other, too intent on getting to her journey's
end, jumped at the offer.

"_Merci, monsieur_," she said gratefully. "We will start at once if you
have no objection."

The fellow got on his feet at once, and stretching out his hand took a
slouched hat off the chair behind him and clapped it on his head. I did
see mother give him one furtive look then--it gave him such a
brigand-like appearance, but she resolutely turned away, and thanked the
landlord for the short shelter he had afforded us. She was producing her
purse, but the landlord, with a hasty glance in the direction of our
escort, motioned her to put it away. He and the two gentlemen came to
see us start, the landlord causing me some little comfort by calling
after us that he would make inquiries as soon as he was able, as to
whether we had reached our destination in safety.

Our escort started ahead of us, and we followed close on his footsteps.
We had journeyed so for two miles, plodding heavily and slowly along,
for the snow was deep and the wind was cutting. Our companion never once
spoke, and would only look occasionally over his shoulder to see if we
were keeping up with him, and I was beginning to lose my fear of him and
call myself a coward for being afraid, when suddenly the snow began
again. This time it came down in whirling drifts penetrating through all
our warm clothing, and making our walking heavier and more laboured than
before. It was all we could do to keep our feet, for the wind whistled
and moaned, threatening at every turn to bear us away.

Then only did our companion speak.

"_C'est mauvais_," he shouted above the storm, and his voice, sounding
so gruff and deep and so unexpected, made me jump in the air.

Mother assented in her gentle voice, and we plodded on as before, I
wishing with all my heart that we had never left that cosy kitchen, for
I could not see how we were to cover another three miles in this
fashion. I said not a word, however, for I would not have gainsaid
mother in this journey, considering how much there was at stake.

It was she herself who came to a standstill after walking another half
mile.

"Monsieur," she called faintly, "I do not think I can go farther."

He turned round then and, was it my fancy? but I thought, as he retraced
his steps to our side, that an evil grin was making his ugly face still
uglier.

"Madame is tired. I am not surprised, but if she can manage just five
minutes' more walk we shall r