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CHAPTER II.

THE SOLDIER'S WEAPON.

"Blessed Lord, Who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience, and comfort of Thy Holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which Thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen." -Collect for the Second Sunday in Advent.

"And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited."ISAIAH XXIV. 22.

HE months of December and January passed away, and no enemy had yet entered those valleys, now almost impassable in the higher parts, by reason of the snow which had fallen. Many of the people thought they had been frightening

themselves needlessly at a false alarm, and settled themselves comfortably in their homes for the rest of the winter. Others, however (and our friend Reynaudin among the number), were not so sanguine, and still continued preparing fuel and provisions to be carried, if need be, into the various caves and hiding places amongst the mountains, where the women and children would have to take refuge.

One mild day, at the beginning of February, Martin had been sent down to La Tour, the little capital of the valleys, to buy provisions; and, as the evening approached, his mother became anxious at his non-appearance. As it grew

darker, she persuaded her husband to take his lantern and meet the boy, who might have fallen on the slippery path and hurt himself. But just as Reynaudin was starting, Martin rushed breathlessly up the steep road, with his coat torn, and his hands and face scratched and bleeding.

"Oh, father," he cried, in his excited "it has come at last!"

way,

"What has come, my boy? Come, sit down and take breath, and then tell us your adventures.”

Reynaudin spoke thus to reassure his wife, but his face, as well as hers, betrayed his anxiety.

Martin hardly waited to regain his breath, and then began: "I was coming out of the shop at La Tour, after buying the things mother wanted, when I met Vincent Arnaud, with a face as solemn as a judge. He said he would turn back and walk with me up our valley, and then he told me that some of the Duke's soldiers had already been quartered at Lucerna, and had begun to try to force some of our people to hear mass. says that an edict was drawn up by the Duke on the 31st of January, forbidding us to hold any more religious meetings, under pain of death; that our pastor and schoolmaster must become Roman

He

Catholics, or else quit the country within fifteen days; and that all our churches are to be destroyed. Much more he told me, which I have forgotten; but M. Arnaud is coming up to see father tomorrow. But that is not all! We met Guillaume at the entrance of our valley, and he looked very much scared, and as if he had been running hard. He told us that he was driving the cart to Bobi, when some soldiers appeared on the road, stopped the cart, and said they wanted it for themselves. One of them gave him a lash with the whip, and called him a young heretic, and then they drove away in triumph. Well, we three were walking quietly up the road to Angrogna, when we heard a noise behind, and saw ten or twelve of the Duke's soldiers following us. We had just time to slip down, at a corner of the road, to the trees by the water side; but they saw us, and clambered down the slippery ground, though two or three of them

had a good fall. We crossed the stream, and then went down on hands and knees through the thorns, until we came out on to the mountain side, and climbed to a ledge of rocks, behind which we could hide. They lost us in the thicket, and we heard them searching for us in every direction, until they grew tired, and went back to La Tour. When all was safe, we recrossed the stream, and Vincent and Guillaume took the higher path to S. Jean, and I ran home as fast as I could, for I knew mother would be frightened."

"Yes, my children," said Reynaudin, "the time has come when our faith is once more to be tried. We may be separated; we may have to undergo pain or imprisonment, or even death; but lev us never give up, nor swerve from our duty. God has given us His Holy Word to strengthen and comfort us; let us be ready to answer out of that Holy Word those who would try us, and to carry

it

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