etic in them, as she looked up at the
man on whom so much depended.

"Monsieur," said the sweet, childish voice, "I often eat my breakfast
out-of-doors--I did to-day."

The Prefect smiled, but gravely. Angelot hardly thought that he was
deceived.

"It is an agreeable thing to do, when one is young," the Prefect said.
"Young, and with a clear conscience. But most people, if they had the
choice, would prefer your father's hospitable dining-room."

He turned with a wave of his hand and walked towards the house.

"What have you done, child?" said Angelot, half laughing, half solemn.

"I did not tell a lie," said Riette. "Marie gave me something for myself
too: she and papa both said I must not have breakfast with you. Oh, they
were hungry, Angelot! They devoured what I took, especially the Baron
d'Ombre. I am sorry there was a bit of bread left, and I don't know how
the corks got there. But, my dear, he knows nothing!"

"Hush. I am not so sure. Now keep out of the way till they are gone."

This was a counsel of perfection, which Henriette did her best to
follow; but it was difficult, for the time was long. All the household
at Les Chouettes became very restless and impatient as the afternoon
wore on, but none of them dared show it. Poor Monsieur Joseph summoned
up all his powers of general conversation, which were a little rusty, to
entertain the Prefect, who went on talking politics and society as if
life, for him, had no more immediate and present interest. Angelot
marched about with an uneasy sense of keeping guard; knowing, too, that
his father was expecting him to help to receive the distinguished
cousins at Lancilly. He did not mind that much; the idea of the Sainfoy
family was not very attractive to him: he thought they might interfere
with the old freedom of the country-side; and even to please his father
he could not desert his little uncle in a difficulty. He poured out some
of his irritation on the Prefect's pet gendarme, whom he caught stealing
round by the wood where, hidden behind a pile of logs in an old stone
hovel, the four Royalist gentlemen were finding this official visit
considerably more than a joke.

"What are you doing on my uncle's land?" Angelot said sharply to the
man.

"Nothing, monsieur. Is it not allowed to take a little exercise?" said
Simon, the Chouan-catcher.

There was such a keen look in the man's eyes, such a veiled insolence in
his tone, that Angelot suddenly felt he must s