de Cocheforet and his sister came out of the house;
he with a pale face and bright eyes, and a twitching visible in
his cheek--though he still affected a jaunty bearing; she wearing
a black mask.
'Mademoiselle accompanies us?' I said formally.
'With your permission, Monsieur,' he answered with bitter
politeness. But I saw that he was choking with emotion; he had
just parted from his wife, and I turned away.
When we were all mounted he looked at me.
'Perhaps--as you have my parole, you will permit me to ride
alone?' he said with a little hesitation. 'And--'
'Without me!' I rejoined keenly. 'Assuredly, so far as is
possible.'
Accordingly I directed the troopers to ride before him, keeping
out of earshot, while my two men followed him at a little
distance with their carbines on their knees. Last of all, I rode
myself with my eyes open and a pistol loose in my holster. M. de
Cocheforet muttered a sneer at so many precautions and the
mountain made of his request; but I had not done so much and come
so far, I had not faced scorn and insults to be cheated of my
prize at last; and aware that until we were beyond Auch there
must be hourly and pressing danger of a rescue, I was determined
that he who should wrest my prisoner from me should pay dearly
for it.
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