"Francois," cried Michu, "take these gentlemen to the chateau by the
wood path, so that no one sees them; they don't follow the beaten
tracks. Come here," he added, as the strangers turned to walk away,
talking together as they did so in a low voice. Michu caught the boy
in his arms, and kissed him almost solemnly with an expression which
confirmed his wife's fears; cold chills ran down her back; she glanced
at her mother with haggard eyes, for she could not weep.

"Go," said Michu; and he watched the boy until he was entirely out of
sight. Couraut was barking on the other side of the road in the
direction of Grouage. "Oh, that's Violette," remarked Michu. "This is
the third time that old fellow has passed here to-day. What's in the
wind? Hush, Couraut!"

A few moments later the trot of a pony was heard approaching.



CHAPTER II

A CRIME RELINQUISHED

Violette, mounted on one of those little nags which the farmers in the
neighborhood of Paris use so much, soon appeared, wearing a round hat
with a broad brim, beneath which his wood-colored face, deeply
wrinkled, appeared in shadow. His gray eyes, mischievous and lively,
concealed in a measure the treachery of his nature. His skinny legs,
covered with gaiters of white linen which came to the knee, hung
rather than rested in the stirrups, seemingly held in place by the
weight of his hob-nailed shoes. Above his jacket of blue cloth he wore