while he was thus diverting the attention of the Alsacian, his eyes were fixed on the opening of the glade, and he appeared by his glance to be penetrating the obscurity of the night; I looked in the same direction, and fancied that I could distinguish a vague form climbing up the side of the pond. This I instantly took to be Bon-Affût, who was then gaining the wood. Bruno testified no inclination to follow him. While seated on the grass before the fire, which appeared now to be dying away, he listened attentively to Moser, who was explaining to me his plan for the seizure of the forest plunderers.

Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the guards, who were accompanied by a numerous body of boisiers. At the announcement of a fire they had all hastened to the spot, armed with buckets, pitchers, and axes. The women themselves had followed to lend their assistance. A slight effort sufficed to render them masters of the conflagration: the hedge which was still burning was cut down, the ground cleared, and the fire extinguished. The damage was very slight; but the boisiers being supported by the wood of the forest, which they considered as their property, were alarmed and irritated by the summons they had thus suddenly received. Everybody inquired at the same moment how the fire had broken out in the first instance.

"How? indeed!" repeated the forester; "ask those idle scoundrels whom you leave masters of the wood, and who will one day make of it a heap of cinders! This is what comes of your ghost tales round the fireside! The flourish of a horn makes you tremble like a parcel of old women, while the poachers are busy killing the game, and setting fire to the wood."

There was a general movement and exchange of looks among the country-people. The younger part of the community evidently inclined to Moser's opinions; but the larger portion could not thus easily escape from the empire of tradition.

"Bruno has seen the Spectre Huntsman," said a

woman.

"We have all heard the vile horn," added an old

nian.

"To-morrow we shall have proof of the hunt by feathers and other things strewed in the paths." "And since the forester went out during the chase, no doubt he will have his share.”

The devil take me! I should like to see myself at that game, certainly!" exclaimed Moser laughing, and taking up his gun, which he had placed against an oak.

He suddenly stopped short. The foot of a roe was placed in the very mouth of the gun! The surprise was general. The boisiers looked with terror on what they considered as a talisman of evil sent from the Spectre Huntsman; the Alsacian, after reflecting for a moment or two, struck his forehead, and turning towards me exclaimed :

"It is a trick of that young lad whom you met at the Duke's Oak; he was here just now, what is become of him ?"

I looked round me for Bruno; but he was not to be found. The forester was inquiring what road he could have taken, when the women who had gone to the pond in search of water to extinguish the last surviving embers returned with the hunting horn which Bruno had concealed under the willow. The boisiers instantly remembered that they had seen it in the hands of Bon-Affût. At the mention of this name, light appeared to break in upon Moser. The information he had received since his arrival concerning the poacher, inclined him to the belief that all that had just happened was his work. The honey-seeker was evidently his accomplice; both had taken advantage of the credulity of the boisiers to perform the comedy of the Spectre Huntsman, and when they found themselves pursued, had set fire to the thicket in order to escape attention.

Despite the probability of this explanation, the boisiers would have remained incredulous had it not been for the arrival of Marcella, who, on hearing of the fire, had proceeded to the spot by the main road, and was, consequently, ignorant of what had passed in the glade. She stated that in the lesser ravine she had seen two men who at first alarmed her, but on approaching, she had recognised Bruno and Bon-Affût; she had called to them, but instead of answering her, they had hurried into the plantations. This announcement put an end to all doubt. A general murmur of disapprobation arose. Ashamed of having been thus duped, and alarmed by the conflagration which threatened their means of subsistence, the boisiers exclaimed that the poachers ought to be arrested. Marcella's statement induced them to take the road leading to the Magdeleine: they divided themselves into several parties with the intention of occupying all the passages, and re-assembling at the farm. Being unable to warn the fugitives or prevent the pursuit, I determined on not quitting the forester. The troop that Moser led on took the path in which Bon-Affût and Bruno had been seen; but the latter were doubtless too far in advance of us to be overtaken, for we arrived at the Magdeleine without seeing anything of them. Although the farm was all shut up and still, yet one treacherous gleam of light on the threshold proved that everybody was not asleep; a dog having barked at our approach the light disappeared. Moser motioned us to remain where we were while he advanced alone. Almost at the same moment the door opened, Louroux looked out to see who was coming, and the forester suddenly appeared in front

of him.

At the farmer's exclamation we all advanced simultaneously, while he moved back to permit us to enter; but instantly recovering himself, he again advanced to the threshold, and asked what brought us there.

"In the first place, this good-for-nothing fellow," said Moser, pointing to Bruno, who was seated by the fire, "and in the second place, another one, who, I take it, is also at the farm with him."

