise of contriving some plan by
 which the fugitives might escape from a country
 where for them to remain was almost certain death.
 A few nights after this a boat crossed the Loire
 from the woods of St. Clair. Three persons were in
 the boat in the dress of peasants. On landing on the
 opposite shores of Brittany, they found-fastened to a
 tree three horses, which they mounted, and then rode
 off at a rapid pace. These seeming peasants were the
 Count, the Countess, and Louis Duval.
 Brittany, like Anjou, was overrun with republican
 soldiers, and, but that Louis knew precisely in what
 direction to go to avoid meeting them, escape would
 have been impossible. Even for him it was a difficult
 and dangerous task; but at length it was accom-
 plished; and reaching the sea-coast, the young guide
 and protector saw his friends safely embarked in a
 fishing-boat, the owner of which, for a large reward,
 engaged to land them in Jersey. Louis then returned,
 taking the same precautions as before, and reached the
 encampment of his father's regiment unsuspected. It
 was supposed, indeed, that he had been on some secret
 service for the good of the French Republic.

 Twenty years and more have passed away, and
once more we are at the Chateau St. Clair. Passing
through the village, we find that the houses have been
rebuilt, and that the fields are smiling again with
plenty. The ruined walls of the Chateau have been
restored, and its grandeur renewed. A gentleman
and lady, past the middle of life, are there, and there
also is an aged officer leaning on the arm of a younger
one-his son. Among the thousand and one strange
and improbable events which took place in France