"It's Leonard, the valet!" cried Gilbert.

"If he makes a fuss, I'll out him," growled Vaucheray.

"You'll jolly well do nothing of the sort, do you hear, Vaucheray?" said
Lupin, peremptorily. And he darted off in pursuit of the servant. He
first went through a dining-room, where he saw a lamp still lit, with
plates and a bottle around it, and he found Leonard at the further end
of a pantry, making vain efforts to open the window:

"Don't move, sportie! No kid! Ah, the brute!"

He had thrown himself flat on the floor, on seeing Leonard raise his arm
at him. Three shots were fired in the dusk of the pantry; and then the
valet came tumbling to the ground, seized by the legs by Lupin, who
snatched his weapon from him and gripped him by the throat:

"Get out, you dirty brute!" he growled. "He very nearly did for me...
Here, Vaucheray, secure this gentleman!"

He threw the light of his pocket-lantern on the servant's face and
chuckled:

"He's not a pretty gentleman either... You can't have a very clear
conscience, Leonard; besides, to play flunkey to Daubrecq the deputy... !
Have you finished, Vaucheray? I don't want to hang about here for ever!"

"There's no danger, governor," said Gilbert.

"Oh, really?... So you think that shots can't be heard?..."