“Really, Mademoiselle Annette,” said our hero, “one would imagine some fairies had the care of everything here; all is so neat and carefully arranged.” Annette laughed, saying— “Oh, monsieur, the fairies are my sister and myself, and our farm girls. Madame Coulancourt spares no expense, and orders that every article should be kept as neat as if she lived here herself. Her intendant and his daughter come here twice a year to receive rents, and see that madame’s tenants want for nothing. The people here would die for madame if she required it. The intendant is a good man, and his daughter is a pretty nice girl; they stay here a month, perhaps more, at a time. But come upstairs, monsieur; my mother desired me to put you in Monsieur l’Intendant’s room, and your man can have his servant’s chamber.” Full of thought Lieutenant Thornton followed Annette, who was a very tidy and well-mannered girl, though not so pretty as her younger sister, whom our hero had met on the road. “I did not bring the keys of the grand saloon, monsieur, but here is Monsieur l’Intendant’s room;” and throwing open a door, she entered, and unbolted and unbarred the shutters. This room was small, but remarkably neat; there was a book-case full of books, a fowling-piece, a brace of pistols over the mantel-piece, a telescope on a stand, and sundry useful articles on the tables. “That door,” said Annette, pointing to one, “leads to a bedroom, which you can occupy; all is aired and prepared, for we expect monsieur and his daughter in a week.” “Does no one inhabit the château? Are you not afraid of its being plundered?” “Oh dear, no, monsieur; two men sleep every night in the out buildings, and one walks about all night with a big dog. Indeed, for the last six months this precaution has been unnecessary, for there are no strangers about now; things have dropped into their old way, thank God! They were terrible times three years ago.” “If the men who sleep here,” said our hero, “find out, which they must, that we are here, it may come to the ears of Captain Gaudet, and that would bring your good mother into trouble.”