"Who is that?" inquired Louroux, with an air of astonishment.

"Anthony, the poacher."

"Bon-Affût? he is not here, as you may see; but I spoke to him only yesterday, as this gentleman can testify."

The forester did not waste his time in disputing, but diligently examined every corner of the farm, though without success. Louroux seeing his disappointment, judged it a favourable opportunity to complain of a visit of this description, and at such an hour: he began in a very lofty tone, but the Alsacian soon silenced him by stating that his connexion with the poachers was well known, that the reception of the honey-seeker at midnight was proof conclusive, and that he would have to give an account of his share in the double sin of poaching, and setting fire to the wood. He then briefly narrated what had happened, adding that all the roads were guarded, and resumed his pursuit followed by the terrified peasant, who had speedily changed his key, and was now in the humblest manner calling on all the saints in the calender to bear testimony to his innocence.

The forester desired Bruno to follow him. On passing one of the press-beds which surrounded the only apartment of the farm, the youth murmured a few words which I was unable to distinguish; but he had scarcely departed, when the door of the bed was gently opened, and by the dawning light I perceived Louisa's lovely head advancing cautiously. Fatigued with my nocturnal walk through the forest, I had seated myself in the shade by the fireside, where she could not see me. She leant towards the side of the bed, looked again at the door, and quietly gained the floor; her feet were uncovered, she wore a plain cloth petticoat and a little nightcap, like a child's. I saw her advance towards the door carefully-look out-reach the second entrance, which opened on a back yard.

Being persuaded that it was her intention to warn the poacher, I followed her to the threshold. As she was about to cross the yard, Moser's voice was heard, and he himself soon appeared. The young girl was at first startled, and began to retreat, but apparently, on second thoughts, maintained her ground. The forester approached in company with Louroux. Marcella was at a little distance, carrying on a very lively conversation with Bruno.

"Fray what is the cause of all this bustle, M. Louroux ?" inquired Louisa smiling; "why are the poor shepherdesses awoke before day-break?"

"Where does this girl come from, and what does she want?" interrupted Moser quickly, while Marcella started at the sound of Louisa's voice.

"What!" exclaimed she, approaching, "cannot the forester see that it is the shepherdess of the Magdeleine, whose parents did not leave her either shoes or stockings."

And addressing the young girl with triumphant and insulting pity, she continued

"Alas! this is a sad misfortune for you, poor child! your dear friend, Bon-Affût, will soon be taken to prison."

"And his misery appears to be a great benefit to you," replied Louisa rather bitterly; "at least, to judge from your face."

"It is always a benefit to honest people, when justice is done," returned Marcella, raising her voice; "Bon-Affût is a bad man who has set the hedges on fire. . . . ."

"That is untrue, Marcella!" exclaimed Louisa, whose blue eye flashed with indignation; “Bon-Aflût loves the wood too dearly to set it on fire. It is but poor courage to attack those who are absent, especially when there is no one to defend them."

"You are defending him yourself, stupid creature!" replied the boisière, bursting out laughing. "That is at least a proof that she has a kinder heart than you," observed the honey-seeker sternly. Marcella turned towards him with an air of disdain. Well done, my good Bruno!" said she, satirically, we know that you think well of Louisa and BonAffût. Birds of a feather flock together; but, at present, things are against you, poor fellow, and you are both secured."

"That's another fib!" interrupted the shepherdess angrily; "Bon-Affût is not, and will not be taken." "The cunning little thing, she knows that, at any rate!" cried Marcella; "I should not wonder if she knows the poacher's hiding-place too!"

Moser, who had hitherto paid but little attention to the dispute between the girls, now joined the conversation. He questioned Louisa, using every possible method of surprising her; but the little shepherdess cluded his snares with a quick and a ready tact, that quite surprised me. The boisiers arrived during the colloquy; they had explored the roads, but without meeting any one. The forester was unable to conceal his vexation. Besides the necessity he felt for justi fying the trust committed to him by the administration, whom he had promised to reform the abuses by which the forest was being destroyed, he doubtless found his amour-propre wounded, by not succeeding in his project when surrounded by so many witnesses, especially as he had intended to signalise his arrival at Gavre by an important capture. Having given orders to search carefully the environs of the Magdeleine, he seated himself at the door, and lighted his German pipe, as if he intended there to await the result of the fresh researches.

