Above all, he would save her he loved from the fearful peril she was in of falling into the hands of redskins. "What is to be done?" cried Joshua. "Never despair," said the outlaw. "Your sons and servants are fighting like lions. We must join them." "Come along," cried Samuel. "Oh! Oh!" said Joshua, brandishing his rifle, "The rascally redskins shall pay for this." "Come, in the name of God!" cried the outlaw; "I have with me a party ready for any amount of redskins." At these words everybody mounted, and dashed through the darkness like a legion of phantoms. Four persons only remained in the silent and deserted hut--the two old Canadians, Lagrenay, and his wife. The old squatter had, during these exciting scenes, recovered his equanimity. He believed himself saved. As soon as they were alone, he and his wife began to place refreshments on the table for their guests. The two Canadians remained standing, leaning on their rifles, and not noticing even the preparations. "My dear relations," said Lagrenay, in an insinuating voice, "will you honour me by accepting refreshments?" "What does the man say?" asked François Berger. "You have a long journey to go," continued Lagrenay, "you must be extremely tired and want rest." "What matter?" said the old man. "Will you not empty a cup of whisky?" began the woman. "Silence!" cried the hunter, striking the butt of his rifle on the ground, "And listen." The old man shuddered. "Lagrenay," he went on, in a hollow voice, "I dragged you from the hands of Judge Lynch, because I did not wish to see my cousin hanged; you have dishonoured not only the name you bear, but the family to which you belong; that family, poor as it has always been, has known how to preserve its honour intact. That honour you have soiled, from the base love of gold. Prepare to die." "To die!" he murmured. "My cousins, my dear cousins, you will not have the heart to kill my poor old man," said his wife, clasping her hands and weeping; "thirty years we have lived together. What shall I do when he is gone? Who will support my miserable existence? Have mercy, in the name of the Lord. If you kill him, I shall die." "You shall not die," said François Berger; "my cousin will take care of you for life." "I," she said, with a gesture of horror, "accept the protection of the murderers of my husband, eat the bread of assassins! I should choke myself at the first mouthful. Have mercy, then, and shoot us together." Louis Berger turned away his head. Even the inflexible old judge of the reign of terror was moved. Then he made a sign to his son, and both cocked their rifles.