Honorine and Agathe stepped ashore and started for home under the escort of Edmond, Paul advising him to take them by the least frequented roads, so that they might not be seen, and to enter by the small gate at the foot of the garden.
Then, with Freluchon, he rowed to the other bank, where honest Ami awaited them, still holding his enemy under his feet.
Croque was quite dead. After trying vainly to reach the shore, which Ami prevented him from doing by throwing himself upon him at every attempt, Thélénie’s brother had felt his strength abandon him. Afraid to give battle to the dog, whom he recognized perfectly as the one which long before had inflicted the wound of which he still bore the mark, Croque lost courage; he tried to call for help, but his voice failed him, and he soon disappeared under the surface. Then Ami plunged in after him and dragged him to land, as a trophy of his victory, which he desired to exhibit to his master.
“It is the Baron von Schtapelmerg and no mistake!” said Freluchon.
“Yes,” said Paul, “it is Thélénie’s brother, the man who robbed me long ago.”
“The villain won’t rob anybody else; he has well earned what has happened to him. Bravo, Ami! embrace me, good dog! Ah! but for you, many disasters would have happened!”
While Freluchon embraced Ami, who made no resistance, like one who receives what is his due, Paul searched Croque’s pockets, in which he hoped to find some new proof of the crime Thélénie had plotted.
But he found nothing on the drowned man save the roll of gold, containing a thousand francs, which he had carefully bestowed in his belt.
“A thousand francs on a boatman! the fellow was in comfortable case!” said Freluchon.
“This gold was to pay for his crime!” cried Paul; “this gold condemned to death Honorine and Agathe—two women who have never injured that Thélénie!—I will take it from him to give it back to her.—And now, come, my dear Monsieur Freluchon; let us leave this wretch’s body here, and join those who love us.”