"Much obliged, my friend," replied the young man, making his stout, lead-handled hunting-crop whistle through the air, in order to give his problematical companion to understand that he was armed. The latter understood the warning and answered it by tapping the rock, as if absent-mindedly, with an enormous holly staff, which broke off several splinters of stone. The weapon was stout and so was the wrist that wielded it. "You won't go far to-night in such weather," continued the pedestrian. "I shall go as far as I choose," replied the horseman, "and I should not advise anybody to take it into his head to delay me on the way." "Are you afraid of robbers that you meet friendly overtures with threats? I don't know what province you come from, my young man, but you hardly seem to know what province you are in. Thank God, there are neither highwaymen, nor assassins among us." The stranger's proud but frank tone inspired confidence. The young man rejoined more mildly: "You're of this province, are you, comrade?" "Yes, monsieur, I am, and always shall be." "You are right to propose to remain here; it's a beautiful country." "Not always though! At this moment, for instance, it's none too pleasant; the weather is venting its spite, and it will be bad all night." "Do you think so?" "I am sure of it. If you follow the valley of the Creuse you'll have the storm for company till to-morrow noon, but I fancy that you didn't start out so late without expecting to find shelter near at hand?" "To tell you the truth, I am inclined to think that the place I am going to is farther away than I supposed at first. I fancied that they tried to keep me at Eguzon by exaggerating the distance and the bad condition of the roads; but I see, from the little progress I have made in an hour, that they hardly overstated it." "Not to be inquisitive, where might you be going?" "To Gargilesse. How far do you call it?" "Not far, monsieur, if you could see where you are going; but, if you don't know the country, it will take you all night; for what you see from here is nothing in comparison with the break-neck places you have to descend to go from the ravine of La Creuse to that of Gargilesse, and you risk your life to boot." "Well, my friend, will you undertake to guide me, for a good round sum?" "No, monsieur, thank you." "Is the road very dangerous that you are so disobliging?" "The road is not dangerous to me, for I know it as well as you probably know the streets of Paris; but what reason have I for passing the night in getting drenched just to please you?" "I am not particular about it, and I can do without your help; but I didn't ask you to favor me for nothing; I offered you----" "Enough! enough! you are rich and I am poor, but I am not a beggar yet, and I have reasons for not making myself the servant of the first comer. However, if I knew who you were----"