"Who's there?" called Michel, making his voice gruff.
"Ah! is it you, Monsieur le baron?" replied the man, advancing. "The devil take me if I expected to meet you here at this hour!"
"You told the truth when you said that you were well known," whispered Petit-Pierre, laughing.
"Yes, unfortunately," said Michel, in a tone which warned Petit-Pierre they were in presence of a real danger.
"Who is this man?" asked Petit-Pierre.
"Courtin, my farmer,--the one we suspect of denouncing your presence at Marianne Picaut's." Then he added, in a vehement and imperative tone, which made his companion aware of the urgency of the situation, "Hide behind me as much as possible."
Petit-Pierre immediately obeyed.
"Oh! it is you Courtin, is it?" said Michel.
"Yes, it is I," replied the farmer.
"Where do you come from?" asked Michel.