ck.

'Not a bit of it,' said I; 'I'm a mere traveller, admiring the country,
and an----'

'And why have you tracked us out here?' said one of the first speakers.

'I did not; I was here before you came. Do put down the pistols, for the
love of Mary! there's no guarding against accidents, even with the most
cautious.'

'Blow his brains out!' reiterated he of the bag, louder than before.

'Don't, messieurs, don't mind _him_; he's a coward! You are brave men,
and have nothing to fear from a poor devil like me.'

The two armed fellows laughed heartily at this speech, while the other,
throwing the sack from him, rushed at me with clenched hands.

'Hold off, Gros Jean,' said one of his companions; 'if he never tells
a heavier lie than that, he may make an easy confession on Sunday'; and
with that he pushed him rudely back, and stood between us. 'Come, then,'
cried he, 'take up that sack and follow us.'

My blood curdled at the order; there was something fearful in the very
look of the long bag as it lay on the ground. I thought I could actually
trace the outline of a human figure. Heaven preserve me, I believed I
saw it move!

'Take it up,' cried he sternly; 'there's no fear of its biting you.'

'Ah,' said I to myself, 'the poor fellow is dead, then.' Without more
ado they placed the bag on my shoulders, and ordered me to move forward.

I grew pale and sick, and tottered at each step.

'Is it the smell affects you?' said one, with a demoniac sneer.

'Pardon, messieurs,' said I, endeavouring to pluck up courage, and seem
at ease; 'I never carried a--a thing like this before.'

'Step out briskly,' cried he; 'you 've a long way before you'; and with
that he moved to the front, while the others brought up the rear.

As we proceeded on our way, they informed me that if by any accident
they should be overtaken by any of my friends or associates, meaning
thereby any of the human race that should chance to walk that way, the
first thing they would do would be to shoot me dead--a circumstance that
considerably damped all my ardour for a rescue, and made me tremble
lest at any turn of the way some faggot-gatherer might appear in sight.
Meanwhile, never did a man labour more strenuously to win the favour of
his company.

I began by protesting my extreme innocence; vowed that a man of more
estimable and amiable qualities than myself never did nor never would
exist. To this declaration they listened with manifest impatie