her of complicity in the affair. He tossed his head, saying
to her in an undertone:

"We are in a nice scrape!"

"It was that wretch who assassinated the soldier! I am sure of it!"
cried the officer. "He has undoubtedly reached the forest. But he must
be found for us or the village shall pay for him!"

Turning to the miller, he said:

"See here, you ought to know where he is hidden!"

Pere Merlier laughed silently, pointing to the wide stretch of wooden
hills.

"Do you expect to find a man in there?" he said.

"Oh, there must be nooks there with which you are acquainted. I will
give you ten men. You must guide them."

"As you please. But it will take a week to search all the wood in the
vicinity."

The old man's tranquillity enraged the officer. In fact, the latter
comprehended the asburdity of this search. At that moment he saw
Francoise, pale and trembling, on the bench. The anxious attitude of the
young girl struck him. He was silent for an instant, during which he in
turn examined the miller and his daughter.

At length he demanded roughly of the old man:

"Is not that fellow your child's lover?"

Pere Merlier grew livid and seemed about to hurl himself upon the
officer to strangle him. He stiffened himself but made no answer.
Francoise buried her face in her hands.

"Yes, that's it!" continued the Prussian. "And you or your daughter
helped him to escape! One of you is his accomplice! For the last time,
will you give him up to us?"

The miller uttered not a word. He turned away and looked into space with
an air of indifference, as if the officer had not addressed him. This
brought the latter's rage to a head.

"Very well!" he shouted. "You shall be shot in his place!"

And he again ordered out the platoon of execution. Pere Merlier remained
as stoical as ever. He hardly even shrugged his shoulders; all this
drama appeared to him in bad taste. Without doubt he did not believe
that they would shoot a man so lightly. But when the platoon drew up
before him he said gravely:

"So it is serious, is it? Go on with your bloody work then! If you must
have a victim I will do as well as another!"

But Francoise started up, terrified, stammering:

"In pity, monsieur, do no harm to my father! Kill me in his stead! I
aided Dominique to fly! I alone am guilty!"

"Hush, my child!" cried Pere Merlier. "Why do you tell an untruth? She
passed the night locked in her chamber, monsieur. She tells a falsehood,