some skirmish either with highway robbers
or with a band of the Corsican's pirates would not surprise me in the
least, and the fact that he had some half-dozen mounted men with him
confirms me in my belief that indeed it is my friend who is lying
upstairs, as he often has to have an escort in the exercise of his
duties. At any rate, petit pere," he concluded as he rose from the
table, "by your leave, I'll go up and ascertain."

While he rattled off these pretty proceeds of his own imagination,
Maurice de St. Genis kept a sharp watch on Aristide Briot's face, ready
to note the slightest sign of suspicion should it creep into the old
man's shrewd eyes.

Briot, however, did not exhibit any violent interest in his guest's
story, and when the latter had finished speaking he merely said,
pointing to the remnants of food upon the table:

"I thought you said that you were hungry."

"So I was, petit pere," rejoined Maurice impatiently, "so I was: but my
hunger is not so great as it was, and before I eat another morsel I must
satisfy myself that it is my friend who is safe and well in your old
woman's care."

"Oh! he is well enough," grunted Briot, "and you can see him in the
morning."

"That I cannot, for I shall have to leave here soon after dawn. And I
could not get a wink of sleep whilst I am in such a state of uncertainty
about my friend."

"But you can't go and wake him now. He is asleep for sure, and my old
woman wouldn't like him to be disturbed, after all the care she has
given him."

St. Genis, fretting with impatience, could have cursed aloud or shaken
the obstinate old peasant roughly by the shoulders.

"I shouldn't wake him," he retorted, irritated beyond measure at the
man's futile opposition. "I'll go up on tiptoe, candle in hand--you
shall show me the way to his room--and I'll just ascertain whether the
wounded man is my friend or not, then I'll come down again quietly and
finish my supper.

"Come, petit pere, I insist," he added more peremptorily, seeing that
Briot--with the hesitancy peculiar to his kind--still made no movement
to obey, but stood close by scratching his scanty locks and looking
puzzled and anxious.

Fortunately for him Maurice understood the temperament of these peasants
of the Dauphine, he knew that with their curious hesitancy and inherent
suspiciousness it was always the easiest to make up their minds for
them.

So now--since he was absolutely determined to come to grips with