Nevertheless, I observed that he continued to watch Louisa's movements. The day had dawned, and the horn of the cow-keeper was heard in the distance; the shepherdess brought the cattle out of the stables, and proceeded towards the pasture-land. Moser allowed her to depart without appearing to take any notice; but she had scarcely left the house two minutes, when he extinguished his pipe, and resumed his gun. I asked him what he proposed doing; he placed his finger on his lips, pointed to the shepherdess, and quickly gained the field she was crossing. I joined him without a very clear perception of his intentions, and we followed Louisa to the other side of the hedge. The young girl was singing, neither

hurrying nor looking behind her, and apparently was solely occupied with the straws she was weaving. On reaching the pasture-land, she climbed on a little eminence, and seated herself under a group of ashtrees. For the first time she looked round her, but in a careless manner, as though she had no particular object in so doing. Almost at her feet extended a field of ripe corn, waving in the morning breeze. On the right, was situated the forest, on the left were some shrubs by which we were concealed. Louisa continued singing; but her voice was insensibly raised, and the sound extended to a great distance, in the stillness of the morning.

"In what heathenish tongue is she singing?" inquired Moser, vainly attempting to understand the words.

I motioned to him to be silent, for I had recognised the rude Breton accent. Louisa was singing the old "Querz de Jean Devereux," but interspersing it with advice to an invisible auditor. "Bretons, be on your guards, there is the dwelling of Jean la Prise; he is in the citadel with his soldiers, like a snail in his shell."

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inquired in vain whether he was dangerously wounded. Mechanically stanching with his handkerchief the | blood which flowed from his breast and hands, he appeared solely intent on the poacher's progress. As soon as the latter saw that he was discovered, he did not attempt to conceal himself in the corn, but ran quickly through the field, hoping to gain the wood. The guards followed him; but he had evidently had more practise in running than his pursuers, for the distance between them was increasing at every step, He was on the point of escaping from them, when, at the last enclosure, he unexpectedly found himself in front of a troop of boisiers, who surrounded and seized him. At the cries which announced this capture, Moser made a triumphant gesture, and, faint from loss of blood, fell down on the ground.

A quarter of an hour afterwards every body was assembled before Louroux's farm. A cart was preparing for the forester, whose wounds had been bound up. At a short distance, in the centre of a circle formed by the peasants, stood Bon-Affût and Bruno, with their hands tied. Louisa was seated at a few steps from them, sobbing violently. I approached to give some encouragement to the prisoners; but the poacher, who had been silent for some time, just at that moment addressed the young shepherdess; he spoke Breton, that he might not be understood by the rest of the people.

The voice was again raised in order to add, "There is no one on the right; follow the corn-field without raising your head, you will reach the thicket of holly." I looked towards the wheat-field, and in a few seconds saw a small opening made in the side, and a kind of furrow appeared, which seemed to be moving towards the forest. I rose in order to see more distinctly; Moser, who was watching my movements, followed the direction of my eye with his own, perceived the motion of the wheat, and uttered an exclamation of joy; he had guessed all. Hastening past the shrubs by which we were sheltered, he ran through the meadow and reached the wheat-field, which was surrounded at that part by an enclosure too high for leaping over; he hurried forward, and soon discovering a gap merely filled up with branches, sprang towards it; but uttering an exclamation of pain, he suddenly fell down. He had met with the scythe which was concealed under the branches for the destruction of wild boars. The two guards, who had at that moment arrived, and like myself had observed the accident, hastened to assist Moser. He was covered with blood, but appeared not to trouble himself about it. "Quick, quick, to the poacher!' murmured he, pointing to the road BonAffût had taken.

After a moment's hesitation, the guards commenced their pursuit of Anthony, whilst Moser raised himself and followed their movements with his eye.

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water ?"

He looked at Marcella, who was watching them at a distance with an expression of joy mingled with uneasiness; but Louisa paid no attention to the kind of advantage she thus gave her rival: the misery of her two friends engrossed her attention. "You will be in prison! in prison! my dear ones!" resumed she, clasping her hands together.

"The lad will not be long there, for they can bring forward nothing against him."

"But you, dear Anthony," said Louisa, looking at Bon-Affût with filial tenderness, "what will become of you when you have no beautiful trees over your head, when you can no longer breathe the fresh air, and will be obliged night and day to be confined in a wretched cell ?"

A shade passed over the poacher's face. "Yes, it will be a hard trial," said he, sadly.

"Let me at least be with you, dear old Anthony," resumed Louisa, quickly; "perhaps they will let me live with you, or if that is forbidden, I can go to the prison-door and sing, to let you know that I am there, and I will go to the judges to ask them to let you come home again.”

"Poor innocent one!" interrupted Bon-Affût, "what would the people say here? and how would live

down there?"

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