"_Sangdieu!_" he growled, "what business have you to interfere here?" "Business--rascal!" "Yes--this woman is my wife, who wishes to run away from me." "Oh, horror! oh, absurdity!" exclaimed the young lady, as she gathered her dark hair back from her face with her pretty hands, and shrunk close to me. "_Sangdieu_--yes, my wife, I tell you," shouted the fellow, with a hand on the _couteau de chasse_ in his girdle; but I replied-- "I have overheard enough to prove that you lie, villain; so begone at once, I say, or be punished as you deserve. Come, madam, permit me to assist you; my horse is close by, and from our camp at Paramé you shall have a safe escort to your home." She took my proffered hand with a very mingled or doubtful expression of face, for I was a stranger, a soldier, an enemy; but she had only a choice of evils, and knew that probably she could not fall into worse hands than those from which I took her. Then as I was leading her away, with her dark eyes fixed in terror and aversion on Hautois, she uttered a shrill cry which made me start and turn round; and I did so just in time to escape a deadly thrust aimed at my back. Indeed, the sharp blade of the _couteau de chasse_ passed through my coat, grazing my left ribs, and almost severing my buff waist-belt. Exasperated by this, I resolved to pistol the ruffian at once, and shot him through the jaws. On this, he fell on his face, wallowing in blood, and rolled among the long grass, with his hands pressed upon the wound in each cheek. The wretch was only wounded, however, not killed. The girl whom I had rescued was fainting with terror at this scene, so I hurried her off to where my horse still stood quietly by the wayside well. Day had completely broken now, and I could perceive that my fair companion was undoubtedly a young lady of great beauty and polished manners. She was ghastly pale, doubtless with the terrors of the past night, and the extreme darkness of her hair and eyes served but to increase, by contrast, the pallor of her complexion. Her hands, which were without gloves, proved her high breeding and delicate nurture, by their charming form and whiteness. The morning air was chill and damp, for the dews of night yet gemmed every leaf and blade of grass; and she shuddered with cold or fear, for she was without a head-dress, and her general attire was rather thin and scanty. "You will permit me," said I, taking the cloak from my saddle and wrapping it round her; "and now say, to where can I escort you?" "Not to the British camp, if possible, I pray you," she replied, while beginning to weep freely. "I dare not be absent long," said I; "my duty leads me there, and by straggling, or loitering here----" "True--true, _ah, mon Dieu!_ how selfish of me! you risk your life, perhaps, at the hands of our exasperated peasantry." "Madam, I risk my life daily for a trooper's pay," said I, smiling: "so freely may I peril it for one so--so lovely as you."