"Nothing . . . . A mistake . . . . We'll tell you about it . . . ."
He was now close to the oak and, at once, taking up the lantern, turned its rays upon his victim. She had not moved and lay stretched at the foot of the tree, with her head wrapped in the veil.
"Ah!" he said. "I breathe again! Hang it, how frightened I was!"
"Frightened of what?"
"Of their taking her from us, of course!"
"Well, wasn't I here?"
"Oh, you! You've got no more pluck than a louse . . . and, if they had gone for you . . ."
"I should have fired, at any rate. You'd have heard the signal."
"May be. Well, did nothing happen?"