"Marc," said Hullin, after a moment's silence, "can I speak before your wife?"
"It is the same as speaking to me alone."
"Well. I have come to buy powder and lead of you."
"To shoot hares, I suppose," returned the smuggler, half-closing his eye and gazing keenly at Jean-Claude.
"No; to fight the Germans and the Russians."
There was another silence.
"And you want a good deal, I suppose."
"As much as you can furnish."
"I can furnish three thousand francs' worth to-day," said the smuggler.
"I will take it."