In five minutes they started for the point agreed on. Before they reached it, the firing broke out again with increased violence. In an hour numbers of men began to make their way past them. One of them halted. He was one of Jean's tenants. "Ah! madame," he said, as he recognized her--for it was now broad daylight--"I fear that all is lost. You had best ride at once. The Blues will not come just yet, for la Rochejaquelein, with four or five hundred of his best followers, will hold the place till the last, so as to give us time to get away." "Did you see my husband, Leroux?" "He was with the general, madame. They and the horsemen charged again and again, whenever the Blues pushed forward." "Thank God he is safe so far!" Patsey said. "Goodbye, Leroux; we may not meet again." "We shall meet in heaven, madame," the man said reverently. "They may take away our country, they may kill our cures, they may destroy our churches, but they cannot take away our God. May He protect you, madame!" and, pressing the hand she held out to him, he hurried on. Faster and faster the fugitives passed them, but for an hour the combat continued unabated; then the exulting shouts of the Blues showed that they were making way. The gallant band of Vendeans were not, indeed, retiring; but they were being annihilated. Patsey had said but little during the anxious time of waiting. From time to time she murmured: "Will he never come? Oh, God, send him to us!" Presently a mounted officer rode past. "Ride on! ride on!" he shouted. "The Blues will be here in a minute!" "We must go, Patsey," Leigh said as, without drawing rein, the officer rode on. "No, no; wait a few minutes, Leigh. He will surely come soon." Presently, however, a number of peasants, their faces blackened with powder, ran past. "The Blues are on our heels!" they shouted. "They will be here in a minute; they are but a hundred yards away." "Come, Patsey," Leigh said. "Remember your promise. We must go; it is madness waiting any longer." And as he spoke one of the peasants, running past, fell dead, shot by a musket ball from the rear. Leigh seized Patsey's bridle and, setting his own horse in motion, they rode on. They were but just in time for, before they had ridden two hundred yards Leigh, looking round, saw the Republicans issuing from the town. "Pull yourself together, Patsey!" Leigh exclaimed. "We may have their cavalry after us, in a minute or two. Remember, Jean trusts you to carry out his instructions." Patsey drew herself up, struck the horse with her whip, and galloped on at full speed. They soon left the road followed by the rest of the fugitives, and turned down one leading east. The din of battle had ceased now, but a scattered fire of musketry showed that the enemy were engaged in their usual work of shooting all who fell into their hands.