Jean said a word or two in reply. He was very uneasy. The heaviness with which his father slept showed him that he was in no condition to be roused at the end of the hour and made to remount. Ogier's strength was exhausted, and this was not to be wondered at, considering what he had gone through. Jean spoke to the collier, and explained to him that he proposed letting the old man remain where he was and sleep his full. He himself must ride on with his companions, and he would return in the morning for his father. Meanwhile the _routiers_ had drawn aside and were conversing in a low tone. "What say you, Heliot? The old fellow will not ride on." "Then one of us must stay, Peyrot," answered the other, "and the other proceed with the young one." "Why not finish them at once?" "You fool! We cannot--we must recover the demoiselle first." "That is true--I will stay--you ride forward." "It is one to me which I dispatch," said Heliot. "You can remain, Peyrot, and it is well for us that the Seigneur has broken down." "Why so?" "Because we should have found it difficult to lay hands on them at Ste. Soure or at Le Peuch, among their own people." "There will be Amanieu and Roger." "Yes--Amanieu and Roger; but all depends--if there be only women about the thing will be easy enough, but if men be there in arms, I do not see how we could do it." "But now----" "Exactly--now all is coming smooth to our hands," said Heliot. "For the young Seigneur must return hither to fetch his father--and on the Causse, here among the coppice, away from all habitations, we can dispatch them easily." "I will kill the old man at once--as soon as you have ridden on," said Peyrot. "As you like--but you cannot reckon on the collier. He is a big man. If you kill him first, well and good; but if he be on the alert, and you note how suspiciously he looks at us, then he may escape and run and give the alarm, so my sword will be prevented taking the fresher blood of the young Del' Peyra." "Then what would you have me do?" "Remain here. Disarm the suspicions of the charcoal-burner. Keep near the Seigneur, especially in the morning. If he be awake, be at his side; if asleep, watch by his bed. The collier must attend to his charcoal. When I draw near with the demoiselle and Amanieu and Roger, and the young man, then cut him down and take his head. I will do the same to the youth." Presently the voice of Jean was heard summoning them to mount. His impatience would not endure a longer delay. Peyrot le Fort came up and said: "I am not going further." "Not coming on? You must." "I cannot; my horse is lame." "Lame! I did not observe that as we rode along." "You had no eyes save for your father." "If lame, of course you must stay. We cannot--we dare not linger here longer. Tarry with my father till we return."