It was customary with the robber bands not to devastate the hamlets and villages and farms in their immediate neighbourhood. They needed the daily supplies of food that the peasants could furnish, and they bought these, and maintained a good understanding with the peasantry. When they foraged it was at a distance. It was precisely because "l'Eglise" was so near to Ste. Soure that the villagers had not anticipated an onslaught. Now, although the peasants on the opposite side of the river, who were under the shadow of the crags occupied by the _routiers_ knew themselves to be safe, and found a market for their produce, yet they had no love for their tyrannisers. They were sufficiently shrewd to be aware that they were exposed to be plundered, their houses wasted, their wives and daughters carried off by other freebooters, or even by ordinary Companions-in-Arms, such as claimed to serve the French. The Counts of Périgord--who should have been their protectors--were leaders in violence, at the head of several lawless bands, and usually marched under the leopards, so that the ban of the French king had been launched against one Count after another, and he only returned to allegiance for a moment, to break faith at the first occasion. The Castle of Montignac, the headquarters of these countly scoundrels, lay high up the same valley of the Vézère; and the ruffians of the Count passed up and down it, traversing the fields and villages continually. It was to them a matter of supreme indifference which crown was supposed to exercise authority and afford protection where they went, for neither possessed any real authority, neither afforded the smallest protection. Ogier del' Peyra sat in the porch of the church issuing orders, and his son was by him. All at once a child on the roof of the church cried out-- "I see--I see--seven men coming, and a lady riding; and I think one is our Petiton." "What! our men!" exclaimed Ogier; and Jean ran to the roof of the church to look. He was down directly after. "Father, there is no doubt of it. Gros Guillem's daughter is bringing them here." "As a gift? Does he restore them free of ransom?" exclaimed Ogier. "If so we cannot proceed." "I will run and meet them," said Jean. The tidings spread like wildfire that the men who had been carried off were on their way home. Jean hastened to the river side and was ferried over. "I have brought them!" said Noémi when she saw him. Her eye was flashing with pleasure. "See--they are all here." "Did your father surrender them?" She laughed. "I bought them. I paid the ransom." "You! Where did you get the money?" "See." She exposed her arm with the red cross. "I won my spurs. I robbed the Jew. Now you do not think so ill of me, say that." She leaned from her horse to look into his eyes. He averted his face. "I thank you for the men. I hate the deed." "The man was but a Jew!" pleaded Noémi. "And a robbery is but a robbery," answered Jean.